How much does fast charging cost in terms of battery capacity?

27 March 2022
Have you noticed that phones with fast charging tend to have smaller batteries than phones without? We investigate whether the trade off is worth it.

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  • Anonymous
  • v}U
  • 27 Mar 2022

Fast charge 60++ W usually use dual batteries (must have separator between them), that's why fast charge phone tends to have slightly smaller capacity (due to space that occupied by the separator).
Example on Xiaomi Fast Charge

    • ?
    • Anonymous
    • Nue
    • 27 Mar 2022

    this article doesn't make sense.

      I have RN9Pro (30w), and I used it in almost 2 years, and no problem with battery. And if in the next few months my battery died, I can just replace it in official service center with low price. I am enjoying my experience using rather fast (30w).
      It is enough for me, but my next phone should do higher (67w) that can justified my upgrade

        Anonymous, 27 Mar 2022Unnecessarily fast charging speeds also kill the battery fastSource? Apple offers a 140W charger for the M1 Max Macbook Pro; are they trolling? What do you make of USB power delivery (which several phones support)?

          IpsDisplay, 27 Mar 2022 Charging less DOES NOT EQUAL better battery longevity... ... moreI don't consider dual-cell tech simply because it makes no difference to the argument. We simply zoom-in on one of those cells and what I said is still correct on a cell-by-cell basis.

          As for rejuvenation tech via a fast charge, that is a niche tech from one company ATM and isn't really representative.

          If you want to get into more details, why not mention different battery chemistries, while on the subject?

          I am sure that one day it will be commonplace to have the best of all worlds. Higher energy density, faster charging, longer overall battery life (I mean until it degrades), and longer per-charge lifetime, and no "memory" issues, so no need to lurk around your phone while its in its charger, waiting for the optimum percentage to disconnect it to preserve the battery.

          Truth is, who even does that? I'm sure that 99% of people either leave their phones charging until 100% (and beyond), or just rip them out of the charger when they need them, regardless of how much charge they managed to get, because they need their phones - and that is the way it should be ideally.

          Who waits next to their phone for it to hit 80% like a prisoner staring at a calendar?

          At some point you will ask yourself if you own a phone, or if a phone owns you, surely?

            IpsDisplay, 27 Mar 2022 Charging less DOES NOT EQUAL better battery longevity... ... moreYou expect people to claim fast charging ruins your battery longevity and is dangerous without any proof to read? That's a a pretty big ask there, but I hope it works mate.

              blue, 27 Mar 2022Some people here praise battery longevity. Well, have you s... moreThis is why fast charging is better. Consumer convergence on what is "best" can't be avoided, but they can charge their phone for 90 minutes and I'll do it in 20.

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                • AnonD-731363
                • SH3
                • 27 Mar 2022

                The faster the better.

                Time is money.

                And most users will swap their phone every 2 years anyway in which most fast charging phones loose at most 5-20% of battery capacity which is still fine.
                Noone keeps their phones for longer time because most phones gets throttling anyway when they are old or too old doesnt matter the brand.
                And in case of many OS updates such as apple for example. If you update your OS you have to update your apps too otherivise most of them will refuse to work. And if you update your OS your OS gets fresh after every update but your internals in phone gets old and thus will soon or later starts throttling and will immpact battery too.

                So faster is better and time is money. Loosing 5-20% capacity over 2 years doesnt matter phones loose its value anyway.
                Speaking from own opinion and experience with fast charging phones.

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                  • Tyfyh
                  • 0CL
                  • 27 Mar 2022

                  James, 27 Mar 2022The only thing is we cant replace the old batteries due to ... moreBut that would mean that you won't spend 500$ on your new phone from them if you can just buy a new battery from 20$.
                  There's literally no point in doing that from the company perspective. Just look at how Android stops their support after 3 years (there's no reason to do that either than to force you buy a new phone).
                  I really hope that Greenpeace or some activists will force companies soon to not turn phones into wastes with simple battery replacement :(

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                    • Tyfyh
                    • 0CL
                    • 27 Mar 2022

                    Olympus Oms, 27 Mar 2022I would rather trade the 1000w charging for the old 4-5 hou... moreDo you actually understand what the battery warranty is? I really don't see that you understand.

