FAST CHARGING : CURSE OR BLESSING ?

dhruvtalksstech
Jan 7, 2023
5 min read

A phone comes out every other week claiming to be the fastest charging phone on the planet and packing a 120W, 160W, or even a 220W charger. It is one of the most discussed and hotly debated topics in the tech community. People have certainly grown used to it and consider it a need in times when batteries are getting larger and we are using our phones a lot more. So, it is natural that people would want their phones to be topped up and ready to go at all times. Fast charging was a nascent concept 5 years back but has quickly become the key highlight of a phone. Many brands even market their entire phone around this single feature only. But we really need to ask ourselves if it is a feature worth the hype and if it is actually good for your phone.

I will acknowledge this in the very beginning that yes, fast charging provides convenience that is unparalleled and highly regarded and welcomed by normal and pro users alike. You can never be sure when your phone is going to run out of juice and when you will get home to plug it in and that’s where fast charging comes in. I look at fast charging in a very time-deprived way. It’s for those of us who never seem to have a moment in the world and are always on the go out and about. It’s for those who spend little time in the home and most of their work requires them to be always on foot. It is not clearly meant for those of us who charge our phones at night after a tiring day at work or for tuition. A 45W charger in this situation is as useful as an M760Li in Chandni Chowk. It’s cool to have but there’s no point if it does not really help your case or make your life smoother or better. It is the way you look at first charging that shapes your general view of it. For some, it is a lifesaver and for others, it just keeps overheating their devices.

I feel that although some form of fast charging is appreciated, companies nowadays are moving away from fast charging and more towards the category of instant full charge considering the wattage they are trying to pack in a single brick. This has even led to the birth of gallium nitrate chargers which are a lot smaller and cheaper than the conventional ones but they are still a nascent concept and require further R&D. Packing in higher wattage capabilities means there is a greater need for thermal management and that’s why liquid cooling technology is being introduced for the first time in smartphones. After a point of time, it feels that companies are trying too hard to charge their phone faster. 50% battery in 30 mins still makes sense but 100% in 9 mins is a use-case scenario I can’t imagine even for the biggest of heavy users.

What’s more surprising is that devices don’t charge at peak wattage most of the time. Their peak wattage happens at the low end and is greatly influenced by factors such as heat and uninterrupted power supply from the socket. Ultra-fast wireless charging is blamed for overheating phones and that’s absolutely true. Since there is no physical direct connection, a lot of energy is dissipated as heat when it is transferred between the coils of the phone and the wireless charging pad. Fast charging is becoming more hyper-fast charging now. On the flip side, it is good to see companies competing so fiercely in this space. In the age of everyone doing the same thing, the so-called pure enthusiasts are savoring the moment. I also feel that most of these people are those who use Android. As history tells and people have witnessed, Apple users are aware of these technological advancements and are largely illiterate when it comes to these topics.

On the other end of the spectrum, there are people who believe that it does not matter if a phone supports fast charging or not. At the end of the day, a phone is just a device that is going to stick around with you for 3-4 years. During this symbiotic relationship, one should not worry so much about battery longevity. I know people who suffer from phone longevity paranoia (myself included). What is argued is that we should not be so blindsided by any of this that we forget to have fun using our devices. There is no point in worrying about every little aspect of the phone. Even if a few things fail, you would not have to spend more than 50-60$ under normal circumstances. That is how much an original battery costs. Different people approach this topic differently and a lot of it comes down to personal preference, experience, and the specific device.

I am curious to know how you guys charge your phones and what is your take on this whole saga. Do you charge your phone overnight or from 20% to 80%? Are you also bogged down with charging myths that render people crazy? Do you use wired or wireless charging? What is the maximum output of your charging brick? Which cable and adapter do you use - original or Amazon basics? This debate is not going to end anytime soon. But I believe that the world is slowly moving away from fast chargers and towards gallium chargers. I am interested to see what is next in the world of battery technology.

I personally don’t prefer it because of a single big reason - battery health. I care more about battery longevity rather than instant charge. The battery is the fastest depreciating component in a smartphone and batteries which experience hundreds of fast charge cycles are the first ones to give up. They may provide irreplaceable convenience for that moment but they really spoil the battery just because of their sheer nature and functioning. It is not that you should never use fast charging, it is just that you should avoid it as much as possible. It is apparent from Apple’s battery health statistics that a phone which is only fast charged for a year will lose over 4X health compared to one that is charged using Apple’s puny 5W charger. You may blame them for cutting costs but they also do it to protect the device.

I would personally rather have a slow-charging but long-lasting phone than one that charges blisteringly quickly but won’t last me a whole day under heavy use. But that’s just me. Maybe it is my use case, the fact that I am a student, charging habits, accessibility, and availability of a charging port at all times that influences this but now you know what I think ….