Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. AUKEY provided the product in this review.

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Model: PB-WL02

Tech Specs:

• Ports: USB-C, USB-A, Qi wireless
• USB-C Output:
  • 18W USB-C Power Delivery 3.0 (5V/3A, 9V/2A, 12V/1.5A)
  • Quick Charge 3.0
  • Huawei FCP
  • Apple 2.4A
• USB-A Output:
  • 18W Quick Charge 3.0
  • Huawei FCP
  • Apple 2.4A
• Qi Wireless Output:
  • 5W
  • 7.5W
  • 10W
• Input: 18W USB-C PD (5V/3A, 9V/2A)
• Capacity: 10,000mAh | 37Wh
• Size: 6.1 x 3 x 0.6 inches | 155 x 75 x 15.5 mm
• Weight: 8 oz | 228 grams

Learn more about Fast Charging.

Included In Box:

• AUKEY PB-WL02 Basix Pro Wireless
• USB-C to USB-A cable, 12 inches (56k Ohm resistor)

Good For:

• Commute
• Travel
• iPhone
• Android
• Nintendo Switch (handheld)
• iPad Pro (pre-2018)

Estimated Number of Charges:

• iPhone 6/7/8/SE: 3.5 charges
• iPhone Plus/X/XR: 2 Charges
• Samsung Galaxy S8/S9: 2 Charges
• iPhone 11, Samsung Galaxy S10/S20: 2 Charges
• Nintendo Switch (2017): 4.5 hours of play
• Nintendo Switch (2019): 6.5 hours of play
• Nintendo Switch Lite: 6.5 hours of play

First Impression

The No products found. by specs is a typical wired and wireless portable charger designed for phones and handheld devices. Supporting USB-C PD, Quick Charge, and Qi wireless standards. It’s 10,000mAh is also typical of similar models. Its stand out feature is, well, its stand. It has a built-in kickstand in the rear. And a folding down rest for the phone on its front. Together a smartphone can be placed at an angle more comfortable for viewing media. The phone rests against the Qi wireless charging pad. And you can set the phone so its charging port faces the same direction as the USB-C and USB-A ports. Either allows for charging while still using the phone in a fixed position.

The enclosure is entirely plastic. There’s no gripping surface on the Qi wireless pad. Instead a small bit of gripping material is on the bottom rest when in stand mode. The lack of gripping material across an entire side keep the portable charger clean, as it doesn’t attract and hold dust as much. The two USB ports and LED indicators are on the same size, which the power button around the corner. The wireless side is easily identified by a raised silicon ring in the center. A phone rests on that, offering a bit of grip to help keep it in place.

 

Compared To Similar Power Banks

Prices are from Amazon Product Advertising API, last updated on 2024-11-24.

 

You can see more USB-C power banks here.

Device Testing

Check with your device’s manufacturer to verify which charging standards it supports.

USB Power Delivery & Quick Charge 4+ Phones

• Apple iPhone 8/X/XR/XS/11/SE
• Essential Phone
• Google Pixel
• LG ThinQ/V30
• Razer
• Samsung Galaxy S8/S9/S10/S20
• Samsung Galaxy Note 8/9/10
• Xiaomi Mi 8/9
• ZTE Axon Pro 9/10

 

Using an iPhone 8 for testing we find USB PD phones will fast charge over the USB-C port. iPhones will need to use a USB-C to Lightning cable, not included. And Android phones will need a USB-C to USB-C cable, also not included.

For iPhones the USB-A port supports Apple 2.4A. An older, but still functional fast charging standard. Older iPhones (4-7) can fast charge using USB-A. Newer iPhones will charge ~15 minutes faster using USB-C.

Quick Charge 3.0 Phones

• HTC
• LG
• Motorola
• Nokia
• Samsung Galaxy
• Sony
• Xiaomi Mi 5/6
• ZTE

 

Using a Moto G6 for testing we see Quick Charge will fast charge over the USB-A port. The Moto G6 fails to get QC over USB-C, as that is an issue with that particular model phone. Other QC supporting Android phones would be expected to work over USB-A or USB-C.

Nintendo Switch

 

Works well for all model Nintendo Switch in handheld/tabletop mode.

• Nintendo Switch (original) – Charges while you play, but the original model Switch under draws at 12V. So it won’t charge as fast as a similar charger offering 9V or 15V (12W vs 18W).
• Nintendo Switch (2019 update) – Charges near its max rate while playing and sleeping.
• Nintendo Switch Lite – Charges near its max rate while playing and sleeping.

It will not support the Switch’s dock, as it doesn’t offer the required output.

Learn more about charging the Switch.

Qi Wireless

 

Qi wireless compatible phones and devices can wirelessly charge with this power bank.

1. Press the power button. An orange light on the front will indicate wireless charging is active.
2. Place your device on side with a raised silicon ring.
3. Device should indicate a charge is active.

Wireless charging will work with another device plugged into a USB port. But charging two devices will slow the charging speed for both devices.

The Qi wireless charging pad supports 5W, 7.5W, and 10W power draws. This allows most phones to reach their max wireless power draw. Though it is worth nothing all are still slower than the 15-18W charging you can see with a wired connection.

The benefit of wireless charging is convenience. You don’t need to carry a cable. You can hold the phone and power bank together with a cable dangling. And is a must have feature for anyone with an Apple Watch or other device which only charges wirelessly.

