Results of my S4 charging rate testing

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timmmay

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# 171851 3-May-2015 09:07

For the past few weeks I've been timing how long it takes my S4 to charge with different combinations of charger and cable (my wife thinks I'm nuts). I've done multiple runs per charger/cable combination, discarded any outliers, and come up with a set of summary data which is available here.

My conclusion is that the combination of charger and cable that you use can make a significant difference to charge time. I found that the cable used makes the most difference to charging, rather than the charger. However it's generally not the individual component that matters, it's the combination. For example using the Samsung charger and cable that came with my phone was the slowest charge combination I tried, but using the Samsung cable with a Belkin charger almost tripled the charge rate, and using the Samsung charger with a Monoprice cable almost tripled the charge rate.

The monoprice cable I have charged consistently fast with every charger. The Samsung cable was highly variable. The Belkin cable was between ok and quite good depending on the charger used.

Wireless charging with the aftermarket combination I use is right in the middle of the pack, around half the speed of the best wired charger.

TLDR: if you want to charge your phone quickly use a monoprice cable and any charger you like.

References:
- Belkin Dual Charger
- Anker Charger
- Monoprice cable: think it's this link (mine's around 1.5m). I got from another GZ member so not sure model. It has written on it "High speed 2.0 cable revision 28AWG/2C E232694-B AWm Style 2725 30V VW-1 V124".

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# 1295997 3-May-2015 09:18

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Am I right that faster charging can reduce battery lifespan?

Interests: HTPC, Web App authoring.

timmmay

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# 1295999 3-May-2015 09:21

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turb: Am I right that faster charging can reduce battery lifespan?

According to battery university "Manufacturers of these cells recommend charging at 0.8C or less to prolong battery life". That means anything faster than around an hour isn't so good for battery life.

However I can buy a new battery for less than $50 so I don't care if it lasts 2 years or 5 years. It's already near 2 years old and seems as good as the day I bought it.

turb

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# 1296002 3-May-2015 09:39

timmmay:
turb: Am I right that faster charging can reduce battery lifespan?

According to battery university "Manufacturers of these cells recommend charging at 0.8C or less to prolong battery life". That means anything faster than around an hour isn't so good for battery life.

However I can buy a new battery for less than $50 so I don't care if it lasts 2 years or 5 years. It's already near 2 years old and seems as good as the day I bought it.

Interesting article! I can see a market for geeks buying fancy-pants programmable chargers with different profiles for different situations. You saw it here first!

I kind of knew about it being good to switch off the device while charging, but of course if it's a phone you're not going to get any calls. Also, I think powering and booting a device from scratch can use quite a bit of power in itself which may negate the benefit.

Interests: HTPC, Web App authoring.

timmmay

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# 1296011 3-May-2015 09:45

I reboot my phone every few days anyway. I do have fancy chargers for my NiMH batteries, but not LiIon.

networkn

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# 1296025 3-May-2015 10:07

Link to Mono price cable and model of charger please?

timmmay

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# 1296028 3-May-2015 10:15

networkn: Link to Mono price cable and model of charger please?

First posted edited. Didn't buy the cable directly so can't say for sure, but if someone can find it I'll update the link.

K1000716

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# 1296056 3-May-2015 11:36

At USD42 for shipping 6 3" cables I'd suggest finding an alternate method to get them here, but here is the link to buy them directly.

http://www.monoprice.com/Category?c_id=103&cp_id=10303&cs_id=1030307

Lee

hio77

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# 1296057 3-May-2015 11:38

Quite interesting results.

did you notice any difference in heat on the phone with the faster charging?

#include <std_disclaimer>

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

timmmay

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# 1296065 3-May-2015 12:05

hio77: Quite interesting results.

did you notice any difference in heat on the phone with the faster charging?

Didn't check at all, it was sitting on a bench.

eXDee

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# 1296077 3-May-2015 12:20

In regards to the cables, usually you'll get better charging results from a 24AWG rather than 28AWG cable.That's referring to the gauge of the power wires that is. Cables labelled 28/24AWG mean its 28 (smaller) on the data wires and 24 (larger) on the power wires. But other factors come into play too.

On thinner cables, i've found length is a major factor. I have two low end cables, one 40cm and the other 150cm. The 40cm can fast charge (well, relatively for its quality) and the 150cm charges extremely slowly.

I've got some anker cables of various lengths with that anker power pack on the way of which i hear good things about. Their spec is certainly nice:
"Charge around 7% faster than many standard cables and sync at speeds of up to 480Mbps through wide diameter 28 / 21 AWG data and power wires."

muppet

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# 1296098 3-May-2015 13:53

There's an app available that'll show you how much current your phone is pulling while charging.

This would help you quickly identify cables/charger combinations, without having to piss about timing how long a charge takes etc.

timmmay

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# 1296136 3-May-2015 15:36

muppet: There's an app available that'll show you how much current your phone is pulling while charging.

This would help you quickly identify cables/charger combinations, without having to piss about timing how long a charge takes etc.

I find them inaccurate. It reports 1900mah when doing wireless charging, which is the max it can draw with the best charger/cable combo.

sbiddle

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# 1296139 3-May-2015 15:46

Apps aren't reliable - the best way to test is simply with a ~$5 USB dongle to show you the mA drawn during charging.

The fact chargers and cables make a difference shouldn't really surprise anybody. I reckon Anker make the best chargers and cables on the market, in all the testing I've done with various cables and chargers nothing comes close to the performance their gear offers.

richms

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# 1296140 3-May-2015 15:47

Even using a USB charger doctor doesnt really help, as that just shows the current and voltage at the source end of the cable. Ive found current is actually a bit higher on crap cables but charge time is way longer.

Richard rich.ms

Insanekiwi

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# 1296142 3-May-2015 15:51

Good work timmay. Any good cables we can get locally? like PB tech or something?

I have Motorola Turbo Charger - which I use during the day if I need a quick charge and top up - otherwise I stick with the original charger that came with the phone overnight.
Turbo charger is really quick - but does certainly heat up the battery until 70% then it cools down as per its design.

I don't think I could find any general consensus as to whether quick charge is battery life or not though.

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