iPhone X Charging Speeds Compared: The Fastest and Easiest Ways to Charge Your iPhone

[newellj]

Nice article. The OCD part of me would be curious about the 10w iPad wall wart, but we can probably extrapolate results. The degree to which the USB-C adapters provide level results is interesting but not surprising - they're all fully supplying the phone's charge controller.

I wouldn't guess very many -- true wireless charging still sounds like science fiction to me, although I realize it is being developed.

I've been doing truly wireless charging without a pad by putting my X in the microwave. Lots of energy in there, and I certainly get a charge out of the process. You need to take your case off, though.

j/k

 

[rugmankc]

Thanks for the testing. I am going with the Apple 29W. Hoping internals are a little better than 3rd party. Plus if my son buys it for me for the holidays, he only buys Apple--lol

I did see a couple tests where the Apple 29W look less time to get from 90-100% than the 12W. My wife's 12W iPad charger is very slow in that range. I know they are designed to slow down at the end. But, all-in-all, little difference.

 

[zkmusa]

Pretty sure that time (the independent variable) should go on the X axis. Would make these graphs a whole lot easier to read.

I agree. The information is not laid out in the correct way for a line graph. Time should have been on the X axis.

Excellent article, though. Really useful information!

 

[Saturnine]

Those graphs ... the axes are completely screwed! Surely the X-Axis should be time?!

 

[cyanite]

apple simplicity = a dozen different ways to charge your phone

Wait, are you actually complaining that Apple supports standard charging systems like most other devices?

 

[mariusignorello]

apple simplicity = a dozen different ways to charge your phone

Well in terms of charging in a rush, options are a good thing, especially if the cable isn't yours.

 

[cyanite]

1000+ dollar phone, but too greedy to ship it with a fast charger.... so lame ._.

It's not without compromise; faster chargers are significantly larger, in case you want to carry it around.

 

[bigjnyc]

I know its a very small difference between 5w and 7.5w on wireless and quite frankly it doesn't make a difference to me because I charge overnight... But its just annoying that Apple keeps pulling little petty crap like this (if its true) everyone was pleasantly surprised that they went with QI standard but they just couldn't go all the way they had to hamper it in some little annoying way to piss their customers off just enough. ugh

 

[cyanite]

I wouldn't guess very many -- true wireless charging still sounds like science fiction to me, although I realize it is being developed.

It's being attempted, but physics is against us on this one.

 

[jclo]

Pretty sure that time (the independent variable) should go on the X axis. Would make these graphs a whole lot easier to read.

I realize I'm presenting the data here a little unconventionally, but I liked that I was able to show exact percentages while also giving an overall picture of the difference in charging speed. For anyone who wants to take my data and whip up other charts, I'm more than happy to provide it. Just let me know!

 

[mariusignorello]

Anyone else think when wireless charging first came out that they were talking about truly wireless charging? Not this pad crap?
.

That's because they're not done with AirPower. The "Air" marketing term isn't fit for this to be the final product.

 

[cyanite]

Those graphs ... the axes are completely screwed! Surely the X-Axis should be time?!

Surely you can still read them once you figure out that it's not? There is no rule that a certain axis has to be time, and both time and charger are equally indenpendent variables.

 

[Santabean2000]

X ships with worst charging option. Complete fail.

Nickel and diming at its worse.

 

[grayskies]

Expecting better charging times with the laptop charges(compared to the iPad charger), this is disappointing.

Can anyone clarify what portion of this attributable to physics or the phone/software?

 

[barkomatic]

I imagine wireless charging must impress those who have only used iPhones. However, the "fast charging" on the iPhone X is a joke compared to the fast charging on flagship Samsung devices. It's not even close.

That's not to say that the iPhone X isn't overall a great device and I enjoy owning it but in this regard--wow. I wouldn't bother with anything more than an iPad charger now that I see these results.

 

[movieator]

The last sentence of this piece.

"...but it's convenient to be able to set your iPhone right next to you on a wireless charger and pick it up when necessary without the need to hassle with a cord."

Hassle? Really? Come on, now.

 

[one more]

Has been charging all my iOS devices with a 12W Apple iPad charger over the last two years, works great.

 

[bpeeps]

Those graphs ... the axes are completely screwed! Surely the X-Axis should be time?!

Yep, poor poor graphical work here.

 

[roland.g]

I have had some Anker 2 port and 10 port chargers that put out up to 24W and are smart units afaik designed to give a device the max it will take.

I also went with an Anker 10W fast charging wireless pad (2 actually, 1 nightstand and I at work) and they work well. I didn’t do any tests to see chargkinb speeds on the Anker pad pre and post 11.2 with the 7.5 update. This is all on an X.

I’ve been fairly satisfied. My X doesn’t get too low because the battery has been great and the pad is convenient to use so a USB-C isn’t really appealing. I figure if I really need to charge I almost always have 12W iPad capability and that will juice it pretty quickly.

 

[Krio]

I realize I'm presenting the data here a little unconventionally, but I liked that I was able to show exact percentages while also giving an overall picture of the difference in charging speed. For anyone who wants to take my data and whip up other charts, I'm more than happy to provide it. Just let me know!

I'd enjoy making graphs with time on the x-axis. PM sent with my email address.

 

[DrSkywalker]

Thanks for doing this little study. It is one of the most valuable and practical things I've seen for a long time, and answers lots of questions.
Now - can you do the same for the iPad Pro????

 

[jclo]

I'd enjoy making graphs with time on the x-axis. PM sent with my email address.

Sure, data incoming. Please share them here!

 

[mroy16]

I realize I'm presenting the data here a little unconventionally, but I liked that I was able to show exact percentages while also giving an overall picture of the difference in charging speed. For anyone who wants to take my data and whip up other charts, I'm more than happy to provide it. Just let me know!

I completely agree with your decision in presenting the information. The primary variable being tested was the wattage/type of the charging method. The time intervals were simply there to provide additional information (technically this is a 3-variable graph, but no one wants to interpret a 3D-plot). If you had only used the 60 minute time stamp, no one would even notice.


Back to the topic at hand, it's useful to know all of this information, but with moderate use and the battery life on these phones, I suspect most people are fine using any charging method overnight. I don't mind Apple providing me with the slowest charging option, since the battery they provide lasts me all day. When I'm asleep, I don't need my phone to charge in 2 hours - I just need it charged by the time I wake up.

 

[s2obed]

They should just ship 12W iPad adapter with iPhones. It's silly that Apple charges $19 for both a 5W and 12W charger. I guess they want consumers to spend another $19.

 

[rcooked]

I use the $15 Anker 5w chargers that can be purchased on Amazon. They do the job and are very affordable.