Phones are usually discharged at the most inopportune moment, when there is catastrophically little time for charging. We turn on the first available charging with wiring and wait ... Sometimes the charge is fast, and sometimes treacherously long, and after a while we again remain without communication.
Consider the process of charging the phone, all its components. And we will try to give recommendations that will help you choose the right chargers and always stay in touch.
Modern communication devices are charged from 5 volts, it is this voltage that is present at the USB output of a computer, router, TV, and so on. This connector, as a rule, is supplied with chargers that are plugged into a power outlet. But in addition to voltage, an important parameter is the current with which the charge occurs.
If we talk about a computer, then the standard maximum current for USB 2.0 is 0.5 A (amps), which is not much for modern devices. If the charging device requires more current (1-2 A), then charging will take a painfully long time, and may never be completed.
Another USB 3.0 standard (the connector is indicated by blue plastic inside) provides a current of up to 1 A, which is already much better, but such connectors are only on modern computers (TVs, routers and other devices are usually equipped with a USB 2.0 standard connector or even USB 1.1). That is, if we need to charge the phone from a computer, we should, if possible, choose the blue USB 3.0 connector, the device will charge much faster.
It is no coincidence that universal chargers have different prices, in most cases they differ in the maximum possible charge current - the higher the price, the higher the current, as a rule, and, accordingly, the device charge time is potentially shorter (in this case, we do not take into account the markup for the brand and design) .
Of course, it is important to know the capabilities of your device in order to choose a charger with the required parameters. As a rule, most manufacturers indicate a maximum current of 1 A. But not all of them really provide it. To compare different chargers, we will use a tester that shows current and voltage, as well as an imitation of a consumer with different current consumption.
Ideally, the charger should provide 5 volts and the maximum current that the device being charged can consume. But in reality, the picture is different. To eliminate the influence of the cable connecting the charger and the phone, we will connect the tester directly to the charger.
Test 1 (declared 5 Volts and 1 A):
We see that the voltage is 120 mV lower than the declared one and the current is less than 70 mA.
Test 2 (declared 5 Volts and 1 A):
We see that the voltage is slightly higher than the declared one and the current differs from the declared one by only 40 mA.
Test 3 (declared 5 Volts and 1 A):
We see that the voltage is slightly higher than the declared one and the current corresponds to the declared one.
Test 4 (declared 5 Volts and 0.7 A):
The voltage and current are significantly less than the previous ones, you should not expect fast charging from this device.
Test 5 (declared 5 Volts and 1 A):
Voltage and current correspond to the declared.
Test 6 (parameters not marked):
The voltage and current are less than the previous ones, you should not expect fast charging from this device.
Test 6 (charger combined with a block of sockets, 5 Volts and 2.4 A are declared):
Pretty good options.
Test 7 (charger combined with a tee of sockets, 5 Volts and 1 A are declared):
Very good performance.
As you can see, not all manufacturers have managed to provide the declared characteristics, and in cases where the voltage is lower than necessary and the current is less, we will naturally get a longer charge of the phone or tablet.
The second important element in the charging process is the cable that connects the charger to the phone. There are many options for such cables, there are even backlit ones. However, their main parameter is the material of the conductive cores (preferably copper) and the thickness of the core (the thicker, the less the cable will affect the charging process). Let's test some cables.
Test 0 (tester connected directly to the charger):
Test 1 (cable included with Sony Xperia Z3 phone):
A good cable for a current of 1 A, at 2 A there is an overload and loss of parameters.
Test 2 (cable purchased separately):
Good cable for 1A, loss of performance at 2A.
Test 3 (cable purchased separately):
Bad cable, charging will be very slow.
Test 4 (cable purchased separately):
The leader in fast charging, according to phonearena.com, is the Samsung Galaxy S6 (1 hour 18 minutes with a battery capacity of 2550 mAh). In second place is Oppo Find 7a (1 hour 22 minutes with a battery capacity of 2,800 mAh), in third place is Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (1 hour 35 minutes with a battery capacity of 3220 mAh),
In fourth place is Google Nexus 6 (1 hour 38 minutes with a battery capacity of 3220 mAh), in fifth place is HTC One M9 (1 hour 46 minutes with a battery capacity of 2840 mAh). Also, fast charging technology is supported by: LG G3, OnePlus One, Samsung Galaxy S5, LG G4, Samsung Galaxy Note 3, Apple iPhone 6, Motorola Moto G, Sony Xperia Z3 and several others.
