How many of us could live without our mobile phones? They are communication devices to make phone calls, send text messages and emails. And they are our cameras to record those precious (and not so precious) moments in life. They are our bank cards, allowing us to view our bank accounts, pay bills, transfer money and even pay for things in shops and on public transport. And they are our games consoles, music and video players. They have such a wide variety of functions that we miss them when they are not with us. It doesn’t matter what make or model or how high spec the phone, they all have something essential in common, they are need charging to work. And for me, I love wireless charging so that I can just place my phone on the charger and leave it to charge without the need to plug in or unplug cables (that over time could damage the charging port). But the SanDisk Ixpand Wireless Charger Sync goes one better than just fast wireless charging, it also backs up your phone whilst charging so that you can save all those precious photos you have taken.
The SanDisk Ixpand 10w Wireless Charger Sync supports fast wireless charging for Qi™-compatible iPhone, Samsung and other smartphones while automatically backing up photos and videos in full resolution right onto the charger. It has 128GB/256GB of storage built right into the charger.
The Ixpand is quite a large charger measuring 201.39mm x 19.51mm x 100.25mm. This is perfect for my Samsung Galaxy Note 9, it fits on it quite nicely. It comes with a cable length of 6ft (1.8m) on a high-efficiency power plug so that it can easily be placed on a table, desk or bedside unit without stretching the cable. White in colour it looks very simple but charges fast and backs up my phone data whilst charging which can be restored if needed to my phone.
As a wireless charger I think that it is excellent. With 10w power it charges my phone in under 2 hours. All I need to do is place the phone on the charger and leave it. It has a pink/purple light while charging and changes to white when finished. This is what you would expect it and other wireless chargers to do. It even charges my phone through the protective case I have on it. With phone case friendly charging it can charge through cases up to 3mm thick (with my previous wireless charger I had to remove the phone from the case).
It charges my phone perfectly every time. But that is not the extent of the charger. It also features some built-in safety features:
- Foreign object detection – it you accidentally place your keys or a coin on the charger the charger will turn off to protect itself.
- Overcharging and adaptive protection – it will stop charging when the phone reaches capacity so that the battery is protected, keeping it at optimal performance and extending the life of the battery.
The charging functions make the SanDisk Ixpand Wireless Charger Sync a truly impressive charger. But to give it that edge over other wireless chargers it features an app and storage solution that makes backing up the phone easy and effortless.
How many of us back up our phone regularly? And how many would be devastated if we lost all our photos and videos in the event that the phone was lost, stolen or died beyond repair? I’m terrible at backing up my phone. I do it when I remember. Some of us will use automatic cloud storage so isn’t a problem, some don’t and need to do manual backups. I do use SanDisk’s Ultra Dual Drive USB Type-C Flash Drive that features switchable USB A and C connectors so that it can be plugged into my phone to make backups (with an app) and then can be plugged in to a laptop. This is a fantastic little device, but I don’t always remember to do regular backups. The Ixpand takes away the need to remember to do backups as once I place my phone on the charger it starts a backup.
As for the app, it is free to download and requires some set up once installed on your phone. It requires connecting to your home/office wi-fi network. Now when the phone is placed on the charger to recharge the battery and fill it with life, it automatically starts to back up photos, videos and contacts to the built-in 128GB/256GB storage. No more worrying about losing those precious photos or using up all your mobile data when backing up to the cloud. And as the phone needs to be charged several times a week (if not daily), no more worrying about regular backups or data loss as long as this charger is used. It even features a micro USB connection on the rear of the charger so that you can connect it to a computer or laptop should you want access to files that are stored on it. You can also view and restore through the app.
Another excellent feature is that you can create multiple user accounts. Perfect for family use if more than one person is regularly using the same charger. This allows each phone to backed up to its own user profile. The app also allows you to free up space on your phone by deleting old photos while still having them saved in the backup. If you remove the phone from the charger while it is doing a backup it will pause it and continue the next time that you place the phone back on it. You can even set it up to keep your phone unlocked when it is on, or in the vicinity of, the charger.
Overall, I think that the SanDisk Ixpand Wireless Charger Sync is the perfect one stop solution for charging and backing up your phone. The charging unit looks very sleek and understated and will fit in with any room décor. It charges very fast and is easy to use. The app is very basic with no complicated functions and requires very little user interaction.
I am very impressed with the charger, especially as I no longer need to remember to make regular backups. With 256GB of storage space it has plenty of space for all my photos (and even photos from other phones in the household if needed). It is all so simple to use, anybody can use it. It really is a case of placing your phone on the charger and letting it do its job.
The perfect wireless phone charger for individual or family use. Setting up user profiles to back up different phones when they are put on charge is easy and hassle free. And it charges my phone quickly too.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £89.99 (128GB)
Available to buy from Amazon here.