Alternative Chargers for the Apple iPhone 12

Dilan the techie
Mac O’Clock
Published in
8 min readNov 14, 2020

--

From our previous article regarding the new iPhone 12 we talked about some of its major pros and cons and the device itself. All these items are randomly selected yet highly recommended ones.

The very first thing you have to buy after buying the iPhone 12 is the charger. So let’s talk about some alternatives first.

Anker Nano iPhone Charger (20W)

Anker is a renowned trademark in the tech stuff business. This Nano charger is significantly smaller than a normal Apple charger and of course, cheaper. It is specially made for the iPhone 12 but you can also use this to charge previous iPhones and even Samsung Galaxies. You must know that the prongs (plugs) in the charger are not foldable and this one doesn’t come with a USB-C to Lightning cable (since it comes along with the iPhone, it is nothing to worry about). If you are having any issues with the device you bought, you don’t have to worry because the manufacturer provides an 18-month warranty for this item. So if you do have a problem, contact the seller immediately.

Check the price

Anker 60W 2-Port PowerPort Atom PD

If you read the name right, you know what’s special about this charger. It can be used to power up two devices at the same time! PowerPort Atom PD is bit smaller than a laptop charging adapter, but you can use it to charge two laptops at once. When charging two devices, heating up is the most common problem for almost any charger. The manufacturers of this item has used something called Gallium Nitride (GaN) to improve the efficiency and to reduce the heat. (GaN is a better substitute for silicone). Fortunately, PowerPort Atom PD has foldable prongs and is a travel friendly charger. The power will divide equally when you plug two devices to this and will charge both devices using 30W for each. You won’t get a USB-C to Lightning cable but you will have an 18-month worry free warranty for this.

Check the price

AUKEY Focus 30W 2-Port Fast Charger

This Aukey Focus charger is very similar to the Anker PowerPort but there are some noticeable differences among these two. The maximum output is limited to only 30W. the previous one had two Type-C ports but Aukey Focus has one Type-C port and a one normal USB port. So if you want to charge your device at 30W, you have to use the USB-C port. If you are using both ports, USB-C port will deliver 18W power while the USB port delivers 12W. Prongs are foldable and the item is travel friendly, will fit into your bag just fine but you will have to buy a cable externally.

Check the price

AUKEY Swift 18W

Another charger from Aukey. This little charging brick is a 18W, single port charger that is compatible with iPhones, Galaxies, Pixels and several other well-known smart phones. This is not as fast as the Anker Nano charger (2W slight difference) but it is a lot cheaper than that. That’s why thought I should list this in here. Oh, this has foldable prongs! That is something Anker Nano hasn’t. the charger’s build quality is quite good and it will last for months (more than a year) if used carefully. Do not misrecognise the logo as a charging status indicator, it is misleading.

Check the price

None of these wall chargers will have a USB-C to Lightning cable with it. So you have to buy one additionally (if the iPhone cable isn’t enough — or as a backup cable) Also a single USB-C to Lightning cable will not be enough for the 2 port charger. I’m recommending a 6ft long cable from the same manufacturer for certified compatibility.

Anker USB C to Lightning Cable

Check the price

Enough with the wall chargers! Let’s look at some good wireless chargers for your iPhone 12

Anker PowerWave Pad

This Anker wireless charging pad is certainly one of the cheapest yet best wireless chargers in the Amazon you can afford. First of all, I cannot consider this as a fast because it charges iPhones only using a 10W power. Though it has a LED status indicator which switches between Green and Blue according to the situation. It will flash Blue if any obscuration is detected (metal, plastic, credit cards) and will flash green if the cable is not compatible. The light will keep on when the phone is placed correctly and is charging correctly. Normal phone cases will be just fine with this charger but any case with some heavy interferences will affect the charging. This will come with a Micro USB cable and an 18-month warranty but you will still need to buy a wall adapter if you don’t have one. That’s why I listed those wall chargers first.

Check the price

Belkin Wireless Charger (15W)

A 15W wireless charger made not only for iPhones but almost every Qi certified devices. This charger is noticeably a faster one than the previous Anker PowerWave Pad (fast charges only Apple, Samsung, and Google smartphones). The design is quite catchy and is made to manage a good grip with your phone. This will support all normal phone cases with any metals or thick layer of plastic. Surprisingly, a 24W Quick Charge 3.0 power supply is included in the package. In case any error occurs you are secured with a 24-month warranty.

Check the price

Anker PowerWave Stand

As you can see I moved from charging pads to charging stands. This Anker PowerWave Stand is same as the PowerWave pad but it is a STAND. One of the best things about this stand is it can charge your phone even with a 5mm thick case (0.5cm). This too cannot be considered as a fast charger because it uses 5W Standard Charge Mod when charging iPhones (10W for other devices). There is a small LED indicator to show the charging status and it will not shine brighter when you sleep. You can use this charger to watch movies while charging (of course every charging stand can be) by placing the phone horizontally on the stand (but I don’t recommend using your phone while charging). You will get a 3ft Micro USB Cable and an 18-month warranty along with this item.

Check the price

Anker Wireless Chargers Bundle (charging pad + stand)

Now we have talked about wall adapters, wireless charging pads and charging stands. It is time to talk about the next most important thing that you should buy, power banks or simply known as portable chargers!

Anker PowerCore 10000 Portable Charger

This power bank is one of the lightest and smallest power banks out there in the Amazon for sure. You will be able to charge your iPhone 100% for two times with this 10000mAh charger. Anker PowerCore is perfect for travellers and it comes with a little carrying pouch too. But since this a bit outdated item you will have to buy a USB to Lightening cable to use this properly with your iPhone.

Check the price

Anker PowerCore Slim 10000

The same charger but in a slim case! Not completely same, this is bit different and bit weird when comparing to the previous one. Different because this has a power mode called trickle-charging mode to charge low powered devices (earbuds). Weird because this has two input ports (Micro USB and Type-C) but the input Micro USB port can be used as a output port but Type-C port cannot and there is another USB port for power output. Since this contains the same capacity of 10000mAh, you will be able to charge your iPhone twice completely. The cables aren’t included with the package but a travelling pouch is. You will get an 18-month warranty after buying this item from Amazon.

Check the price

Anker PowerCore 13000 2 Port Phone Charger

Another portable charger from Anker, but this time a bit powerful and more functional. You can charge a latest iPhone for 100% up to three times with this 13000mAh portable charger and it has two USB output ports and a single Micro USB input port. The package will include a USB to Micro USB cable and a carrying pouch and the 18-month warranty is valid for this too.

Check the price

RAVPower 26800mAh Dual Input Port Battery Pack

This is the most powerful portable charger I’m going to list in here. You can charge your iPhone to 100% at least 7 or 8 times with this charger. There are two INPUT ports (Micro USB + Type-C) that can be also used as output ports. That’s the perfect thing for an iPhone 12 user (Type-C to Lightening). And then there is another two USB ports to use as outputs. You will get two Micro USB to USB cables, a Micro USB to Type-C cable and a carrying pouch. Surprisingly a lifetime warranty card too! This is completely worth your money!

Check the price

I think I have revealed some of the best items on the market and now you can choose which alternative item is the best among these. It is good if you can use the official Apple products with your iPhone but Apple themselves made us do this.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

--

--