Maybe it’s just the sheer number of phones that cross my desk, but I have a love-hate relationship with USB-C. It’s great that I can charge my headphones, laptop, and latest Android smartphones with the same plug, but figuring out whether my gadgets are actually charging optimally is often just a matter of shrugging and hoping for the best.
As I’ve whined about countless times, USB-C still has too many different flavors for fast charging. Whether that’s proprietary options like OnePlus’ SuperVOOC or Xiaomi’s HyperCharge, standard USB Power Delivery, or one of the newer USB PD PPS modes, with umpteen phones flying across my desk each year, keeping track of exactly what I need to charge each one efficiently is near impossible. Throw in the complication of 3A, 5A, and 6A USB-C cables, and there’s little hope for consumers to understand why their phone might be charging slowly — even I have to resort to my trusty power meter.