Gadgets

Review: ZENS Liberty – worthy alternative to the AirPower?

Review: ZENS Liberty-a special charging mat with you can charge multiple iPhones, AirPods and other devices,equipped with 16 coils that provides room for two devices.

The Dutch accessory brand ZENS has released the ZENS Liberty and we were one of the first to test this special charging mat. With this charging mat you can charge multiple iPhones, AirPods and other devices. Is the ZENS Liberty a worthy alternative to the never released AirPower?

ZENS Liberty review

The ZENS Liberty is the most ambitious answer to the never-released Apple AirPower . Over the years we have already seen a lot of charging mats, but they did not give you the option to freely place your iPhone . This is possible with the ZENS Liberty: it is equipped with 16 coils that overlap each other. It does not matter where you place your AirPods or iPhone, it always ‘packs’ and there is room for two devices.

Oblique or transverse, it does not matter as long as the device is mostly on the plate. Today the ZENS Liberty is officially released and we were one of the first to test it in both versions: the special variant with a glass surface where the coils are visible and a slightly cheaper version covered with Kvadrat fabric. Includes a separately available charger for the Apple Watch .

The Zens Liberty charging mat for iPhone in short:

  • Glass surface with visible coils
  • 16 coils, so you can place your device freely
  • Charge two devices wirelessly
  • 30 Watt output (2x 15 Watt)
  • Works with Apple and Samsung fast charging
  • Additional USB-A port for charging other device

The ZENS Liberty was provided by ZENS for this review.

ZENS Liberty design

Earlier we wrote about the ZENS Liberty. At the IFA fair in Berlin we got to see this new charger for a while and now it is ready for the market. The ZENS Liberty with textile cover from the well-known fabric manufacturer Kvadrat is on the shelves for a suggested retail price of € 139.99 and the ZENS Liberty Glass Edition with glass plate and visible coils comes at the suggested retail price of € 179.99. This already shows that these chargers are intended for people who have a little more money for a good product and you can feel that when you hold them in hand. The record feels heavy and has a sleek finish.

 ZENS Liberty

You can buy an extra accessory: a charger for the Apple Watch that you put in the back. It is also sturdy, in high grade aluminum and costs € 39.99. This MFi-certified charger also comes in handy if you often travel, because you can plug it into any USB-A port, including a power bank.https://www.youtube.com/embed/l6DZrObjXHE?feature=oembed

But of course it’s the ZENS Liberty, which comes with a 1.5 meter braided USB-C cable, a 60 Watt USB-C power adapter that supports Power Delivery, a microfiber cloth to keep the glass plate free of stains and some more booklets . You get a 3-year warranty on it. What we also noticed is that this charging mat is a bit bigger and thicker than most other wireless chargers. There are also three ventilation grilles at the bottom and front. We will discuss why that is below.

 ZENS Liberty

ZENS Liberty in use

Commissioning is a matter of connecting the adapter and placing your iPhone on it. You can store a total of two smartphones on the Liberty. More do not fit due to the size, but also technically you are limited to two accessories. We tried to put three AirPods boxes on top of it, but the lights of all three boxes did not turn on at the same time. Maybe you can eventually get it working with more than two accessories, but at least we couldn’t.

 ZENS Liberty

Why there are ventilation holes in the ZENS Liberty? This soon becomes apparent when you put your iPhone on it: then this charging mat starts to blow a bit. No doubt this has been done to avoid overheating. At AirPower , there were rumors that Apple was not getting the heat dissipated properly and that would have been the main reason why Apple canceled the project. ZENS did succeed, by providing extra cooling.

 ZENS Liberty

In addition to wireless charging, you can also use the ZENS Liberty to charge normally via the USB port on the right rear. You can plug in the separately available Apple Watch charger or a cable of your choice. For example, a Lightning cable for charging your iPad, because you cannot (obviously) charge it wirelessly on the mat.

BENEFITS+

  • Beautifully executed quality
  • Unique charger with 16 coils
  • Available with luxury Kvadrat fabric or glass plate

CONS-

  • Not cheap
  • Fan makes a soft blowing sound

Conclusion ZENS Liberty review

The ZENS Liberty charging mat looks great, especially if you buy the variant with visible coils. It is also great that the Dutch accessory maker ZENS has succeeded in making an alternative to the AirPower that works well and does not overheat. Whether you need such a charging mat is another matter. The beautiful appearance and the freedom to place your iPhone anywhere on the mat do make for a somewhat higher price tag. In addition, such a charging mat requires more ventilation. If you are going to place this charger on your bedside table, you have to take into account that you will occasionally hear some noise. For many people, a regular charger with one or two fixed charging places will be nice enough. This unique charger is not for everyone.