So, if charging speed is important, you should choose phones that support QuickCharge technology.
Naturally, a fast charge rate is possible only when using high-quality chargers and cables that support the required currents and voltages. Of course, it is better to use the charger that comes with the phone. But if it is bought separately, then the choice should take into account the above parameters.
Recently, support for Quick Charge 3.0 has often been found in the characteristics of mobile devices - find out how this technology is useful.
In modern conditions, when social networks, Internet access and mobile devices in general play an increasing role in personal life and at work, it is difficult to do without a smartphone or tablet even for a few hours. The desire of users to always be connected and less dependent on the outlet has prompted mobile manufacturers to use more powerful batteries and, therefore, fast charging features to recharge these batteries as quickly as possible.
How does fast charging work?
Fast charging is based on the use of a higher voltage. However, both current and voltage must be compatible with both the mobile and the charger. Otherwise, the speed will remain the same, but there may be a danger of overheating. We considered the issue of using non-native power supplies in more detail in.
What is Quick Charge 3.0?
Last fall, the American manufacturer Qualcomm presented Quick Charge 3.0 technology, which is currently supported by Snapdragon 821, 820, 620, 618, 617 and 430 proprietary chipsets. Compared to the very first version of Quick Charge 1.0, the charging speed has increased by 40%, which in four times faster than normal mode. However, the difference in speed with its predecessor, Quick Charge 2.0, is not so great. So what is the peculiarity of the third generation?
Advantages
An innovative step was the introduction of the INOV function (Intelligent Negotiation for Optimum Voltage, or "Smart determination of the optimal voltage"). The new technology allows you to determine and dynamically adjust the optimal output power directly to a given device and stage of the power process. Moreover, the choice of supported voltage indicators has increased - now it is provided from 3.2 to 20 V with a minimum change step of 200 mV.
Due to this optimization, the coefficient of useless energy costs is reduced. This, in turn, not only makes charging more efficient, but also prevents the battery from overheating. This means that the battery in the mobile gadget will last much longer. According to the manufacturer, Quick Charge 3.0 is 38% more energy efficient than the second version of this technology.
In addition, Quick Charge 3.0 supports fast charging through a universal one, which more and more smartphone manufacturers are switching to.
Output
Thus, the main feature in Quick Charge 3.0 was not so much the charging speed as the “ability” to save energy. Now all flagship smartphones based on the Snapdragon 820/821 processor and some mid-range devices are equipped with fast charging support.
Any new technology is perceived by the conservative public with hostility, adhering to pessimistic views. Literally immediately after the appearance of devices with QuickCharge, there were many who said that fast charging is harmful to the smartphone. These prejudices are caused by incomplete information. As a rule, the person who claims that fast charging accelerates battery wear knows that high currents are harmful to the battery, but does not know how high currents are harmful to it, and that this is mainly related to the final stage of the process. In reality, things are a little different.
So does fast charging kill a battery?
In the previous article, we mentioned that at maximum power, the battery is not fully charged, but only up to about 50-70% of capacity. In the future, the currents are reduced to the same as during normal charging. That is why a smartphone with QuickCharge technology can charge up to 50% in just half an hour, but it will take about 2 or more hours to charge it up to 100%. On normal charging, if 50% is filled in an hour, then the battery will be charged 100% in about 2.5-3 hours. Thus, the goal of modern fast charging technologies is not to “drive” 100% of the charge into the battery in a minimum time, but to make the decrease in currents more sharp. Its task is to quickly "pump" the maximum possible amount of energy that does not harm the battery.. When the threshold has already been reached, the smartphone is recharged with the most common “slow” technology.
If fast charging in itself does not harm the smartphone battery, then the question may arise: where are all those people who say that their smartphone began to work half as much on one charge because of fast charging? But there is a rational explanation for this phenomenon: fast charging does not harm the smartphone, but its improper use can accelerate battery wear. If we draw an analogy with a medicine, then a correctly prescribed antibiotic effectively kills pathogenic microbes, but if the full course of treatment is not completed, the unfinished bacilli will develop immunity and they will no longer be afraid of the drug.
