12V Socket vs USB Port vs Wireless: Your preferred way to charge?

PaddleShifter · 25th July 2021, 21:44

I have voted for USB-A.

Having both 12V socket (mainly for tyre inflator) and USB port (for phone charging and navigation etc) are essential.

But, if only one is to be selected, I’d buy a car with USB A anyday.

Reasons:
1. I have been using 12V socket for phone charging since 2010. Regardless of the charger design and brand (I have a belkin 12V charger), the connection surely is prone to disconnection. The USB offers a secure connection that does not fail.

2. Power rating of 12V sockets is not standard. It must be a standard 180W for all cars. Else it is useless. I have two tyre inflators and one vaccum cleaner. We have recently shifted to Maruti and now the 120W rating makes all these products useless.

3. Tyre inflators with in built battery are now available so need for 12V socket is lesser.

vnabhi · 25th July 2021, 21:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by alphahere

Voted for 12v charging port.

And I use a magnetic adapter to protect the USB-C port on my phone. Otherwise they tend to become loose after repeated use.

This magnetic adapter is also darn useful while driving. I just need to bring the cable end close to the port and it clicks on by itself without me hunting for the port and causing an unsafe situation for myself and others around.

Can you provide more details of this magnetic adapter? I am not sure how it protects the USB port on the phone.

And how much did it cost? And what charger do you use to connect to the 12V port?

ajaiD · 25th July 2021, 22:13

I like to use hidden wireless slot like the one on Seltos. It's great because no metal things are generally left there and there is no direct sun light at all plus the air vent at the back of the space lowers the phone temperature.

In the Jeep Compass I had there was no hidden slot so the phone had to be put in a slit next to the usb port with the charging cable attached. That was ok when I had a thin iPhone but when I upgraded to the samsung fold I had no place to put the monster other than the risky net pocket.

alphahere · 25th July 2021, 22:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Can you provide more details of this magnetic adapter? I am not sure how it protects the USB port on the phone.

And how much did it cost? And what charger do you use to connect to the 12V port?

It is a Baseus 100W magnetic cable. One end of the cable is a fixed USB-C plug as in any other cable. This end goes on the charger. The other end of this cable has the USB-C plug split in two parts. One part with the male USB-C goes into the phone USB-C port and can be left there permanently. This part and the remaining part of the plug on the cable have magnets on them. If we bring them close it just jumps up and seats itself where it should be to close the circuit. There is no need to unplug the phone part ever; If we have 2 of these cables, one for the car and one for the home. Help to avoid wear on the phone.

I use an Aukey CC-A4 dual USB-C car charger that supports USB-PD fast charging.

Chinmay · 26th July 2021, 00:43

12V all the way! Nothing else comes close in terms of versatility. Also, I have used this port as a lighter for my smokey drives (now I don't smoke inside the car). So, it has a nostalgic value for me.

With a dual port USB charger and the inbuilt USB port, my VB has 3 USB ports on the front. That's more than enough for everything: dashcam, cellphones, android auto, and the works. Also, a small adapter can change it from USB B and C to almost everything else. I really don't mind cables as I have to look at the road while driving, not at my gear lever. It is the most versatile power outlet we have ever had. Warms my coffee too. The choice is obvious.
I have a phone that is capable of wireless charging, but don't use a wireless charger in the car as I still have to use a cable for Android Auto. Therefore, until everything is wireless, I prefer to remain "old school"!

landcruiser123 · 26th July 2021, 01:19

Make no mistake, the 12V socket is here to stay. There are far too many accessories like air inflators, heated/cooled beverage cups, dashcams, GPS devices etc which still require them.

I voted 12V lighter socket as I have my charger + USB cable plugged to it. With the exception of a few USB ports (in cars with 2.1 amp charging), I'm not a fan of USBs in car for charging as they are slow for the phones and tablets most of us use.

I've never found wireless charging useful in any situation. It it slow and generates a lot of heat. I don't know how it'd be useful in cars.

ashokabs · 26th July 2021, 06:12

It is better to have flexibility of the 12V socket. This allows for the differing needs of customers. Plenty of options will be there for adapters of type A or type C or both.

Stribog · 26th July 2021, 12:39

On a lighter note, the common complaint against Kia is that they throw everything and the kitchen sink in as features.

Well, what do you know,

My Seltos has all of the above - has that 12 V charger, a USB C charger AND a wireless charger. It is like they are telling the customer, run wild my child, choose what you want.

Romeo_Mike · 26th July 2021, 13:15

Voted 12V socket. Simply because the other options will limit the charging performance to what spec the manufacturer has chosen to equip the port with.

