Xiaomi has been announcing with great fanfare for several weeks how the new terminals – with the Xiaomi 11T as a flag – will have 120W HyperCharge support, compared to the 30W load of the Mi 10T Pro two years ago or the 55W of the Xiaomi Mi 11.
But what is this hyperload, what is the theoretical basis for being so fast? And more importantly, is it reliable, is it safe to continuously charge a mobile with this new technology? We are going to try to verify that.
How charging a battery works
Before deep into the fast charger war let’s get to the root of the matter. Explaining how a lithium polymer battery operates is as easy as explaining its basic principle: electrochemical reaction. This creation is produced by electrodes. In every battery there are anodes (positive) and cathodes (negative), two types of fundamental electrodes in the flow of current.
Battery cells, based on two electrodes of some carbon-based composite material are “immersed” within an electrolyte, the substance that facilitates the mobility of ions. As they receive energy or deliver energy, this is how the circuit created by thousands of these electrodes will move.
In the production of batteries, nickel-cadmium or even lead was used to coat these cells in the past. Today more stable materials are used, with higher energy density and profitability per watt delivered and, above all, less dangerous in environmental terms. But the formula in terms of energy production remains similar.
Three key elements have changed over the years: the type of alloy in the cladding, the capacity for energy synthesis, and the performance of the processors – who make key decisions about charging. Oh and the size of battery cells. Something similar happens at the chipset scale: on a smaller scale you will be able to insert more transistors —cells, in this case— and increase the total load volume.
One of the great myths around battery charging says that if we keep the mobile connected, it will end up losing charging power. This is not true: ionized particles – already charged – go from the positive to the negative field, blocking access to more power from the battery posts. In other words, it would be like closing the gates of a dam: no more water will enter.
Another myth, less false, is that batteries degrade the higher the voltage. A classic recommendation was the following: look for a longer cable to keep charger and smartphone away so that it does not absorb part of the heat emanating from the first. But this is a half-truth: the higher the voltage, the greater the excess heat, derived from the usual percentage of energy lost. In any exchange of energy there will always be a part that will become waste.
And the higher the excess temperature, the worse the overall performance. A battery does not produce as much electricity as it is capable of storing: there is always minimal loss.
And if the deterioration is extreme, a thermal leak will occur. That is, an overflow where some components lose stability, decompose and can even cause a partial destruction of the end or even make it explode. The rate of accidents of this type, however, is practically non-existent.
Some years ago, A study showed that turbochargers accelerated the deterioration of lithium and manganese atoms in batteries. But there is still a key player in this role: the processor.
And there is another problem, and not just any: the faster the load, the greater the dividing walls of each cell must be —For security, as we have seen—, reducing the amount of milliamps available per battery.
The processor is the key
We believe that the charger-voltage transformer itself and the USB cable intervene in a process of charging our mobile. It is not like this: the processor decides the intensity and it can oscillate from more to less and vice versa or even suspend the load depending on the information transmitted by the terminal.
This reading system measures the temperature and manages the power level in order to never damage it. The operating system, running at a subconscious level on your mobile, always decides how much and how it will be charged. Xiaomi, for this, has already patented its Smart Charging.
The 120W HyperCharge, in short, is decided by the processor: no matter what cable and charger you use – although it is essential to go to the official to use the hypercharge – the processor will be the one who recognizes if your mobile is capable and compatible with said HyperCharge.
And what about the charger?
Adapters are made up of three elements: head, connection port, and plug type. All wall plugs in Spain are identical in terms of voltage, with pins in the shape of C and F. On the other hand, the connection refers to the type of port (microUSB or USB-C) and it is convenient to know the generation of said connection.
To understand the formula between volts and amps, you just have to multiply: 5V and 1A equals that the adapter will be able to charge at 5W. 5V and 3A means that the adapter will be able to charge at 15W. And so.
To take advantage of fast charging, you need to respect this formula. Also the reverse: a normal charger will never be able to take advantage of the fast charge of a terminal compatible with 120W.
Are you satisfied with your battery?
To tell the truth, the race led by Xiaomi has not contributed but to the general satisfaction of the users. In 2011 only 36% He claimed to be happy with his cell phone’s battery life. In 2016, this general satisfaction ratio grew to 72%, according to a market study from Ask your Target Market.
In that race that goes from 5 to 10 W, at 18, 33, 67 and 120 W we have gained in comfort and free time … despite raising our electricity bill. However, we emphasize it: those sonorous 8 minutes to charge a mobile 100% are safe, although they also minimally raise the voltage peak demanding and, with it, the general energy expenditure.