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How bad is it for a mobile device to be "slow charging"? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) by vortexal@lemmy.ml to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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I bought a new tablet but I'm unable to use the charging cable it came with until I can get an adapter because I don't have anything that can except USB type C. I have multiple cables with a USB A connector but the tablet says that it's "slow charging" when I use them. I tried to look this up before posting but for some reason, a lot of websites refer to "normal changing" as slow charging now and I'm unable to find anything relevant to my issue. Would I be fine to use the other cables I have until I can get an adapter?

Edit: I no longer need help with this. I originally made this post because, for several years, I was told and had read that both slow and fast charging damaged batteries significantly more than normal charging. But, as multiple users have stated, it seems like I was being told and reading false information and slow charging is actually better for a battery than normal charging.

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[–] fuckwit_mcbumcrumble@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 1 month ago (1 children)

"slow" and "normal" are all relative terms, and aren't definable.

It's also relative to the size of the battery. A cell phone at 20 watts charging sure aint slow, but a laptop at 20 sure is. But is 20 fast when phones will do 50 or 100 watts?

[–] vortexal@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

What I'm referring to is what my device states. Right now, my tablet states that it's slow charging but my other android devices just say charging and my mom's phone states that it's fast charging when she uses the cable that came with her phone.

[–] deranger@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 month ago

Sounds like it's the standard 500mA USB charging. This is the slowest and oldest charging that exists. It's telling you this in case you have a charger that supports faster charging but using an older cable, in which case it falls back to 5v / 500mA. You have to have a proper charger and cable to get the higher modes (e.g. USB-C PD).

There's nothing harmful about this and is actually better for battery longevity as many others have stated. The notification is just informative in case you're expecting faster charging. 5v / 500mA takes forever compared to modern charging standards.