The reason for the accelerated wear of the battery of a smartphone that supports QuickCharge is the user's impatience. Normal, slow charging teaches us to charge the device every night or every two or three nights (if it's some kind of Redmi Note 4X or Moto Z Play). But with QuickCharge, the user gets used to the fact that three times to charge the device to 50% is faster than once to 100% (1.5-2 hours in total, instead of about 2.5-3). As a result, knowing that when the device is discharged, it can be recharged in half an hour and loaded for another half a day, the user gets used to using the device more actively and charging it more often.
Frequent discharging-charging is what harms the battery and reduces its life. The average battery life of smartphones before the start of a capacity loss of more than 10% is usually about 500 cycles, and then the capacity begins to decrease exponentially. That is, if in 500 charge-discharge cycles the cell loses about 10%, then in 1000 cycles the drop will not be 20%, but more. If you charge the device once a day, these 500 cycles will take place in 1-1.5 years. But since the user begins to discharge and charge the device more often, they take noticeably less time. As a result, after six months or a year, the battery has not 90-95% of the initial capacity, but much less.
Battery life chart. The values are conditional and depend on the specific battery. In theory, if you do not charge the battery to 100%, but stop at 70-80%, the number of cycles before capacity loss increases. Some experts even advise never to charge the device to 100%, removing it from charging earlier. However, under conditions when the device is used during charging, it begins to heat up more, and an increase in temperature eliminates all the benefits of undercharging.
With intensive use of smartphones, and this is the Internet, and music and movies, you always need to recharge it. One charge for one day is not enough for most phones with this use. And this is where the so-called fast charging can really help.
Fast charging a smartphone increases the voltage and current supplied to the battery within acceptable limits to achieve the minimum charge time. The limits of current and voltage increase are determined by the characteristics of the battery itself and the charger for maximum safety.
With an increase in the diagonal and screen resolution, as well as the power of processors, the load on the battery also increased. We no longer have enough conventional charging for 5 volts and 2 amperes. With such a normal charge, the battery is charged for at least two hours. Therefore, manufacturers have adopted fast charging technology (fast charge).
But there were also questions. How bad is fast charging for batteries? Is it true that smartphones can explode from this? What's the difference between Qualcomm Quick Charge and MediaTek Pump Express, and which is better? How does fast charging work?
Today, there are several standards for fast charging. Many brands in the smartphone market are trying to create their own standard, both well-known and unknown Chinese companies.
Huawei has its own super charge with a maximum power of 22 watts, Asus Bust Master allows you to charge devices under a voltage of 9 volts and a current of 2 amperes, Samsung has developed a similar Adaptive Fast Charging technology, it can deliver 5 or 9 volts and a current of 2 or 1.67 amperes, respectively.
How fast charging works
Any fast charging is based on the principle of increasing the power of the current transmitted to the batteries. But the increase in power in each of these technologies is achieved in different ways. This can be an increase in voltage up to 20 volts, and somewhere they increase the current strength to 5-6 amperes, and someone combines these methods and increases both the voltage and the current strength. Recall that electrical power can be determined by multiplying the voltage value in volts by the current in amperes, P=U∙I.
All fast charging technologies include:
- smart controller, most often it is built into the processor
- a special charger capable of delivering the required current
- powerful cable capable of transmitting high current
Harm from Fast Charging
And yet the first question is whether fast charging is harmful to the battery. And here the situation is ambiguous. There are a number of studies proving the negative impact of fast charging on the battery, but there are also studies that completely refute this.
Modern lithium-ion and lithium-polymer batteries do not care what current and voltage they will be charged with. If you take a laptop, then they have all the same lithium-ion batteries, only more. But if you look at the parameters of the charger, you will see a current within 4-5 amperes and a voltage of about 20 volts, and the most evil fast charge technologies give out 12 volts and 2-3 amperes, and then during the first 15-20 minutes, after which they switch to a lower current.
But, it is also true that smartphones from fast charging can explode. The most detrimental effect on the battery is heating, it is he who kills the battery and reduces its capacity.
