Fast or Regular Charging vs Battery Life

CRitter

Well-known member
May 26, 2011
80
2
0
Visit site
Understand the phone comes with a charger that provides fast charging. Good sometimes, unnecessary most of the time for me. Strikes me that the fast charging all the time can't be the best for long term battery life, based on my general battery experience. Faster charge = more heat = shorter battery life down the road. Is there any experience with this?

It appears that unless you use a fast charge compatible charger, then it charges same as any old phone. Is this better for long term battery life?

I have one charger at home/office and another I take on the road. For the road, the fast charger may make some sense occasionally, though with the Play's long lived battery I'm not really expecting to need it unless something got screwed up, Verizon decides to download an update that sucks the battery down, etc.

For at home, where I never have to worry about having sufficient time to charge, can I use my existing charger and just exchange the USB-A >> Micro USB cable for a USB A >> USB-C cable?

TIA,
 

Tim1954

Q&A Team
Jan 17, 2016
6,924
1
0
Visit site
I've never been a fan of fast charging. But if you must, leave the phone uncovered (not under your pillow) so it has a chance to cool (and not set your house on fire) while charging...
 

AllenRulz

Well-known member
Jan 4, 2011
812
4
0
Visit site
I can't wait to get my Moto Z Play on the 20th. I just received my Power Pack Moto Mod and it is the one that can do wireless charging BUT I feel it's just safer and better for the battery to just plug it in and not do the wireless charging. Idk, it already has fast charging by the Type-C so I will be plugging this phone in and getting rid of my Samsung Qi wireless pad for good.
 

YAYTech

Well-known member
Jul 18, 2012
2,371
8
0
Visit site
I can't wait to get my Moto Z Play on the 20th. I just received my Power Pack Moto Mod and it is the one that can do wireless charging BUT I feel it's just safer and better for the battery to just plug it in and not do the wireless charging. Idk, it already has fast charging by the Type-C so I will be plugging this phone in and getting rid of my Samsung Qi wireless pad for good.

Keep in mind that one advantage of wireless charging is not wearing out the USB port. Totally your call on how you charge, but between the lower wear & tear and the potential for a slower charge to help prolong battery life/health, I wouldn't discount wireless charging.
 

AllenRulz

Well-known member
Jan 4, 2011
812
4
0
Visit site
Keep in mind that one advantage of wireless charging is not wearing out the USB port. Totally your call on how you charge, but between the lower wear & tear and the potential for a slower charge to help prolong battery life/health, I wouldn't discount wireless charging.
Very good point also. I'm excited for the Type-C port because I have kind of messed up ports in the past with putting the micro USB cord in the wrong way lol.
 

YAYTech

Well-known member
Jul 18, 2012
2,371
8
0
Visit site
Very good point also. I'm excited for the Type-C port because I have kind of messed up ports in the past with putting the micro USB cord in the wrong way lol.

It's a great port design, and I'm hopeful that it will hold up better than microUSB, but it can't hurt to use it less.
 

Sailindawg

Well-known member
May 10, 2012
220
5
0
Visit site
Fast or regular battery charging vs battery life

I have been using the fast charge for my 2014 moto x. Considering fast charge is part of Qualcom's SOC, I have found that using the moto fast charge charger and an Aukey fast charge car charger that my phone charges quicker, more fully and stays cooler when charging. The staying cooler part is probably because of the stepped nature of fast charging.

Previously, i used a usb wireless charging card that could make the phone very hot, especially when using the phone on the wireless cradle inside the car with the screen on. Eventually the usb charging card broke.

Since then i have been using the Auckey quick charge car charger, the phone is remarkably cooler with the screen on when used in the car. Also, the phone still charges to full with the screen on, Google maps, Google play music running. I never saw this with a "slow" charger or the usb wireless charging card.

Using the moto fast charge charger at work, the phone gets charged when it hits 30% or so. No excessive heat either.

This phone has a first/second gen of quick charge? I find it works much better than a "slow" charger. The battery seems to get a "fuller" charge because the charging process is stepped and the phone stays cooler. Also i have the phone in TPU case when charging.

I'm looking forward to the MZP and hoping that what i see with my current phone only improves with the MZP.

Regarding battery life, i haven't seen the battery life deteriorate since using fast charge. The 2014 moto x was an 8-10 hour battery life phone when i first got it and remains so. I'd say that as designed by Qualcom, fast charge doesn't really seem to negatively impact battery life.
 
Last edited:

YAYTech

Well-known member
Jul 18, 2012
2,371
8
0
Visit site
This phone has a first/second gen of quick charge? I find it works much better than a "slow" charger. The battery seems to get a "fuller" charge because the charging process is stepped and the phone stays cooler. Also i have the phone in TPU case when charging.

I'm looking forward to the MZP and hoping that what i see with my current phone only improves with the MZP.

Regarding battery life, i haven't seen the battery life deteriorate since using fast charge. The 2014 moto x was an 8-10 hour battery life phone when i first got it and remains so. I'd say that as designed by Qualcom, fast charge doesn't really seem to negatively impact battery life.

The Moto Zs don't use Qualcomm's QuickCharger standards. They're using a standard associated with the Type-C connector. The type-c standard is made to support up to 100W to devices (actual amount supported depends on the device). Expect to see most laptops using type-c for charging very soon.
 

Sailindawg

Well-known member
May 10, 2012
220
5
0
Visit site
Cool, thanks for the correction. I'm still not worried about the newer quick charge killing the battery. Unless of course, moto pulled a Samsung with the battery design. As i said, I'm hoping that the MZP goes beyond what I'm currently seeing for battery charging. I'll find out soon enough, the phone is being delivered this afternoon.
 
Last edited:

YAYTech

Well-known member
Jul 18, 2012
2,371
8
0
Visit site
Yeah, I've always just used my phones and haven't had issues with the battery wearing out. Just sold my ol' Droid MAXX to a friend, because it's still a better phone than the cheapies she could afford, and the battery will still get through a day easily. It's easy to overthink these things.
 

AllenRulz

Well-known member
Jan 4, 2011
812
4
0
Visit site
My Z Play got delivered this afternoon. I can't wait to get off of work at midnight to turn this baby on. I'm going to just use the charger that comes with the phone to charge the phone and the back battery moto mod. I don't trust many USB Type-C chargers.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
943,198
Messages
6,917,745
Members
3,158,871
Latest member
520571