Why should the speed at which my device can be charged be decided by the carmaker? Even for sake of argument, if we consider the manufacturer has specced the usb socket very well for today's standards, say 36W of power and QC4 etc, what about the future?

A car has a expected life of 10 - 15 yrs, while charging technology is evolving almost every year! With a 12 V socket one can just swap out the charger and we are back in the game!

asbshyam · 26th July 2021, 13:47

12v socket is the the only reason we are able to *fast* charge our USB C and Lightning Phones on a 10 or 15 year old car.

Like user replaceable wipers, until the manufactures bring in the ability to swap charging modules or USB port receptacles (with a module), 12v socket is the way to go. USB PD can deliver 20V and 100W, but it is not yet universal and I don't want to run a 20v utility on a 12v battery with the engine turned off. USB C will need some time to be truly universal and cut through domains/industries.

A M · 26th July 2021, 15:39

There is no alternative for a 12v socket. Air pumps cannot plug into any USB sockets. I think the poll should be rephrased to focus only on the in-car devices (mobiles, dash cams etc.). Also, it should be a multiple choice poll.

Bibendum90949 · 26th July 2021, 18:41

Voted for Wireless charging. If the phone is low on power, I use the 12 V socket to juice it up fast. Else wireless charging is preferred. 12 V socket is a must to have for laptop charging, plugging in vaccum cleaner, tyre inflator besides giving one the option of multiple USB ports. The dashcam needs to be powered all the time too. I use the below brand since 3-4 years or so which is very reliable and of good quality and has secondary ports that gives a lesser output for devices like watch, i pod shuffle etc. It's a Japanese product and provides 1 year warranty too.

https://dl.flipkart.com/s/ht000WuuuN

12V Socket vs USB Port vs Wireless: Your preferred way to charge?-screenshot_20210726184235.jpg

12V Socket vs USB Port vs Wireless: Your preferred way to charge?-screenshot_20210726184806.jpg

The problem I have is the phone has to be plugged in all the time if i've to use Android Auto during a long journey. Though the phone cuts off the power upon hitting 100%, the phone tends to get hot. Hence I use a slave phone for AA during long journeys.

Reinhard · 27th July 2021, 09:31

For the coming days - I'd definitely want a wireless charger + wireless Android Auto / Apple Car Play in my future car. Quite a convenient thing - and also reduces connector wear & tear by some plug-ins avoided. In fact - even in my nearly 3 year old phone - the only feature that I feel as missing - is the convenience of wireless charging. Otherwise its absolutely fine. So I am not intending to change it at all till wireless charging capability becomes mainstream in budget phones (I don't spend more than 10K on a phone).

This said - I have voted for 12V socket simply for its versatility. It provides good 12V high current port to attach various different accessories (heck even a small vacuum cleaner!). USB ports can't deliver this. So while specifically for mobile charging (and better mobile storage!) I won't mind having a wireless capability - I'd still not mind using a 12V socket + charger in the car. I want the 12V socket to live long!

TT-S · 27th July 2021, 09:52

Voted Type-C. Most type-C implementations have USB-PD (Power Delivery) protocol built in, and can charge small devices like phones and tablets at a minimum of 15 Watts which is faster than what a traditional USB-A port can deliver (10W). Most mid range and upward devices have USB-PD support built in, including newer iOS devices. USB-PD is compatible with Qualcomm QuickCharge technology as well - so QC compatible devices too can be used with the type-C port. The only irritating thing is that you will have to buy costly cables to use these type-C ports. The cables themselves are important, the cheaper non-certified cables can damage devices and can deliver sub-par charging performance.

Also, at least one 12V cigarette lighter type socket should be provided with these for flexibility to connect devices other than phones in my opinion.

sramanat · 27th July 2021, 10:45

12V is a must - to connect tire inflators, vacuum cleaners and the like.
USB A/C are in most cars to drive the infotainment system, don't they charge the phone when connected?

Wireless charging is a cool trick, but the size of the mat, whether it can withstand spills, fit phones/tablets of different sizes etc. are unknowns. Besides IIRC, they are an inefficient way to charge.