Overheating is the main cause of fires and explosions.. All modern fast charge technologies are equipped with a huge number of overheating protection systems, but why do more and more photos of burnt devices appear on the network? Because no system can protect the gadget from the impact of the user who charges the device with anything and anyhow.
So never skimp on chargers and cables. Ideally, always charge your smartphone with the original charger and cable, do not charge a damaged device. If the body of the smartphone is bent, cracked or pierced, then it is better not to risk it and not use such a device at all. Never leave a charging smartphone covered with anything, in a hard case or in a bag.
The second reason for the breakdown of gadgets is poor-quality components or marriage.. If you're buying a $50 phone, don't expect it to have a good battery. But top brands also have flaws. You can recall the sensational story about.
Technology Comparison
Now consider 3 promising fast charging technologies. These are Qualcomm Quick Charge, MediaTek's slightly less common Pump Express, and Oppa's only VOOC Flash Charge technology.
Oppa VOOC Flash Charge
Let's start with Super VOOC Flash Charge. Although this is less common, but the most interesting, fastest and most careful technology.
At the moment, Oppo has already introduced the second version of this technology. It allows you to fully charge the battery at 2500 mAh in 15 minutes, and in 5 minutes the battery can be replenished by 45%, while the smartphone is charged with a completely standard voltage of 5 volts.
This voltage prevents the battery from heating up. These results were achieved through the use of special batteries that can withstand a current of up to 4.5 amperes, which is almost 2 times more than in standard charging. Batteries have eight contacts at once and are divided into several cells that are charged in parallel. Oppo is said to have passed the technology to OnePlus, and it has tried to develop its own Dash Charge variant based on VOOC Charge.
MediaTek Pump Express
The next fast charge is Pump Express. It does not depend much on specific batteries and the materials from which the connectors and cables are made.
The current Pump Express 3.0 charges batteries from 0 to 70% in just 20 minutes. The technology uses a voltage of 3 volts with a current of more than 5 amperes. With Pump Express, you can charge the battery directly, bypassing intermediate circuits, without affecting the standard built-in charging circuit. But this option is only possible when using the USB Type-C connector, because it can greatly reduce energy leakage and reduce heat. To protect against overheating, 20 built-in protection systems are provided.
The first processor to support Pump Express 3.0 is the Helio P20, and subsequent chipsets are said to be supported by this standard.
MediaTek sells its processors in bulk to any smartphone manufacturer, so Pump Express should be found in many MediaTek smartphones, but in practice this is not the case. Why?
Yes, because the processor supports fast charging, but manufacturers do not implement this feature, because they do not want to develop complicated power circuits for the needs of Pump Express and thereby increase the cost of the device. Perhaps manufacturers are afraid for the safety of batteries, which are not always made with high quality in budget phones. Of the smartphones made by MediaTek, only a few have fast charging technology.
Qualcomm Quick Charge
Qualcomm has achieved the greatest success in the development of fast chargers. The development of Quick Charge technology has been going on for 4 generations and has been perfected.
All versions are standard backwards compatible, meaning you can use a version 4 charger with a phone that only supports version 1, in which case the charger will switch to Quick Charge 1.0 mode.
The standard from Qualcomm supports a huge number of manufacturers of smartphones and accessories. For example, Samsung retains support for Quick Charge, despite the fact that it has its own developments.
Qualcomm introduced the first version of the standard back in 2013., since then the implementation of Quick Charge has not changed much. Integration into a mobile device occurs through a separate microcircuit or together with a Snapdragon chip (central processing unit) and a special adapter that can deliver high-power current.
With each new version of the Quick Charge standard, it gets faster, smarter and safer. For example, the first generation could only charge devices at 5 volts and 2-2.5 amperes, the second generation allowed the use of increased voltage up to 12 volts, more precisely, the controller itself chose the required value from three fixed at 5V / 9V / 12V with a maximum current strength of 3 ampere. In this case, the permissible maximum power of the power supply can reach 18 watts. But with such power, problems with heating began to appear sharply, and already in the next versions of the standard, engineers paid more attention to protecting the battery from overheating.
