In 2023, fast charging is must for any top smartphone. Users want to feel comfortable using their phone, safe in the knowledge that when they need to top up, they won't be tethered to a wall socket for hours at a time.
Some Android phone manufacturers have been leading the charge (pun intended). Yesterday, at Mobile World Congress 2023, the Realme GT3 was launched with a 240W fast-charging feature that can complete a full 0-100% charge in under ten minutes. Make no mistake, that is seriously impressive.
But Realme's time at the pinnacle of fast-charging could be short-lived, as Xiaomi have announced a 300W HyperCharge feature. This, they say, will complete the same 0-100% charge in just five minutes, which is positively bonkers. That means you could charge a completely dead phone in less time than it takes to boil a kettle.
It's not the first time Xiaomi have pushed the boat out on charging speeds. The Redmi Note 12 Discovery Edition – Redmi is a Xiaomi brand – was launched late last year with 210W HyperCharging. That could also break the ten minute barrier, and had a remarkable spec sheet to boot. The 300W HyperCharge is the next big thing on that front. Currently, there are no models with the feature listed, but I'd expect that to change soon.
It's a fantastic development for smartphones. With the pace of life ever-increasing, so too must the pace of charging for essential devices. Helping users to avoid battery anxiety with larger batteries goes some way, but speedy charging times are arguably even more useful in that regard.
With a full charge possible in five minutes, your battery percentage effectively becomes obsolete – just find a wall socket for a few minutes and carry on with your day, safe in the knowledge that your phone is ready to go. It's a significant shift from older generations of devices, and one that I can't wait to see appear on more handsets.
