Which is more Important: Battery Capacity or Charging Speed?

Which is more Important: Battery Capacity or Charging Speed? Do you prefer a large or fast battery? Why can’t we have it both ways?

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: the best smartphone battery is one that you don’t even notice is there. That is to say, it isn’t something you should be concerned about. For example, if you have to go out of your way to charge your phone so it doesn’t die on you, that’s an immediate red sign.

With all of these smartphone manufacturers talking about their super-fast charging capabilities recently—ranging from 18W to 100W or even higher—you’d think charging speed would matter far more than total battery capacity. Is that true, though? Let’s have a look.

What Is the Function of Smartphone Batteries?

Let’s have a look at how batteries function before we get into the details. Lithium-ion batteries are used in smartphones, and they degrade over time. They work by transferring electrons between two electrodes: one that is positively charged (cathode) and the other that is negatively charged (anode) (anode).

Electrons from the negative pole flow towards the positive pole when your smartphone is in use (or simply sitting idle running background programs). This flow provides power to your smartphone’s components, allowing you to operate apps and access services such as WiFi, GPS, and a flashlight.

Read: Overnight Charging Can Damage Your Phone Battery: Here’s Everything you need to know 

Rechargeable lithium battery

This flow is reversed during charging, with electrons flowing from positive to negative. This is all well and good unless you decide to go from 100% to 0% and vice versa over and over again. This is harmful to your battery since the more imbalance it has, the faster it will degrade and lose capacity.

You want your phone to stay close to 50% charged for as long as possible. However, this isn’t exactly practical for everyday use. As a result, for the best and most constant charging habits, keep your battery between 80% and 20% and never go higher or lower than that.

Why Do Companies Value Speed Over Capacity?

There are two reasons why smartphone manufacturers prioritize battery capacity above speed.

For one thing, adding a physically larger battery makes the device thicker. When potential customers go into a physical store, the first impression is crucial. In other words, the device’s appearance, feel, and overall attractiveness play a significant impact in the purchase decision.

A smartphone with a sleek design just looks more current and has a premium feel to it, grabbing attention and piqueing curiosity. As a result, smartphone manufacturers try to make their products as physically distinct as possible in order to establish a positive first impression.

Read: How can I extend the battery life of my AirPods?

Wallpaper for the iPhone battery

Second, faster charging results in better marketing material and, in a sense, provides brands bragging rights. We don’t like waiting for our phones to charge, so it’s no surprise that quick charging appeals to us; it saves time.

You may counter that individuals can simply charge their phones overnight, and you would be correct. Fast charging appears to be unneeded if your phone can endure a full day of use. Let’s imagine you’re in a rush to get to a crucial meeting in 30 minutes and your phone is dead. Fast charging can be a lifesaver in this situation.

Illusions About Smartphone Batteries

Fast charging, it’s a common fallacy, can harm your phone’s battery in the long run. While shoddy workmanship and counterfeit third-party accessories might be hazardous, fast charging is not as harmful to your device as you might imagine.

If you’re interested in learning more about how quick charging affects battery life, check out our prior article. In reality, the greater hazard to your battery is how often you use it and its internal temperature, which can lead to overheating problems.

Many manufactures utilize liquid cooling to protect a smartphone’s internal temperatures from going too high, as you’ve probably seen in advertisements. This is due to the fact that overheating is terrible news for your smartphone.

Overheating can cause the battery’s physical structure to alter, reducing the maximum charge capacity it can store over time. Because gaming is a power-hungry task, gamer-centric smartphones frequently offer a large battery capacity to compensate for the gradual decline.

When to Disable Prioritizing Speed Over Capacity

If you travel frequently and don’t stay in one location for lengthy periods of time, you’ll need a quick charger because you never know when you’ll have access to a working power source again. Using a typical 5W or 10W charger in this situation could cause problems.

Fast charging, on the other hand, is more about convenience than necessity for most people. It’s about having the peace of mind that if their device’s battery runs out, they can plug it in for a few minutes and get several hours of screen time.

When Should Capacity Take Priority Over Speed?

We all know how useful quick charging is when you’re short on time and need some juice right away. If you spend the majority of your time at home or at work, though, quick charging should not be a top concern when shopping for a new phone.

Similarly, if you don’t upgrade your phone frequently, a physically larger battery will be more useful in the long run because it will be able to withstand its gradual degeneration. To put it another way, a phone with a 5000mAh battery and “average” charging speed will last longer than one with a 3500mAh battery and 100W charging.

Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. Brands can, for example, create unique smartphone processors that are highly tuned, efficient, and calibrated to ensure minimal battery consumption. A small but well-optimized battery can outlast a large but poorly-built battery in this manner. At least, that’s how it works in theory.

However, in general, the larger the battery, the longer it will survive. And, as cellphones become more powerful and capable, the necessity to switch to a newer model becomes less and less apparent. Unless you’re a techie, buying a new phone while your old one is still working makes little sense.

In fact, today’s users are keeping their devices for longer periods of time than ever before. If you’re in the same boat as them and want to keep your device for more than three to five years, prioritizing battery capacity is generally a good idea.

The Battery Life of Smartphones Should Be Balanced

In the end, there is no obvious winner when it comes to charging speed against battery capacity. Both have advantages and disadvantages. If the capacity is increased too much, the phone will become cumbersome. If you keep it too low, the battery will run out sooner. If the charging speed is increased too quickly, the phone will overheat. If you keep it too low, you’ll lose time.

Which is more important is largely dependent on the person who asks the question, their lifestyle, how they use their phone on a daily basis, and their financial situation.

Smartphone batteries, on the other hand, are growing more sophisticated every year. With all of the cutting-edge technology we’ve seen thus far, battery life on current phones is unlikely to be an issue.