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                      • Anonymous
                      • TqI
                      • 27 Mar 2022

                      Great article, thank you! I'm currently on 18W with my Xperia 5.2 and for roughly a year I've had the phone, I don't think I've ever had a single occasion when I would need more than 18W. Obviously 25-33W is better since it - as shown in the article - does not come at a cost of battery capacity, but losing 15% of battery capacity just so I could charge my phone at those 100W+ meme speeds... That's just stupid exchange imo.

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                        • Tyfyh
                        • 0CL
                        • 27 Mar 2022

                        Darknoor, 27 Mar 2022I found 30-33W more than enough, unitl I got my 11T Pro. Th... moreDude. Remember what you just said when you realize that 80% from 10W in 2 hours is EXCACTLY THE SAME as 80% from 100W in 15 minutes.
                        Please, take a picture of your face at the moment you realize that. It would be priceless to you.

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                          • Tyfyh
                          • 0CL
                          • 27 Mar 2022

                          -never see replies-, 27 Mar 2022Nice topic ! Btw i always used 33W charging brick to charge... moreWhat do you mean by not using "avoid outdoor charging, wireless charging"?

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                            • Tyfyh
                            • 0CL
                            • 27 Mar 2022

                            blue, 27 Mar 2022Some people here praise battery longevity. Well, have you s... moreRicher people tend to change their phones after 1-2 years of use. It's weird that you ask if someone noticed battery change in 4-5 years. Even Android stops their support usually after 3 years.
                            But I'm a really poor guy here. I only had 2 smartphones: Redmi note 3 and now it's Poco F1. First one I used for 4+ years. After that I could literally see % of battery drain before my eyes If I played any video-game. As you probably can remember, there was no fast charging at that time and still the battery died (as well as power button). Now with 3yo Poco F1 I can notice battery change, cause I can no longer play for more than 2 hours. But it's been 3 years with fast charging (27W).
                            As summary, I don't see much difference between slow and fast charging in battery dying.

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                              • tinnted
                              • wd8
                              • 27 Mar 2022

                              67w is perfect because it is enough for laptops as well but ofcourse it should have pd 3.0or higher rating

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                                • Tyfyh
                                • 0CL
                                • 27 Mar 2022

                                aReefer, 27 Mar 2022I keep a faster charger (original charger) for my Poco F3 i... moredon't be an idiot, read what's the difference between a fast charger after 80% and a slow charger after the same 80%

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                                  • Tyfyh
                                  • 0CL
                                  • 27 Mar 2022

                                  ME, 27 Mar 2022I charge my phone (Sony Xperia 5ll) once in 5-7 days so fas... moreLet's agree that you don't need a smartphone, you would do well with a Phone, not a smartphone with the way you use it.

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                                    • Tyfyh
                                    • 0CL
                                    • 27 Mar 2022

                                    Hilmawan, 27 Mar 2022I really like the 33 Watt charger that was included in the ... moreextend? Bad choice of words.

                                      1. Phones capable of fast charging can also charge slowly with different charger,
                                      2. As I'm a lot with my phone since... and its "mobile" for a reason, I try to charge as fast as possible to use it without waiting inconvenience, charging slowly 0-90% ot 90-100% actually makes battery capacity smaller, since when I take it from the charger, it's still not charged,
                                      3. Battery degradation is about after 2.5 - 3 years, endurance is getting better battery aside, you change your phone faster than your shoes, what's there to worry about. EU is even banning glue on batteries to make it easier to replace. You should worry more about battery being big, so it feels like a brick in your pants and foldables now actually look like that.
                                      Future is about fast wireless (over air) charging, not getting the fast first, we won't get to that air part ever. Also, once you start sell your energy via reverse charging, you will want it to be faster in all ways, tho this is still farther ahead, lagers will be lagging... if you get what I mean.

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                                        • Tyfyh
                                        • 0CL
                                        • 27 Mar 2022

                                        I have no idea why companies just don't make a "good" phone with a big 10Ah battery.
                                        Don't give me that energizer 3g crap.

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