Will a Fast Charger Work With a Normal Charging Cable?

You've got a date in 20 minutes, and your phone is at 10%.

That might not be a problem if you have a phone with a fast charging standard. Some phones can charge from 0 to 70% in a whopping 30 minutes. These phones use special charging blocks to attain whiplash-fast charging speeds.

There's only one problem: you're using a random cable you found lying around. And that cable isn't capable of supporting fast charging.

Good luck taking pictures during that date!

Quick charge technology relies on more than just the amount of power your phone can accept. Today we'll discuss what fast charging cables you need to get the ultimate speeds.

Fast Charging Technologies: It's All in the Amount of Power

Let's catch you up to speed on watts (W). When you see a charger that boasts 50W charging, what does that even mean?

To compute wattage, you need to multiply the amps (A for amperes) by the voltage (V for volts). You measure current in amps, which is the amount of electricity the wire is transporting. Voltage refers to how fast this current is moving.

So if you have a 3A/5V charger, that means you'll get 15W (or watts) of energy. Obviously, you can charge faster the more watts you have.

Lithium batteries are the standard for most rechargeable devices these days, particularly phones. To get those blistering speeds, manufacturers have to pack more energy density into their batteries. They have to respect the limitations of lithium batteries to preserve their lifespan and prevent catching fire.

So you have three important factors when it comes to fast charging power:

• A phone that supports a fast charging standard
• A fast charger adapter that supplies that phone's wattage
• A cable that can provide that power

Fast Charging Standards

Every phone manufacturer uses a different fast charging standard. Not all standards are equal. Here are some of the main charging standards:

• USB Power Delivery: all phones use USB, but some have USB-PD (which gives up to 100W charging speeds)
• Qualcomm Quick Charge: unique to Qualcomm chipsets, this standard also boasts up to 100W
• Adaptive Fast Charging: this is one of Samsung's standards, but they cap it at 18W

Apple also uses USB Power Delivery, with the exception being that you need a proprietary lightning cable. However, Apple is switching to USB-C for its mobile devices like the iPhone and iPad Pro.

Today we'll focus on what sort of cable you need to get your phone charging quick.

All Cables Are the Same, Right?

Wrong!

You might think cables are more or less equal. The only defining difference between them is the color, sheath material, and USB, right? However, it's what you can't see that makes the most impact.

The gauge of the wire will be the primary deciding factor in whether your cable can fast charge or not.

Choosing the Right Gauge

Inside a cable, you have four wires: black, green, red, and white. The black and green wires carry data. The red and white, however, carry power.

A cable charges faster the thicker your gauge is. The lower the number, the thicker the wire gauge. 28 gauge can only deliver basic fast charging, while 24 gauge can deliver an amount of power for much faster charging.

It doesn't matter if you have an adapter that can pump out 100W. If the manufacturer rates the cable for 5W, you're only going to get 5W charging. You'll need a beefier cable to get the maximum charging speed.

To identify a fast charging cable, check the manufacturer's box or website. Sometimes they'll make it clear that this supports fast charging. But remember, if the cable does not match the wattage of your adapter and phone, it won't get fast-charging speeds!

This is why it pays to purchase quality cables known for supporting fast charging.

Let's take a look at some other things that will affect your charging speeds.

Cable Length

Did you know electricity moves at the speed of light? You might be thinking that because of that, the cable length is irrelevant.

Unfortunately, there's this pesky thing called resistance. When electricity (or light, for that matter) moves through a material, it experiences resistance. The material impedes electricity from passing through, slowing it down and reducing how much electricity makes it to the other side.

Now imagine you've got one of those fancy 6-foot cables. They make it easy to plug your phone in and lie in bed, right? Sadly, that long cable has now doubled the resistance when charging your phone.

Try to get cables that are 3 feet long. If you can get less, even better!

Cable Quality

Most cables that you find around are made with cheap construction. That means the wires are prone to kink, split, or break. A poor-quality cable might snap the delicate connectors that connect the USB to the actual wire.

Don't make the mistake of purchasing a low-quality cable that you have to replace every few months. Buy them from a premier company that doesn't skimp on the manufacturing process.

USB-C Cables

Not all USB cables are equal. USB 2.0 is much slower than USB 3.0 and has less power output too. But neither of these antiquated USB-A standards can stand up to USB-C!

USB-C is not only faster than USB-A (the standard for 2.0 and 3.0) it has more charging power as well. A device with USB-C will leave a device with micro-USB in the dust when it comes to charging.

Wireless Chargers

Wireless charging is much slower than cable charging. However, if you get a Qi-enabled charging pad, you can get an impressive 15W charging speed.

Get a Fast Charging Cable for Your Phone

With fast charging, you can get the amount of power you need for that date in only a few minutes. There's no need to hover around your wall outlet for 2 hours while it charges like a snail. And with a quality cable, you'll be sure to get those charging speeds for years to come.

It's time to invest in the best charging cable money can buy. Get in contact if you're not sure what cable you need. Whatever your phone situation, we've got you covered.