Google has addressed a significant pain point with its new Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro smartphones: their charging speeds.
The previous generation, the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, left users waiting for around 100 minutes to fully charge their devices, which was far from ideal. However, the tech giant has taken steps to rectify this issue with the latest models.
Using Google’s official 30W charger, the Pixel 8 can go from empty to full in 77 minutes, and the 8 Pro in 79 minutes.
Compared to the previous generation’s 100 and 101 minutes, this represents a substantial improvement. While it may not be as fast as the quickest charging phones in the industry, the 20-minute reduction in charging time is a commendable achievement.
What’s particularly notable is that the Pixel 8, in particular, reaches the critical 50% and 75% charge levels several minutes faster, ensuring you can get back to using your device when you need it most.
One reason behind this improved charging performance in the Pixel 8 series is the higher peak power levels. The Pixel 8 supports up to 27W of power, while the Pixel 8 Pro peaks at 30W, according to Google.
These numbers may not be entirely reflected at the phone’s USB-C port, but the power levels are undoubtedly higher than last year, by up to 5W in the regular Pixel 8.
But it’s not just about the power levels; the Pixel 8 series also charges more efficiently, particularly the smaller Pixel 8 model.
Peak power levels are sustained for 15 to 20 minutes, which is a significant improvement compared to the Pixel 7’s pretty flat power level during most of its charging cycle.
High power levels at the beginning of the charge cycle enable the new models to reach about one-third of their capacity more quickly than before.
In terms of temperatures, the new Pixel 8 series charges at slightly higher power levels during the early part of the cycle, which allows them to wait longer before reducing power to complete the battery charging process safely.
This results in significantly improved overall battery charge times. However, it’s worth noting that these phones will charge faster when they are cool and might take longer if they’ve been in use or are charging after demanding tasks.