Laser Qi charger and four-port USB charger (review)

Laser has released a very handy Qi wireless and four-port USB charging station that fills a need for multiple device charging.

Its called “The Hills” reflecting the shape. Alas, the image on the website shows a forest green and the review unit is in a drab office grey. The official model number is PW-WCS04.

It offers 5W standard Qi charging (5V/1A) and four 5V/2A USB-A ports from its 240V/10A power input.

The Qi rating will slow charge (overnight) an iPhone 8/X, all Samsung Galaxy S series from S4 onwards, and a host of other Qi-enabled brands. If you want a faster charge you should look at 10W and 15W Qi fast chargers.

The concept behind “The Hills” is to be able to stack four smartphones or tablet devices between the crests, but in practice, it offers four dedicated 2A outputs eliminating the need for four separate USB chargers and its equally at home with devices placed beside it.

Testing

Please note that a USB Hub is not designed to charge multiple devices – a dedicated charger with levels of power protection like this is required.

Qi

The Qi 5W charger took just over eight hours to fully charge a Galaxy Note 8 from almost zero. So, its best used as an overnight charger and it intelligently charges and stops charging when the battery is full or if an error occurs.

It worked well through a Samsung flip cover – thin cases should not be an issue. A soft LED indicates Qi is active.

USB

Each port is rated at 2A and can handle Android smartphones and tablets as well as iPads and iPhones. Again, this is standard charging – not fast charging. It took about four hours to charge the Galaxy Note 8 – twice as long as its dedicated fast charger.

Using a multimeter, we verified that four devices were supplied with 2A each.

Stability

It seems stable enough supporting phones and tablets up to 10”. The silicon surface reduces slippage.

Heat

After 24 hours under full load, the unit was still cool to touch and showed no signs of overheating.

Price

A$89.95

GadgetGuy’s take

A very useful device – saves power board clutter. Laser often have a range of useful and interesting accessories.

Pros

  • Charges five devices at once
  • Has power and overvoltage protection
  • Saves placing five USB chargers on a power board
  • Laser quality and after sales support

Cons

  • Liked the green colour on the website

Ratings

  • Overall:   5 out of 5
  • Features: 5 out of 5 – does what it promises
  • Value for Money: 5 out of 5 – good value
  • Performance: 5 out of 5 – delivers rated amperage
  • Ease of Use: 5 out of 5 – easy to install and use
  • Design: 4 out of 5 – would have given it 5 if it was forest green

 

Overall
Features
Value for money
Performance
Ease of Use
Design
Reader Rating0 Votes
Positives
Great combo Qi and USB charger
Negatives
Drab office grey
5