Robert Triggs / Android Authority
We’re fast approaching the launch of the new Pixel 10 series and iPhone 17, and the one thing I’m really dreading is another year of sluggish charging speeds.
While Google’s Pro XL model has gradually increased its charging power to a level close to Samsung’s Ultra, the smaller, more popular flagship phones in the US are stuck charging below 25W. Compared to their fast-charging Chinese counterparts, such as the 80W OnePlus 13, these supposed flagships feel positively archaic.
If you want some numbers, the Galaxy S25 takes 77 minutes to fill up, the Pixel 9 takes 85 minutes, and the iPhone 16 takes agonising 107 minutes — the OnePlus 13 does it in 35. Even 30 minutes on the plug will leave you with less than 60% battery on all these phones. Of course, those are smaller models in their respective series, yet even the more powerful 37W Pixel 9 Pro XL takes 77 minutes to full. This can all feel agonisingly slow — especially when you’re in a hurry.
When you're in a hurry, fast charging is an indispensible tool.
Of course, if you predominantly charge your phone overnight, then whether it takes over an hour or just 30 minutes to fully charge makes absolutely no difference. However, there usually comes a time in all of our lives when we need a far quicker top-up.
I often forget to charge my phone overnight, leaving me with just a few minutes to spare before dashing out the door. I’ve also lost count of the number of times I’ve quickly grabbed an outlet before boarding a long flight. It’s times like these when fast charging becomes indispensable, with just five or ten minutes on the plug enough to give you 25-40% of a full charge.
Once you have it, you can’t live without it, and I want all my future phones to be just as capable of getting me through these touch-and-go moments.
Fast charging without compromise
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
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