Leak: 200W+ charging could be a thing in 2021 (as if we need it)

Phone charging speeds have made tremendous leaps in recent years, moving from 30W and 40W in 2018 to 65W and even 120W in the last 12 months. This means you can charge your phone in under 30 minutes if you’ve got something like the Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra.

Now, regular tipster Digital Chat Station has claimed on Weibo that 2021 could see even faster speeds. The leaker notes that we won’t be getting a Mi Mix 4 from Xiaomi anytime soon, but that 200W+ charging systems could be available next year. Check out a screenshot of the machine-translated post.

120W charging already delivers mega-fast results, with the Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra’s 4,500mAh battery charging in 21 minutes. But we noted in our review that the phone generates a ton of heat while charging. We’re also worried about battery degradation at these speeds, as even OPPO has revealed some disappointing degradation stats for its 125W charging solution.

We’re not quite sure if 200W charging is therefore the best move, as it could theoretically generate even more heat and battery degradation than 120W+ charging. So hopefully we see Xiaomi and other brands optimize 50W+ charging solutions for speed and battery health before looking ahead to 200W.

The translated post also suggests that in-folding foldables and phones with under-display selfie cameras are in the works for next year. Xiaomi has already confirmed the latter, but a commercially available foldable would be big news for the brand. Xiaomi previously demonstrated a dual-folding device, so a Galaxy Fold-style form factor would be a departure for it. The Chinese brand also has a reputation for competitive pricing, so hopefully it can come in cheaper than Samsung’s foldables.

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Next: 120W charging tested — How hot does your phone get?