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Understanding Different Charging Protocols
Understanding Different Charging Protocols
By Shaista Qadri
Understanding Different Charging Protocols
There are many different types of fast charging protocols such as OPPO’s open VOOC Flash Charge, OnePlus WARP / Dash , Realme DART charge, Qualcomm’s Quick Charge fast charging & PPS / PD Fast Charging. Some of these are proprietary ( Flash, Dash, Warp, Dart, VooC) & QC,while some are open platforms ( PD & PPS).
Nowadays, smart phones have quick charging between 18W to 65W power, with charge times going from 30 minutes to a little more than 60 minutes. Let’s broadly understand the differences.
Qualcomm’s Quick Charge QC3.0 / 4.0
Qualcomm’s QC Quick Charge is very familiar today & it is a representative of high-voltage fast charge. It was first launched in 2013 when the highest power was 10W (5V/2A). By Quick Charge 3.0, the power increased to 36W, & now it supports 200mV step voltage regulation, which is no longer a fixed set of voltage & current. Quick Charge 4.0 supports step voltage regulation down to 20mV and a current adjustment of 50mA. Moreover, it also supports USB PD+PPS.
Quick Charge 5 is world's Quickest Charging Solution conveying surprising charging rates of up to 0 to 50% in just five minutes while empowering new battery innovation, embellishments, & well-being features.
PD Fast Charging
PD fast charging, or Power Delivery fast charge, is a universal standard designed by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) to deliver high-power through USB. Supported by various devices like smartphones, laptops, tablets, and appliances.
PD fast charge can provide up to 100 watts of power—significantly surpassing the typical 5 watts of standard USB chargers. This translates to a remarkable charging speed, allowing PD chargers to replenish a smartphone from zero to full in approximately an hour, a task that would take about three hours with a standard charger.
It is suitable for all types of devices beyond smartphones, including laptops, as they have a USB-C port. This is currently the most extensive charging protocol.
Currently, there are commonly USB PD 2.0, USB PD 3.0, & USB PD 3.0 (PPS), the former two belong to high-voltage fast charging, and the PPS of the latter belongs to a branch of PD 3.0, which is known as Programmable Power Supply. It incorporates Qualcomm QC, fast charging protocol, VOOC, & other fast charging protocols, supporting 20mV and 50mA step adjustments more accurately.
USB-PD is an open platform and is rapidly being adopted by many manufacturers.
iPhone Charge
The consistent use of the 20W Model A2305 adapter across multiple iPhone generations indicates Apple's commitment to a standardized charging experience. Whether it's the iPhone SE, iPhone 11 series, iPhone 12 series, or the latest iPhone 15 models, the 20W USB-C Power Adapter remains a key component in Apple's approach to delivering efficient and reliable charging for their devices.
Open VOOC Technology
VOOC Technology, used by OPPO and other affiliated brands like OnePlus and realme, offers swift charging across various devices. Even with different branding like OnePlus' Warp Charge and realme's Dart Charge, the underlying standards remain consistent. SuperVOOC chargers can often fast charge different brand devices. OPPO smartphones, from mid-range like OPPO K10 to premium options like the Reno series, support VOOC fast charging. For instance, the OPPO K10 achieves a 65-minute full charge with 33W SuperVOOC.
Premium mid-range models like Reno charge in just over half an hour with 80W SuperVOOC. Flagships like Find X5 Pro boast up to 80 watts, enhancing 0-50 charging times. The OnePlus 10 series has also embraced SuperVOOC technology, aligning with OPPO's commitment to speedy and efficient charging.
Huawei SuperCharge
Huawei's SuperCharge, an exclusive rapid charging tech, debuted in 2015, evolving through subsequent updates. Its unique blend of low voltage and high current swiftly and safely charges smartphones. With an impressive 66W power delivery, SuperCharge can fully charge a device in just over 30 minutes. Compatible with various Huawei smartphones like P50 Pro and Mate 40 Pro, it extends to other devices like laptops and tablets. Noteworthy is its exclusivity to Huawei products, making it unavailable for smartphones from other brands.
COMPARISON BETWEEN PPS, PD, QC, DASH, WARP AND VOOC
| Programmable Power Supply (PPS) | Power Delivery (PD) | Quick Charge (QC) | Dash Charging | WARP Charging | VooC / Super VooC |
| Voltage & Current adjusted as per demand of Phone’s battery | Goes up to 100W | QC 3.0 allows 80% charge in 35 mins. | Provides 63% charge in 30 mins. | It goes 0 to 50% in 20 mins. Output ranges from 30W to 65W | Improved Speed & Safety, Offers varying outputs 25W & 50W outputs going upto 140W |
| Great Extending Battery Life | Works in sync with PPS as well | QC 3.0 is limited to Phones & Tablets. (18W) | Easy to perform high-intensity tasks | Full charge in less than an hour. | Low-voltage, fast-charging solution |
| Less Heat Generated. Goes upto a max of 45W | Up to 70% faster than a normal USB charger | QC 4.0 works on PD via Type-C (27W) | Removes alarming heat generated quickly | Heat gets dissipated in the adapter only | Five-minute charge provides hundred minutes of gaming or four-hours of video watching |
| More Flexibility | Ensures over-charging doesn’t take place | QC 5.0 allows 50% in 5 mins. (100W) | Designed for a mx output of 20W | For effective cooling, OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition has 8 layer protection board | Uses the highest level of multi-layered protection |
| Multiple Operating Modes |
Laptops / Tablets / Phones/ Macbooks iPad Pro/ iPhone 13 & 14 |
One of the most mature protocols with a long-standing prestige. | Dash is a variant of Open VooC & used by OnePlus | WARP is a variant of Open VooC & used by OnePlus | Vivo’s Flash charge offers 33W Output |
| Most Commonly used by Samsung | Adopted by Apple |