Is 100W fast charging?
The Need for Speed: Benchmarking Charging Tiers
As an avid gamer who‘s constantly pushing my phone to the limits across long session, battery life is no joke. I‘m always chasing the next power-up for my daily driver. So when I heard rumors of staggering 100W+ fast charging, my inner speed demon roared with delight!
But is blazing fast 100W charging really necessary? Or is it just overkill that will fry our precious batteries? Let‘s level up our electrical knowledge and dive into the different charging speed tiers:
| Tier | Speed | Use Cases |
| Slow | 5W | Overnight charging |
| Fast | 18W | Quick top-up |
| Very Fast | 30W+ | Half charge in 30 mins |
| Extremely Fast | 65W+ | Full charge in 1 hour |
| Ludicrous Speed | 100W+ | Next-gen flagship phones |
As you can see, 100W breezes past even 65W "extremely fast" charging into almost sci-fi territory!
The Need for 100W Speed: Fueling Flagships of the Future
Currently, no phone on the market actually requires 100W charging (yet). The vast majority of flagships top out around 65W, like my beloved ROG Phone 6 which drinks SuperVOOC flash charging juice.
But we‘re already seeing hints of a high-wattage future. The Xiomi 12T Pro unveiled blistering 120W charging last October, claiming to fill its large 5,000 mAh battery from 1-100% in a mere 19 minutes!
And rumors suggest the upcoming Galaxy S23 Ultra to be one of the first mainstream flagships to hit over 100W charging speeds.
It seems the power creep has begun in earnest. As phones gain ever higher resolution screens, bleeding-edge processors, and advanced 5G connectivity – their electrical appetites have grown extreme.
More Power = More Problems?
However, also like a gas guzzling sports car, there are tradeoffs for pursuing raw speed. Numerous studies have correlated both heat and peak charging voltage with faster degradation of phone batteries over time.
It‘s unclear if new lithium batteries can withstand sparta-kicking amps into them on a daily basis. There is active debate around whether 100W+ charging significantly diminishes battery lifespan over the long run.
Reputable electronics company iFixit cautions:
While rapid charging won’t make your phone explode, there are legitimate concerns around heat and battery wear that come with higher peak charging speeds.
Only time and rigorous testing will tell! Personally, I baby my daily driver – keeping charging between 20%-80% via Battery Limit settings when possible. Moderation is wise even with advanced safe charging mechanisms.
100 Watts of Shocking Stats
But how much raw speed does 100W truly buy you? Let‘s see some charge time estimates based on battery size:
| Battery (mAh) | 100W Charge Est. | 65W Charge Est. |
| 3,000 mAh | 23 minutes | 35 minutes |
| 4,000 mAh | 30 minutes | 45 minutes |
| 5,000 mAh | 38 minutes | 60 minutes |
As expected, 100W charging shaves considerable time off versus 65W across all capacities. You‘re looking at full charges under an hour in some cases!
While likely overkill for the average user, I can absolutely imagine the appeal for gaming enthusiasts, content creators, and other power users who push their phones to the brink each day.
When your phone is your livelihood, being tethered to an outlet for less time is quite appealing! However, I personally think 65W/30W fast charging offers the ideal balance of speed and battery longevity for most.
The Verdict: 100W Charging as a Luxury, Not Necessity
So back to the original question – is blazing fast 100W+ charging really necessary? I believe the answer is: not yet, but soon it may be.
As phone power requirements continue rising exponentially, the upper ceilings of fast charging will rise to match. We are already seeing 120W chargers trickle out on select flagship models like the Xavier 12T Pro. Many leaks suggest the next generation Galaxy S23 Ultra will also breach 100W territory.
While likely overkill for the average user today, 100W charging offers an exciting glimpse into the bleeding edge future of mobile technology. It brings extreme convenience and flexibility at the cost of potential long term battery degradation.
Like that sports car analogy, 100W charging will remain a luxury indulgence for smartphone enthusiasts who crave next-gen specs. Not a necessity for the everyday road trip.
For now, I‘d say 30W-65W charging remains the performance "sweet spot" – balancing phone longevity with charging speed for most users. But make no mistake, the 100W+ charging era is coming in hot!
Buckle up, charger lovers. It‘s sure to be an electrifying ride!