No Fast Charging With Two

If you connect two devices to the power bank it will disable all fast charging tech. This goes for two wired connections. Or a wired and wireless connection together.

There is an 18W max output limit. Under this both ports only support 5V. Which removes fast charging options outside of Apple 2.4A standard.

When you connect a second device you’ll notice the charging resets on the first. This is the power bank stepping down to a lower output level. If you disconnect the second device you’ll want to unplug and replug the first. To make sure fast charging turns back on.

This limitation is typical of many power banks. A few can allow for one fast charging and one regular charging. Fewer still allow for dual fast charging, and those are always large and heavy. There is a limit to how much current can cross its circuits without extra hardware. Which adds size, weight, and cost.

Whether you should fast charge one device or regular charge two depends on battery levels and your immediate needs. The closer both devices are to 100%, the less impactful not fast charging becomes.

Pass Through Charging

Pass through charging allows a portable charger to both charge itself and a connected device. The power received from the wall charger splits. Some to the portable charger’s own batteries. And some to the connected device. How it handles the split varies. And there are more inefficiencies than normal.

This portable charger supports pass through charging under these connections:

• Input: USB-C, Output: USB-A
• Input: USB-C, Output: Qi wireless (still need to push the power button to activate)

Pass through charging is useful when you only have one USB wall charger. But it is not recommended to use this feature on a regular basis. It puts more heat and stress on the portable charger. Which will affect its lifespan. It can also provide an inefficient charge to your device. Again, not great for its own battery’s lifespan.

If you like to have the option when traveling, fine. But don’t set this up next to your bed at home every night.

Quick Charge 3.0 Over USB-C

The presence of Quick Charge over USB-C is against USB-C specifications. Such chargers have been around for years without issue. But we don’t know what the future holds.

Under section 4.8.2 of USB-C specifications a proprietary charging method cannot change the voltage of USB-C output (between 4.40V and 5.25V) in a manner not defined by USB methods. Quick Charge operates at higher than default voltages. And so goes against the specifications. USB Power Delivery is an open source charging method. Created alongside USB-C, it is with specs even though it also increases voltage. The big difference is USB PD uses communication lines to negotiate power transfer. While proprietary methods take over the data lines for their negotiation. They do so because legacy USB connections, such as USB-A, don’t have comm lines.

There is no known risk with running proprietary charging standards over USB-C. Manipulating the data lines does disrupt data transfers. But when plugging into a wall charger or power bank there is no data transfer anyway. Some USB-C engineers warn against using any USB-C chargers with third party standards. Their concern is unforeseen consequences. Future technology may prove to be incompatible with such configurations. And pulling out a charger several years from now with a new device could have a bad result.

I have not run into any issues with these fast charging standards on this or any other charger. But as it is a spec violation I want you to be informed. If you’re a stickler for meeting USB-C specifications this isn’t a good charger for you. If you’re more pragmatic it works fine and has no known issues.

Summary

The AUKEY PB-WL02 Basix Pro Wireless performance like similar models with the same specs. Its built-in phone stand function is the main draw over other options, both from AUKEY and other brands.

For phones it fast charges iPhone 8/X/XR/XS/11/SE, Samsung Galaxy, and Google Pixel. As well as LG and Motorola phones. And any other Android which supports Quick Charge.

The Qi wireless pad supports up to 10W wireless fast charging. Auto sensing and adjusting for your phone’s specs. It is an essential feature if you want to charge a wireless only device on the go, such as an Apple Watch.

The Nintendo Switch charges in handheld mode while you play. Due to the 12V power profile the original model Switch charges slower than it should. But still enough to charge the Switch with the most demanding games. The newer models (August 2019 and later) aren’t affected.

The lack of gripping material on the wireless pad is a plus for me. Such surfaces tend to collect dust and hair, making them less presentable. Not to mention difficult to clean. The silicon ring offers a minuscule amount of grip, just enough to help hold the phone in position. But it can spin easier than with other options.

A Qi compatible phone can charge while laying fully across the side of the portable charger. Or at a 90° angle, provided it is flat. The stand can hold a phone in either horizontal or vertical orientation. But for most phones they will only charge while horizontal. Grips on the bottom rest, along with those on the silicon ring, hold the phone in place. When opening up the kickstand there is a loud click, indicating it is locked in position.

About AUKEY

AUKEY has U.S. based support (web and email) and a 24 month warranty. You must have purchased the product either from them or through Amazon for support. They also have an online community for news, reviews, and support.

Bottom Line

The AUKEY PB-WL02 Basix Pro Wireless offers the benefits of a phone stand, wireless charger, and portable charger. Weighing more than either of those, but less than all put together. But the phone must remain horizontal to charge while in the stand mode.

Buy if you:

• Need wireless charging support on the go
• Want to support the optimal charging requirements of several different devices
• Are looking to use your phone with a horizontal stand

Don’t buy if you:

• Have no interest in the phone stand function, there are cheaper alternatives
• Want a single option for larger devices, too

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You’ll want a USB-C wall charger to quickly recharge this USB-C power bank. I recommend the AUKEY PA-Y18 18W PD. Travel friendly, supports the power bank’s faster recharge mode, and works with the power bank’s included USB-C cable.

Be sure to check the Deals page to see if this or a similar charger is on sale.

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