Did you buy a Google Pixel 6 hoping that (optional) 30W charger would top up your phone in a hurry? You might need to temper your expectations. Android Authority tests suggest the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro doesn’t come close to hitting that 30W ceiling. In practice, the charger topped out at 22W — not much better than the 18W charger from the Pixel 5.
The phones appear to meet Google’s claims of reaching a 50 percent charge in 30 minutes. Charging tapers off very quickly after that, though, and the phone drops from the newer USB Power Delivery PPS charging standard to the old PD 2.0 specification once the battery reaches 75 percent. You don’t save much time with the 30W brick, with the largest savings at the 50 percent mark (31 minutes versus 40).
Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra pulls more overall power through the same charger, tapers off less aggressively and keeps using the newer charging standard the entire time, according to the test results. While the S21 Ultra’s battery does get hotter, it’s still relatively cool.
We’ve asked Google for comment. AA believed the issue might be software-related, as the charging algorithm appeared to be “virtually identical” to that of the Pixel 5. It’s also important to stress that Google’s marketers don’t promise 30W charging, just the half-hour quick charge. That’s not what a 30W charger implies, however, and the familiar charging profile hints the Pixel 6 might need a software update to reach its full potential.
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