How many times during a day do you find yourself looking at the display of your smartphone, there at the top right where the battery indicator is? Those who use it for work, as well as for leisure and necessity – excuse the expression – have long been ‘slaves’ of that percentage. Low battery anxiety is still current today, despite the latest technologies being able to guarantee energy at 150, 200 and even 240W.

‘Supersonic’ charging, yes or no?

In just a few minutes the smartphone goes from 0 to 100, guaranteeing hours of battery life (net of how much it is used). But if the percentage of charge increases dramatically, the question that many ask is: is it really worth using ultra-fast charging or by doing so will I ‘kill’ the battery prematurely?

Charging a lithium battery at supersonic speed generates heat. And this despite the countermeasures adopted by the tech giants, who have introduced vapor chamber cooling systems and ‘split’ batteries to divide the load. Compared to the first experiments there are benefits, there is no denying it, but thermal stress still remains an enemy. And the convenience of supersonic charging must be measured on the one hand in the (many) minutes saved during the charging phase, and on the other in the months of life that, with constant and priority use, are taken away from your device.

To reach powers above 150 watts, engineers worked through hoops, dividing the batteries into multiple cells charged in unison, and using artificial intelligence to monitor the temperature thousands of times per second. There is a sharing of the hardware system and the software system which however cannot go beyond a clear physical limit: the extreme speed, albeit less than in the past, involves a progressive process of degradation of the battery. Ultimately, therefore, is it worth taking advantage of ultra-fast charging for your smartphone? There is no single answer, but there are pros and cons that everyone can evaluate.

The pros: because ultra-fast charging is convenient

• You no longer need to charge your phone during the night: just a few minutes when you wake up are enough to have your smartphone at 100%
• If you find yourself in the middle of the day with less than 10% battery, a socket at hand and two complete turns of the clock hand are enough to keep your smartphone going until the evening
• The use of new electrolytes in the batteries has allowed the dimensions of the power supplies to be kept small, as well as having improved heat management compared to a few years ago.

The cons: why ultra-fast charging isn’t worth it

• Constant charging at 150 (or more) watts reduces battery capacity faster than ‘slow’ charging. The difference is tangible after a few months of constant use
• Mid-range smartphones (decreasing) compensate for ultra-fast charging with bulky heat dissipation systems, which affect the weight of the device
• To take advantage of this type of charging, it is almost always necessary to have the original charger and a specific cable. With a regular charger, the device will charge much slower, making the initial investment worthless.