Fast charging is an impressive attribute in these days’ phones since it makes your batteries stay overflowing on the whole hectic day. Numerous phones currently support fast charging. Yet, a lot of models may not feature a fast charger right out of the box.
Thanks to these chargers, your phone battery will be full of charge easily and fast. Read through this ultimate guide to realize how to identify a fast charger for your device.
What is fast charging?
To have a better idea of fast chargers, you had better know the definition of fast charging. This term demonstrates a rapid charging rate compared to the standard rate charged.
To make a device’s charging quicker, manufacturers tend to increase the amperage. Else, they vary the voltage to improve the potential energy amount running into your device. More often than not, rather than increasing the amperage, fast charging standards see a dynamical variation of the voltage.
Regular charging cables vs. Fast charging ones
While USB cables are not physically different, their different varieties are undeniable. USB cords have to do with how fast your device’s battery reaches the desirable charge. For the quickest speed of charging from a device with fast charging technology, you often need to depend on a fast-charging cable and a quick charging power brick.
What is the difference between a fast charger and a standard cable? At any specific time, a quantity of electricity is fetched to your phone’s battery. Fast chargers can transfer more electric current to make your battery capacity filled more quickly than standard cables.
Conventional USB cables carry about 2.5 watts of power to your device’s battery. Meanwhile, how many watts is fast charging? These cords can transfer as many as 120 watts of electricity (based on your smartphone type and the manufacturer).
Do you use a fast-charging brick and a regular USB cord to charge your phone? If so, you will not get a quick charging speed. Again, that is because there is a restriction around the quantity of power a standard cable can deliver to a device.
Now that you know how fast and standard cords are different, should we consider the best way of identifying a rapid charging cable?
How to identify a fast charger
As mentioned earlier, the amount of power a cable can deliver decides its charging speed. This variable correlates with the size of the cable’s wire. As you may know, there is a limit to a wire’s electricity carrying capacity. So, a bigger one can transfer more power.
A regular USB cable’s wires tend to be 28 gauge ones, which is standard-sized. Meanwhile, fast chargers usually feature 24 gauge wires, being thicker/ larger. These may enable more electric current to get transported to a battery whose capacity is the same.
What is more? Typical USB cables come with standard wires with the ability to deliver about 0.5A of electricity. In comparison, quick charging cords can transfer around 2A, which is a higher amount of current.
But that is not all!
It is advisable that you also check for other factors to identify a fast charger. Here are some recommended ways of doing so.
1. Check out the description/ label
A few cable manufacturers make it pretty simpler for consumers to find out about the type of cable they are about to buy. Before you purchase, call attention to what indicates this item supports quick charging. For example, this may show on the description, label, or logo. A couple of chargers are labeled as fast charging, which likely allows you to be aware of what you are going for.
2. Look at the charger’s amperage
The amperage is another element to consider to decide if it is a rapid charging cable. As addressed above, fast charging cords can transport electric currents of a whopping 2A. Should you intend to buy a fast charger, see to it that this product is claimed to accommodate two amperes of electricity or the specific amount of current required by your smartphone.
3. Consider thicker cables
There are often broad wires inside rapid charging cables. On the one hand, that thicker cords cables charge quickly compared to skinny ones is not always accurate. But on the other hand, you should not purchase fragile cords for clear reasons.
4. Buy from certified or official stores
Purchase chargers from trusted merchants to save the challenge of spotting and differentiating a standard cable from a fast charger. A pro tip is to find them from your smartphone manufacturer’s store. That is because some OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) have their wire specifications and quick charging standards. As you purchase accessories from your phone manufacture, you will get a real rapid charger.
Charging time formula
This time estimation has to do with your smartphone’s battery capacity and the charger. For example, your mobile charger output is 2A (2000mA) and the battery capacity is 4000 mAh. To calculate the charging time, you divide the battery capacity (4000) by the charger output (2000). So, it will take your charger about two hours to fully charge your 4000 mAh battery.
Types of fast charging technologies
Here are some of the most common fast charging standards out there for your reference.
1. Qualcomm Quick Charge
It is one of the most popular rapid charging technologies, considering the prevalent design of the firm’s chipsets. You may want to consider Quick Charge 4.0, 3.0, and 2.0 for their reputation as great fast-charging forms.
2. MediaTek Pump Express
This quick-charging device is another well-loved choice because works with all phones comprising its processors, say OPPO, Sony, Huawei, and Samsung smartphones. Its 4th version manages to recharge a battery twice as rapidly as a standard charger. We mean more than seventy percent of a 4000 mAh battery in half an hour or less.
3. Samsung Superfast Charging
Samsung does not disappoint with this Superfast Charging, also referred to as Adaptive Fast Charging. It sets an all-high record at 45W introduced along with the release of the 20 Series.
But that is not all, with the Series 21 launch, the brand chose to reduce it to 25W to fight off issues like what they encountered with the Galaxy Note 7. It is worth mentioning that the adapter is compatible with models not supporting super-rapid charging as well. In other words, it will be great at charging at the standard speed.
4. Oppo Flash Charge
OPPO boasts the release of the adapter with 125W. It has been the highest quantity of watts so far.
The device can charge a 4000 mAh battery in half in five, yea, five minutes. Suppose you are not in a hurry and wish to take your phone to more charge, you just need from thirteen to twenty minutes to have it ready. What is more? They have others whose capacity is not that much, for instance, a 110W mini size and a 65W wireless.
5. Huawei SuperCharge
The brand’s 40W quick-charging system allows you to get almost sixty percent on your device in no more than half an hour. It is worth noting that Huawei makes the most out of a smart charger and likewise introduces a wireless version whose capacity is the same.
Should you compare this SuperCharge with the others, its specification seems to be lower. Yet, given the quantity of Watts supported by it, there is no doubt about the decent charging time. Further, the Huawei Mate 40 Pro boasts an incorporated 66W charger.
6. Anker PowerIQ
This fast charging technology is slightly different when not being built into your smartphone itself. Instead, it is compatible with just about any phone with fast circuit charging. The system identifies the connected device and makes voltage output-related adjustments at various cycles for alterable charging rates.
Final words
An inappropriate selection of chargers can decrease how fast your device charges. And you never want that. So, bear in mind the guide above to spot your most suitable fast charging cable.
If you are looking for other helpful tips, tricks, and how-to guides, make sure to check out our posts today.