Key innovation of Quick Charge 3.0 is not the increased charging speed, but the ability of the technology to save energy by avoiding excessive heat generation. The new INOV technology, that is, the smart determination of the desired voltage, made it possible to implement this approach. Thanks to this innovation, data is exchanged between charging and the device when there is a request for the required voltage, which can be anything in the range from 3.2 to 20 volts in 0.2 volt increments. Thus, Quick Charge 3.0 allows you to dynamically adjust to the required voltage.
As the battery charges or heats up, the controller gradually reduces the required voltage. Including for this reason, the last 20% take longer to charge. As a result, charging takes place gently, the battery does not overheat, and its wear is minimized.
And already last year, devices with support for Quick Charge 4.0 appeared., the technology is implemented in the Snapdragon 835 chip. The new standard adds several degrees of protection against overheating, there is a built-in cable quality check system that will prevent the device from charging from a low-quality or damaged wire.
But the main novelty in Quick Charge 4.0 will be support for the USB Power Delivery standard. This is a fast charging technology developed by Google. Perhaps in the future, PD will become the basis for combining various fast charging standards, it would be good to use one charge for any standard.
Development of mobile power sources
What will happen in the future? I would like to believe that all smartphone batteries will be based on Graphene, such batteries will boast the properties of super capacitors, and it will take a few minutes to charge them. They are much cooler than modern lithium-ion batteries, do not lose their capacity even after 2000 charge cycles and have a higher energy storage density. Perhaps such batteries will appear in 10 years, and we will switch to them, there are already prototypes.
And there are also developments for the manufacture of microscopic batteries based on radioactive elements. They do not have to be charged at all, they just need to be changed every 2 years, but these are developments of the distant future.
For 5 years in mobile electronics, productivity has increased by 5-10 times, while battery technology has remained unchanged. The average battery capacity is 3000 mAh, which is 3 to 3.5 times higher than the phones of the last decade. At the same time, there is a tendency to reduce capacity, due to a decrease in the thickness of the case, which will negatively affect the battery life of the mobile device.
As a temporary solution, fast charging technology was developed that can speed up the process of replenishing the charge by up to 75%. As a result, waiting time is reduced and mobility is increased, since the user is not chained to the outlet for 3-4 hours. Let's take a closer look at the technology, the principle of operation, the advantages and disadvantages.
What is fast charging
Fast charging is a technology that aims to increase the carrying capacity of voltage (V) or current (A), or both. The point is to recharge the built-in power supply as quickly, efficiently and safely as possible. The charging speed is affected by the current parameters, as well as the generation of fast charging.
Use cases
The essence of fast charging technology is to quickly charge the battery. Therefore, this option is useful for users whose devices are equipped with small-capacity batteries or are actively consuming their charge due to being busy. Consider the effectiveness of the application of technology in real life.
Charging the Extended Battery
Some smartphones and tablets are equipped with 5000-12000 mAh power supplies. Charging such devices with a 5V / 1A AC adapter will take 6-14 hours. And with the use of first-generation fast charging (5V/2A), the standby time will be reduced by almost half.
Recharging for emergencies
Suppose that on the way to work or school, the game discharged the smartphone, and for the rest of the day the charge is only enough for telephone conversations. It is required to replenish the charge, and free time is 15 minutes. During this time, a 3000 mAh battery will be charged:
- Standard charger 5V / 1A - 8.3%.
- Fast charging 1 generation 5V / 2A - 16.7%.
- Fast charging 2 generations 9V / 2A - 30%.
Operating principle
The charging process consists of two stages. At the first stage, the current power is as high as a smartphone or tablet can accept. The second stage begins upon reaching the mark of 60-75%. The current strength begins to gradually decrease, and the charging process at this stage stretches for 30-60 minutes. This is done so that the battery does not overheat and fail.
In fast charging technology, the same principle of operation is applied, with the only difference being that at the first stage, the current or voltage, or both, are higher. So at the beginning of the process, the battery is charged quickly, and at the end at normal speed. And it is advisable to use the technology when the battery is discharged to 15-30%. Therefore, marketers write that the battery will be charged by 60 or 75% in 30 minutes, but they do not specify the full charge time - 1.5-2 hours.
It is worth noting that the technology of fast charging is laid during the development of a mobile device. Requires the installation of an appropriate processor, as well as a power controller capable of receiving and distributing energy with high current / voltage values. And most importantly, you need a network adapter that supports the necessary parameters.
