Design and Durability: Portable but unmemorable
The Quntis PD Fast Charger and Cable is small and portable, thanks to the Velcro strap that makes for easy and neat folding and travel. There’s no wow factor to the look of this product, however, and that is underscored by some weird fit issues. The USB-C head fits very snugly into the PD port, but almost to a fault. I had to really pull the cable when removing it from the power adapter. The USB-C connector also didn’t fit smoothly into the port in my MacBook. The Velcro strap, which at first I appreciated as a nice design touch, doesn’t actually work very well in practice. It doesn’t have much sticking power and constantly fell off the cord and was easy to misplace.
Charging Speed: Consistent and on par with the original
One thing the Quntis PD Fast Charger and Cable does have going for it is performance. The manufacturer claims that it supports fast charging on new iPhone models like the iPhone 8 and better. The manufacturer also says that older iPhones will charge just as fast as they will with the official iPhone Lightning cable. I was able to verify that claim that with an iPhone 6S. I charged it a few times and it powered up from completely dead to 100 percent in a consistent 2.5 hours. While I didn’t put the fast-charging 30 minutes to 50 percent to the test on a newer iPhone, I did charge an iPhone X for an hour and it charged rapidly from 10 percent to 96 percent within that short time frame. The iPhone X did become noticeably warm to the touch when charging, which isn’t something I experience with the proprietary Lightning cable.
Price: More affordable than Apple, but MFI certification is a question mark
The Quntis charger packaging and product info both emphasize MFi certification. When I tried to back this up on the MFi Licensed Accessories database, I had a difficult time matching up the two entries in the database with this product. Only two Quntis Lightning cables appear and there’s no wall charger. It could be the case that I received a counterfeit product with an incorrect UPC or that one of the entries does apply to the Quntis cable.
Quntis PD Fast Charger and Cable vs. Anker Powerline II USB-C to Lightning Cable + Anker PowerPort III Nano
If you’re interested in Apple certification and want to pay a bit less, then the Anker Powerport II USB-C to Lightning Cable combined with the Anker PowerPort III Nano would be a good option. This combination retails for about $37, but for $13 more you know that you’re getting an MFi-certified USB-C to Lightning cable. Plus, the power block provides the same USB-C to Lightning cable universal compatibility with iOS and many non-Apple devices. The block is even more portable than the Quntis since it’s the size of the 5-watt iPhone charger. Anker also happens to be a more reputable and recognized name, so for a bit more money you’ll gain firm warranty coverage and make less room for doubt about product quality. More devices, including iPhones and non-Apple devices are turning to the quick power delivery of Lightning to USB-C connections, and the Quntis PD Fast Charger and Cable offer solid performance. But if you’re a stickler when it comes to knowing the accessory you’re using is built for your iPhone in particular—and the MFi badge on the packaging isn’t enough to eclipse its distinct absence in the MFi accessories database—there are other reputable iPhone Lightning cables out there.
