Battery issues? Best smartphones that charge the fastest
Smartphones today have become an essential part of modern life. These devices not only keep us connected to the world outside but also serve as pocket computers that hold within them the tools to help us run our daily lives smoothly. However, there are times when these pocket computers end up being as good as slabs of glass and metal because of something as trivial as lack of charge.
With most buyers focusing on phones with bigger displays and faster and more power-hungry processors, the humble battery pack that brings all the magic to life is often forgotten. But what's worse is, even when talking about a phone's battery, the narrative usually revolves only around the mAh count of the pack, and important aspects such as the charging time of the battery are glossed over.
When you're low on time (and on charge) there can be no bigger convenience than a battery promising hours of juice by simply charging your device for a few minutes. Tom's Guide recently put multiple flagships through the hoops by charging them for 30 mins and published its findings. So without further ado, let's take a look at the fastest charging phones available right now.
OnePlus 5T
To start things off is the latest contender for mid-range flagship crown, the OnePlus 5T. The device is the fastest charging phone of the lot as it can deliver a 59 per cent juice within 30 minutes and 93 per cent by leaving it on charge for an hour.
OnePlus achieves this by using its proprietary Dash Charging technology instead of Qualcomm's QuickCharge 3.0 which gives the phone a higher amperage than QuickCharge. It also uses dedicated circuitry in the charger itself to manage the extra heat generated while fast charging the 3300 mAh battery.
In terms of other specs, the phone comes packing Qualcomm’s top-of-the-line 64-bit Octa-core Snapdragon 835 SoC which helps it stand in league with premium flagships such as the Samsung Galaxy S8 and the Nokia 8. Depending on the variant, the phone's SoC is paired with 6GB/8GB of RAM and 64GB/128 of storage memory.
The phone's standout feature, however, is it's beautiful edge-to-edge 18:9 FHD+ AMOLED panel, which is also bigger in size at six-inches and gives the device a more futuristic look. In terms of optics, the OnePlus 5T sports a tweaked 16+20 Megapixel dual camera module.
LG V30
Next up in the list is LG's yet to be announced flagship, – for India at least – the V30. According to Tom's Guide, the device charges to 53 per cent within 30 mins and takes another 30 to charge the phone's 3300 mAh battery all the way up to 86 per cent.
Coming to the other specs, the device has a FullVision OLED display with an aspect ratio of 18:9, along with support for Dolby Vision and HDR 10. It is powered by the Snapdragon 835 SoC, 4GB RAM coupled with a 3300mAh battery. There is no confirmation on when the phone will make its way to India, but reports suggest that the South Korean tech giant is planning to announce the device for India sometime later this month (December).
All about the iPhones
The next three really fast charging phones on the list are the latest Apple smartphones – iPhone X, 8 and 8 Plus. Left to charge for 30 minutes, the anniversary edition charges 50 per cent, while the 8 and 8 Plus charge 49 and 47 per cent respectively.
However, this convenience of fast charging will stay out of bounds for most users as all three smartphones do not ship with a supported adapter or a charging cable that can make use of the technology. Fast charging on your new iPhones can only be availed by paying Apple extra (about Rs 5000 in total) for a 29-watt power adapter and a USB-C-to-Lightning cable.
Google Pixel 2
Google's favourite child, the Pixel 2, also makes it to the list by managing to find a place below the iPhones. The device according to Tom's Guide test takes 30 minutes to charge the 2700 mAh a not so impressive 38 per cent and takes another half an hour to charge it to 75 per cent. Though these figures are not bad in isolation, but when compared to the competition – especially the iPhones – it does embarrass the device a bit.
To refresh, the Pixel 2 comes bearing a bezel ridden 5-inch 1080p AMOLED display that melts into the Almunium frame of the phone. Inside the phone, there's Qualcomm's top-of-the-line 835 SoC paired with 4GB RAM and 64GB or 128GB storage.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
Last, but not the least, is Samsung's phablet king, the Galaxy Note 8. The device's 3300 mAh battery stored a 35 per cent charge within 30 minutes of charging and more than doubled to 74 per cent in one hour. Though not extremely fast, the speed is understandable considering the phone does not come with QuickCharge 3.0 but only Samsung's fast charging tech that looks to be leaning a bit towards the side of caution to ensure the new Note device does not start blowing up like its predecessor.
At Rs 67,990, the Note 8 brings with it a massive 6.3 inch 1,440x2,960 QHD+ display that merges seamlessly into the phone's intimidating metallic frame, which hides beneath it a powerful Exynos' 8895 SoC paired with 6GB of RAM and up to 64GB of built-in storage that can be expanded using a MicroSD card.