Which Android smartphones and tablets support fast charging technology
The manufacturer indicates the support for this technology on the box or in the list of equipment. For example, on the Motorola Droid Turbo 2 box, there is a branded charger with a power of 25 watts. Also, information about technology support is indicated in the specification on the company's website.
It is important to know that some manufacturers do not include chargers that support fast charging technology. In this case, the user is forced to buy a network adapter separately.
How to choose a charger that supports fast charging
On the manufacturer's website, you need to specify the type of fast charging, as well as the parameters of the received current: 2A / 5V, 2A / 7V or 2A / 9V. Then select the appropriate charger, which will indicate support for fast charging and the required current / voltage ratio.
Varieties of fast charging
Qualcomm Quick charge.
Qualcomm is the founder of fast charging and the leader of this technology, due to the widest distribution of chips and processors for mobile electronics. In four years, three generations of fast charging have appeared.
Quick charge 1.0
Increasing the current strength up to 2A, adapter parameters 2A / 5V, power 10 watts. Compared to conventional 1A/5V power adapters, the charging process is almost 2 times faster (2000 mAh per hour).
Quick Charge 2.0
The voltage has increased to 12V, the adapter parameters are 2A / 5V, 2A / 7V, 2A / 9V and 1.2A / 12V, the power is up to 18 watts. Compared with the first generation, the charging process will be reduced by 1.8 times (up to 3600 mAh per hour). In this case, the user can be given a choice of charging speed, by manually switching the voltage from the device menu, or the voltage is fixed - 7V or 9V. In both cases, the decision is made by the manufacturer of the mobile device at the development stage.
Quick charge 3.0
Improving the charging process by dynamically changing the voltage (3.2 - 20V in 200mV steps). The parameters of the network adapter and power are the same, but Qualcomm notes an increase of 3-8% and more.
MediaTek Pump Express
Competing fast charging solution for MediaTek processors. Due to the low spread of technology, there are few details, but the principle of operation is the same - increasing current, voltage, or both. Also, the Chinese manufacturer is not shy about talking about superiority over competitors without giving specific numbers.
Pump Express
The first generation of fast charging with a voltage of 3.6 - 5V, a current of 1.2 - 2A, a power of 5 W (1.2A), 7.5 W (1.5 A) and 10 W (2A).
Pump Express Plus
Second generation with increased voltage (5, 7, 9, 12) and current up to 2A: 15W (9V/1.67A) and 24W (12V/2A).
Pump Express 3.0
Nothing is known about the third generation of fast charging. According to MediaTek, 70% of the charge will be replenished in 20 minutes.
In addition, fast charging technology is being developed by mobile electronics manufacturers: Motorola - TurboCharge, Samsung - FastCharge, ASUS - BoostMaster, etc. The essence is the same, charging a smartphone with a 15 or 18 W AC adapter (2A / 9V, 1.67A / 9V or 3A / 5V).
A distinctive implementation from OPPO (VOOC Flash Charging) and OnePlus subsidiary (Dash Charge) is 4A / 5V (20W). In this case, the battery is divided into several cells, through which the current is evenly distributed.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantage of the technology is the fast and safe charging of a mobile device. At the same time, waiting times are reduced and mobility is increased. In addition, claims that the use of fast charging accelerates wear and tear of the battery are refuted by scientists from Stanford University, the Stanford Institute of Materials Science and Energy. At the same time, scientists managed to understand the structure and internal processes, so that in the future, without consequences, increase the charging speed.
At the same time, the main drawback of the technology is the slowdown in the search for new power sources, as well as the optimization of energy consumption. For companies, it is better to recharge the battery 2-3 times a day than to achieve a slow energy consumption.
Output
Fast charging technology is an efficient way to replenish battery power and increase mobility. There are interesting developments in this direction, including UMB with the Quick charge function. But due to the widespread myth of accelerated battery degradation, users prefer to continue to use adapters with low current supply. Therefore, companies should invest in optimizing energy consumption and increasing capacity while maintaining battery size. Sometimes scientists announce new power sources for portable electronics. But until companies and corporations see this as a profit, the situation will remain unchanged.
