Silicon Power Boost Charger QM15 Review

Silicon Power Boost Charger QM15
Silicon Power Boost Charger QM15

Silicon Power Boost Charger QM15

Silicon Power Boost Charger QM15 - Dual USB travel charger offer a range of fast charging standards

Summary

The Silicon Power Boost Charger QM15 is a compact charger with USB-C and USB-A. Supporting the fast charging needs of most any handheld device.

Overall
4.6
  • Performance
    (4.5)
  • Design
    (5)
  • Safety
    (4)
  • Portability
    (5)
Sending
User Review
0 (0 votes)

Pros

  • Fast charges iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, LG, and Motorola phones
  • Charges Switch while you play
  • Fits in most Switch carrying cases
  • Travel friendly design
  • Charge two devices at once, but without fast charging
  • Works worldwide with 100-240V power input (may need a plug adapter)

Cons

  • Can’t use USB-C PD and Quick Charge at the same time
  • Quick Charge 3.0 over USB-C is against USB-C specs
  • Doesn’t include a USB-C to USB-C cable

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

No products found.

Model: QM15
Tech Specs:
  • Ports: USB-C, USB-A
  • 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
    • Samsung Adaptive Fast Charging
    • Apple 2.4A
  • Dual Port Output: 15.5W (5V/3.1A) total
  • Input: 100V–240V, 0.5A, 50/60Hz
  • Size: 1.6 x 1.6 x 1.1 inches | 41 x 41 x 29 mm
  • Weight: 1.7 oz | 49 grams

Learn more about Fast Charging.

Silicon Power Boost Charger QM15 box and contents

Silicon Power Boost Charger QM15 box and contents

Included In Box:
  • Silicon Power Boost Charger QM15
Good For:
  • Additional charger for home or work
  • Commute
  • Travel
  • iPhone
  • Android
  • Power banks (10,000mAh or less)
  • Nintendo Switch (handheld)
  • iPad Pro (pre-2018)

First Impression

The No products found. is quite small for being a dual port charger. In fact, it is smaller and lighter than similar options from most major brands. With folding prongs you won’t find a more travel friendly charger with same specs out there.

 

Compared To Similar Chargers

ChargerNo products found.Anker PowerPort PD 2No products found.No products found.
PortsUSB-C, USB-AUSB-C, USB-AUSB-C, USB-AUSB-C, USB-A
Output18W USB-C PD

Quick Charge 3.0
18W USB-C PD

12W USB-A
18W USB-C PD

Quick Charge 3.0
18W USB-C PD

12W USB-A
FeaturesFolding prongFolding prong

USB-IF certified
Folding prongFolding prong
CableNo cableNo cableNo cableNo cable
Dimensions1.6 x 1.6 x 1.1 in
1.7 oz
2.5 × 2.4 × 1.1 in
4.7 oz
2.2 x 2 x 1.1 in
2.3 oz
1.9 x 1.9 x 1.1 in
3.4 oz
Price$14.99Price not availableNo products found.No products found.

Prices are from Amazon Product Advertising API, last updated on 2024-03-19.

You can see more USB-C chargers 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/SE/11/12
  • Apple iPad Pro
  • 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.

No Fast Charging With Two

If you connect two devices to the charger it will disable all fast charging tech.

Both ports only support 5V. Which removes fast charging options outside of the Apple 2.4A standard. There is a 15.5W total output limit shared between the two USB ports.

When you connect a second device you’ll notice the charging resets on the first. This is the charger 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 any dual port charger of this size. To get dual fast charging usually requires a larger and higher total output model. There is a limit to how much current can cross its circuits without extra hardware, adding size, weight, and cost.

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

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 Silicon Power Boost Charger QM15 is a great commute or travel charger. Supporting an array of small devices. Good if you and your partner use different types of phones, or if you regular get asked to lend out a charger.

For phones it fast charges iPhone 8/X/XR/XS/SE/11/12, Samsung Galaxy, and Google Pixel. It also fast charges LG and Motorola, and any other Android which supports Quick Charge. Huawei phones are also supported using their older FCP standard.

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.

Like most small dual USB chargers it works better as a device flexible single charger than a two device charger. Between the two ports it’ll fast charge almost any handheld device. But with two devices connected the total power output drops, disabling fast charging. Save the dual device charging for overnight, or if both devices are well above 50% already.

About Silicon Power

Silicon Power (SP) has U.S. based support (web, email, phone) and a 13 month limited warranty on their power banks. Founded and headquartered in Taiwan with branch offices in the USA (California), Netherlands, Japan, and Hong Kong.

Bottom Line

The Silicon Power Boost Charger QM15 is a small and light travel charger, offering support for a wide variety of handheld devices. But don’t expect it to fast charge two devices at once.

Buy if you:
  • Need a single charger to support iPhone, Android, and other handheld devices
  • Want a dedicated travel charger with small size, low weight, and folding prongs
  • Have two devices to charge overnight, where fast charging isn’t a concern
Don’t buy if you:
  • Need to only charge one device, get a smaller single port model
  • Want to fast charge two devices together, you’ll need a larger and more expensive model

No products found.

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


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