View Poll Results: Your preferred power source?
12V Lighter Socket	150	47.77%
USB Type-A Port	81	25.80%
USB Type-C Port	55	17.52%
Wireless Charging	28	8.92%
Voters: 314. You may not vote on this poll

25th July 2021, 21:44	#31
PaddleShifter Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: CHD Posts: 1,199 Thanked: 2,868 Times	Re: 12V Socket vs USB Port vs Wireless: Your preferred way to charge? I have voted for USB-A. Having both 12V socket (mainly for tyre inflator) and USB port (for phone charging and navigation etc) are essential. But, if only one is to be selected, I’d buy a car with USB A anyday. Reasons: 1. I have been using 12V socket for phone charging since 2010. Regardless of the charger design and brand (I have a belkin 12V charger), the connection surely is prone to disconnection. The USB offers a secure connection that does not fail. 2. Power rating of 12V sockets is not standard. It must be a standard 180W for all cars. Else it is useless. I have two tyre inflators and one vaccum cleaner. We have recently shifted to Maruti and now the 120W rating makes all these products useless. 3. Tyre inflators with in built battery are now available so need for 12V socket is lesser.
	() Thanks

25th July 2021, 22:13	#33
ajaiD BHPian Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Shimla Posts: 141 Thanked: 237 Times	Re: 12V Socket vs USB Port vs Wireless: Your preferred way to charge? I like to use hidden wireless slot like the one on Seltos. It's great because no metal things are generally left there and there is no direct sun light at all plus the air vent at the back of the space lowers the phone temperature. In the Jeep Compass I had there was no hidden slot so the phone had to be put in a slit next to the usb port with the charging cable attached. That was ok when I had a thin iPhone but when I upgraded to the samsung fold I had no place to put the monster other than the risky net pocket.
	() Thanks

26th July 2021, 00:43	#35
Chinmay BHPian Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: KA-03, OD-02 Posts: 53 Thanked: 112 Times	Re: 12V Socket vs USB Port vs Wireless: Your preferred way to charge? 12V all the way! Nothing else comes close in terms of versatility. Also, I have used this port as a lighter for my smokey drives (now I don't smoke inside the car). So, it has a nostalgic value for me. With a dual port USB charger and the inbuilt USB port, my VB has 3 USB ports on the front. That's more than enough for everything: dashcam, cellphones, android auto, and the works. Also, a small adapter can change it from USB B and C to almost everything else. I really don't mind cables as I have to look at the road while driving, not at my gear lever. It is the most versatile power outlet we have ever had. Warms my coffee too. The choice is obvious. I have a phone that is capable of wireless charging, but don't use a wireless charger in the car as I still have to use a cable for Android Auto. Therefore, until everything is wireless, I prefer to remain "old school"!
	() Thanks

26th July 2021, 01:19	#36
landcruiser123 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Chicago Posts: 2,992 Thanked: 6,898 Times	Re: 12V Socket vs USB Port vs Wireless: Your preferred way to charge? Make no mistake, the 12V socket is here to stay. There are far too many accessories like air inflators, heated/cooled beverage cups, dashcams, GPS devices etc which still require them. I voted 12V lighter socket as I have my charger + USB cable plugged to it. With the exception of a few USB ports (in cars with 2.1 amp charging), I'm not a fan of USBs in car for charging as they are slow for the phones and tablets most of us use. I've never found wireless charging useful in any situation. It it slow and generates a lot of heat. I don't know how it'd be useful in cars.
	() Thanks

26th July 2021, 06:12	#37
ashokabs BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: New Delhi Posts: 280 Thanked: 711 Times	Re: 12V Socket vs USB Port vs Wireless: Your preferred way to charge? It is better to have flexibility of the 12V socket. This allows for the differing needs of customers. Plenty of options will be there for adapters of type A or type C or both.
	() Thanks

26th July 2021, 12:39	#38
Stribog BHPian Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Chennai Posts: 828 Thanked: 3,478 Times	Re: 12V Socket vs USB Port vs Wireless: Your preferred way to charge? On a lighter note, the common complaint against Kia is that they throw everything and the kitchen sink in as features. Well, what do you know, My Seltos has all of the above - has that 12 V charger, a USB C charger AND a wireless charger. It is like they are telling the customer, run wild my child, choose what you want.
	() Thanks

26th July 2021, 13:15	#39
Romeo_Mike BHPian Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: MH04 Posts: 188 Thanked: 575 Times	Re: 12V Socket vs USB Port vs Wireless: Your preferred way to charge? Voted 12V socket. Simply because the other options will limit the charging performance to what spec the manufacturer has chosen to equip the port with. Why should the speed at which my device can be charged be decided by the carmaker? Even for sake of argument, if we consider the manufacturer has specced the usb socket very well for today's standards, say 36W of power and QC4 etc, what about the future? A car has a expected life of 10 - 15 yrs, while charging technology is evolving almost every year! With a 12 V socket one can just swap out the charger and we are back in the game!
	() Thanks

