HiRise Wireless (Hardware)
Official GBAtemp Review
Product Information:
The HiRise Wireless charger is the latest gizmo by manufacturer Twelve South. Put simply, this elegant device works as a stand to charge your phone with a removable pocked-sized Qi base that wirelessly charges all of your compatible devices—such as your iPhone, Android, and wireless headphones. You can use the stand to hold your phone upright to watch movies while charging or pop that charging pad out to use on the move. Before we dive further into this device, let’s look at what Twelve South has to say about their company. From their website:
“We're committed to designing products as innovative as Apple itself. Twelve South has been designing beautiful accessories exclusively for Apple products since 2009. From day one, we have been dedicated to serving the legions of people who, just like us, line up in front of an Apple store to buy the latest and greatest Apple product.
We may be a tech company, but there are no robots here. We keep it small so we can focus on providing the highest quality products, each backed by top-notch customer service – delivered by real human beings. We love developing surprising new ways to protect and personalize your Apple hardware. Some of our best ideas have been inspired by our office happy hour conversations!
We're big on tiny details. We know you have a lot of choices when it comes to Apple accessories so we pride ourselves on paying attention to the little nuances and millimeters that take our products to the next level. We want to be your go-to source for gear made exclusively for Apple.
We're small but mighty. Twelve South is distributed in over 100 countries but is still run by the same husband-and-wife team that started it in 2009. You may not know it, but we are a small team of about 20 lucky enough to be based in beautiful Charleston, South Carolina. We love our partners all over the world, but if you want the best selection and the best customer service, shop direct from us. It's because of our fans (that's you!) that it's possible for us to continue to make more Mac greatness in the future!
We hope you'll join the fun! If you’re a Twelve South fan, thank you for your support and representing our brand. If you haven’t tried our products yet, we invite you to take one for a spin. We’re confident you’ll like what you buy and your friends will be jealous.”
There’s a lot to like about what Twelve South has to say about itself, but I couldn’t help but notice a lot of the discussion focuses on the company’s exclusivity for Apple products. I almost feel dirty to say GOTCHA! I’m using this charger regularly for my Galaxy S10+! Muahaha!
However, that’s the great thing about this charger: it charges a variety of devices using a single USB-C cable. Do you have an iPhone X with a Lightning cable? This can handle it. Do you have a newer smartphone with a USB-C? You’re good here. What about an older device that still uses Micro USB but has wireless charging ability? The HiRise is here for you! Plug the provided USB-C cord into the base, put your phone on the base, and boom, you’re good.
I have to say, I love the design of this device. The charger looks great and performs well. There is a bit of heft to the stand that weighs about 1 pound with a sleek blackish grey chrome finish surrounding the stand. This finish complements the black rubber on the base of the stand and the back of the removable charging pad, as well as the black rubber on the surface of the charging pad.
There’s not a whole lot more to say about this device as it looks very nice and charges all of your devices. I will note that when testing it with my Galaxy phone, the charger did not kick on the Fast Charging ability of the phone and instead charged it at a normal speed. I also want to note that I wish that the removable charging base had the ability to hold a charge itself so that it could be used to charge a phone without having to have a cable attached the whole time. This stand is a bit on the pricier side at $79.99 but one can’t deny that you’re paying for style as well as efficiency—and this charger has both in spades.
Technical Specifications
Compatible with:
- iPhone: 11 Pro Max, 11 Pro, 11, X, XS Max, XS, XR, 8, 8 Plus
- Samsung Galaxy: S10 Plus, S10, S10e, Note 9, S9, S9+, Note 8, S8, S8+, S7, S7 Edge
- Sony: Xperia XZ3, Xperia XZ2 Premium, Xperia XZ2
- LG: G7 ThinQ, V30, G6 (US version only), G4 (optional), G3 (optional)
- Google: Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 3, Nexus: Nexus 6, Nexus 5
- BlackBerry: Priv
- AirPods with Wireless Charging Case
Compatible with most cases up to 3mm thick
Weight & Dimensions:
- Height: 4.92 inches (125 mm)
- Width: 3.78 inches (96 mm)
- Depth: 3.78 inches (96 mm)
- Weight: 1 pound (454 g)
- Angle: 75 degrees
Power Disc:
- Height: 3.43 inches (87 mm)
- Width: 2.24 inches (57 mm)
- Depth: .47 inches (12 mm)
- Weight: .14 pounds (64 g)
USB-C to USB-A Power Cable:
- Length: 60 inches (1.5 m)
Charging Specs
- Input Connector: USB Type C
- Note: Included cable is 1.5m USB Type C to USB Type A
- Input: 5V/2A , 9V/1.67A
- Output: 5V/1A , 6V/1.25A , 9V/1.1A
- Operation Frequency: 110~205 KHZ
- Modulation type: ASK
- Antenna Type: Coil Antenna
- Charging Efficiency: 2~8mm ; 2mm max> =75% / 8mm max> =72%
What's in the Box
- HiRise Wireless Pedestal
- HiRise Wireless Power Disc
- 1.5-meter USB-C to USB-A removable power cable
- Requires USB wall plug/power source (not included)
Verdict
- Slick, professional design
- Charges a wide variety of devices across many brands
- Removable base is convenient for travel
- I wish that the removable base could charge devices without having to be plugged in
- The $79.99 price might be a barrier to some
