This small USB-C puck lets me charge my Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 anywhere

When I first bought the smaller 40mm Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, I knew I was in for a tough time with power management. The 247mAh battery barely promises a day of use, which means daily charging — or potentially more often during more demanding days. I thought the watch’s support for wireless charging would alleviate that, but it turns out it’s only compatible with one or two official Samsung pads. Forced back to square zero, I started looking at alternative chargers. I really wanted one with a short cable to stow away in my travel bag. That’s how I stumbled on this Galaxy Watch charger from Elebase ($12.99), and I had to give it a try.

Our verdict: Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 review

What caught my attention in this particular model was that it doesn’t have a built-in cable. It’s just a small round puck. A little larger and thicker than the official Samsung charger, but that’s it.

The kicker is in the USB-C port on the side. All you need is a power source and a USB-C cable to charge your watch. If you already carry a power bank, a wall charger, or a car charger, and you’re an Android user with at least one USB-C cable, then you don’t need anything else. You just slide the puck into your pocket, purse, or gadget bag, and you’re good — no extra cable management. And the best part is that it supports several Galaxy Watch models, including the Active 1 and 2, and Classic 3 and 4.

Read more: We’re sick of proprietary charging on smartwatches and fitness trackers

So how well does it work? I’ve used it on several trips so far and can attest that it does the job. It charges my Galaxy Watch 4 overnight so that it’s ready for me in the morning, and that’s all I can ask of it.

Two minor drawbacks are worth keeping in mind, though. One is that the magnet isn’t as strong as the official Samsung charger, so don’t dangle it from the wall or your watch will fall. And two, it seems to be a tiny bit picky about which cables and charging powers it supports. Input is at 5V 1A (watches only require a sliver of power to fill up), so going with a USB A-to-C cable is more foolproof. If you only carry C-to-C cables, make sure you plug it into a lower-powered port on your charger. Even if USB PD ports work most of the time, in my experience, they’re overkill.

I’m perfectly aware that there isn’t much of a difference between a charger with a built-in cable and a standalone puck. But it is less wasteful if you want to buy one or several extra chargers for home, work, and travel. And it “feels” more convenient than carrying the whole cable plus charger that Samsung ships in the box. And since many of us really dislike battery life on Wear OS watches and have had watches die on us because a charger wasn’t handy, I’m all for a solution that removes one extra barrier from the charging process.

I wish this standalone design would become official, and smartwatch manufacturers would start shipping separate cables and chargers to let us carry them easily and use any cable on hand. But in the meantime, if you have a compatible Galaxy Watch, you can buy this Elebase puck in the US ($12.99). In Europe and the UK, you can find it under the brand Ruxely for €12.99 approximately.