26th July 2021, 13:47	#40
asbshyam BHPian Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: Chennai Posts: 47 Thanked: 107 Times	Re: 12V Socket vs USB Port vs Wireless: Your preferred way to charge? 12v socket is the the only reason we are able to fast charge our USB C and Lightning Phones on a 10 or 15 year old car. Like user replaceable wipers, until the manufactures bring in the ability to swap charging modules or USB port receptacles (with a module), 12v socket is the way to go. USB PD can deliver 20V and 100W, but it is not yet universal and I don't want to run a 20v utility on a 12v battery with the engine turned off. USB C will need some time to be truly universal and cut through domains/industries.
	() Thanks

26th July 2021, 15:39	#41
A M BHPian Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Panchkula Posts: 557 Thanked: 659 Times	Re: 12V Socket vs USB Port vs Wireless: Your preferred way to charge? There is no alternative for a 12v socket. Air pumps cannot plug into any USB sockets. I think the poll should be rephrased to focus only on the in-car devices (mobiles, dash cams etc.). Also, it should be a multiple choice poll.
	() Thanks

26th July 2021, 18:41	#42
Bibendum90949 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: Blr/Kochi/Wynd Posts: 1,487 Thanked: 7,452 Times	Re: 12V Socket vs USB Port vs Wireless: Your preferred way to charge? Voted for Wireless charging. If the phone is low on power, I use the 12 V socket to juice it up fast. Else wireless charging is preferred. 12 V socket is a must to have for laptop charging, plugging in vaccum cleaner, tyre inflator besides giving one the option of multiple USB ports. The dashcam needs to be powered all the time too. I use the below brand since 3-4 years or so which is very reliable and of good quality and has secondary ports that gives a lesser output for devices like watch, i pod shuffle etc. It's a Japanese product and provides 1 year warranty too. https://dl.flipkart.com/s/ht000WuuuN The problem I have is the phone has to be plugged in all the time if i've to use Android Auto during a long journey. Though the phone cuts off the power upon hitting 100%, the phone tends to get hot. Hence I use a slave phone for AA during long journeys. Last edited by Bibendum90949 : 26th July 2021 at 18:57.
	() Thanks

27th July 2021, 09:31	#43
Reinhard Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Pune Posts: 4,893 Thanked: 18,039 Times View My Garage	Re: 12V Socket vs USB Port vs Wireless: Your preferred way to charge? For the coming days - I'd definitely want a wireless charger + wireless Android Auto / Apple Car Play in my future car. Quite a convenient thing - and also reduces connector wear & tear by some plug-ins avoided. In fact - even in my nearly 3 year old phone - the only feature that I feel as missing - is the convenience of wireless charging. Otherwise its absolutely fine. So I am not intending to change it at all till wireless charging capability becomes mainstream in budget phones (I don't spend more than 10K on a phone). This said - I have voted for 12V socket simply for its versatility. It provides good 12V high current port to attach various different accessories (heck even a small vacuum cleaner!). USB ports can't deliver this. So while specifically for mobile charging (and better mobile storage!) I won't mind having a wireless capability - I'd still not mind using a 12V socket + charger in the car. I want the 12V socket to live long!
	(1) Thanks

27th July 2021, 09:52	#44
TT-S BHPian Join Date: May 2016 Location: Cochin Posts: 110 Thanked: 183 Times	Re: 12V Socket vs USB Port vs Wireless: Your preferred way to charge? Voted Type-C. Most type-C implementations have USB-PD (Power Delivery) protocol built in, and can charge small devices like phones and tablets at a minimum of 15 Watts which is faster than what a traditional USB-A port can deliver (10W). Most mid range and upward devices have USB-PD support built in, including newer iOS devices. USB-PD is compatible with Qualcomm QuickCharge technology as well - so QC compatible devices too can be used with the type-C port. The only irritating thing is that you will have to buy costly cables to use these type-C ports. The cables themselves are important, the cheaper non-certified cables can damage devices and can deliver sub-par charging performance. Also, at least one 12V cigarette lighter type socket should be provided with these for flexibility to connect devices other than phones in my opinion.
	() Thanks

27th July 2021, 10:45	#45
sramanat BHPian Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Bangalore Posts: 290 Thanked: 676 Times	Re: 12V Socket vs USB Port vs Wireless: Your preferred way to charge? 12V is a must - to connect tire inflators, vacuum cleaners and the like. USB A/C are in most cars to drive the infotainment system, don't they charge the phone when connected? Wireless charging is a cool trick, but the size of the mat, whether it can withstand spills, fit phones/tablets of different sizes etc. are unknowns. Besides IIRC, they are an inefficient way to charge.
	() Thanks