The race to be the fastest charging phone in the US finally has a new challenger

For as all-encompassing as the competition between flagship smartphones has become, there’s one area that Samsung, Apple, and others seem content to ignore — charging. In the states, SuperVOOC technology (used by OPPO, OnePlus, Realme, and other BBK-affiliated brands) has often been the only contender if you wanted truly fast wireless charging. But even then, only a handful of compatible phones were available to officially buy in the US, and you had to contend with some strange decisions like the use of a USB-A charger, limited support for charging standards for non-VOOC devices, and a lack of wireless charging options. Now, there’s a new (but very familiar) challenger on the scene — none other than Motorola with its TurboPower charging, and all I can say is it’s about time.

An unexpected challenger

TurboPower charging isn’t new for Motorola phones. It’s been the company’s go-to branding for a few years now. The TurboPower name has graced wired and wireless chargers, some deserving of the term, some not. For every 30W TurboPower charger shipped with the Motorola Edge (2021), another 10W TurboPower block was shoved in with a Moto G device. Essentially, TurboPower meant little more than charging until the Motorola Edge Plus (2023) showed up.

Now, the name means something. The Edge Plus (2023) supports 68W wired charging and even ships with a full-power USB-C charger. There’s no wishy-washy excuse about hotels having more USB-A ports, and you don’t have to sacrifice wireless charging. OnePlus is content to offer speedy SuperVOOC as its only option, but Motorola is showing that you can have your wired charging cake, eat it, and wash it down with a cup of wireless charging tea. Motorola’s 15W wireless rate isn’t as fast as its wired TurboPower, but it’s a good enough option if you charge casually throughout the workday.

The important part is that you can take the Motorola Edge Plus (2023) with its 5,100mAh cell from empty to full in just a little over 45 minutes based on my testing. It tops the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra in charging speed and battery size, and the gap is even wider compared to the best from Apple and Google. Maybe TurboPower doesn’t trump the raw speeds that SuperVOOC can push just yet, but it finds a better balance between wired and wireless options and offers a more useful charger in the box.

Motorola isn’t limiting TurboPower to its Edge Plus (2023), either. The recently launched Lenovo ThinkPhone by Motorola taps into the same wired and wireless setup, this time with a business-focused twist. It opts for durability and productivity rather than everyday polish but still delivers one of the best Motorola experiences of the last few years. Like the Edge Plus (2023), the ThinkPhone comes with a full-power charger, proving that business phones don’t have to be stuffy or simple.

Of course, there’s plenty more power available if you’re willing to reach outside of the mainstream. In fact, gaming phones have been pushing the pace regarding charging for a few years. ASUS has been packing 65W charging into its ROG Phones for at least three generations, which is a must-have when filling a 6,000mAh cell. You’ll have to contend with a side-mounted USB-C port and skip wireless charging, but it’s one way to fulfill your need for speedy charging.

You can always head to Amazon to import a device, too. There are plenty of high-power options from POCO, Xiaomi, and Redmi — technically just three flavors of Xiaomi — though importing isn’t for everyone. Some Chinese options may not have the proper band support for US carriers like Verizon, meaning you might find yourself stuck with an expensive device that doesn’t connect to 5G speeds.

TurboPower vs SuperVOOC: The data

It’s easy to talk about the potential for TurboPower to take on SuperVOOC, but what does the charging data say? After all, even though OnePlus ships its devices with high-speed chargers, they’re not much good for other devices, thanks to the proprietary nature of SuperVOOC. The 80W charger that shipped with the OnePlus 11 isn’t Power Delivery compliant, which means it won’t charge your laptop at full speeds or even other smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. Motorola’s 68W TurboPower charger, on the other hand, is fully equipped for Power Delivery charging, complete with the wide-ranging speeds it entails.

Our methodology to gather data was simple — plug several different devices into the TurboPower and SuperVOOC chargers and see what speeds they turn in. Up first was the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra with its maximum 45W wired charging power. It reached just 15W when plugged into OnePlus’ 80W SuperVOOC block but soared to its full 45W rate once paired to the TurboPower block. Google’s Pixel 7 Pro told the same tale, hovering around 12.5W with the SuperVOOC charger but jumping to its 23W peak with Motorola’s charger. Both flagships rely on USB PD PPS for their top speeds, so it’s no surprise to see them handle Motorola’s setup better than that of OnePlus.

When we checked on other OnePlus devices with SuperVOOC out of the box, we got the opposite results. The OnePlus 10T hit 68W with an 80W SuperVOOC charger while only reaching 18W with Motorola’s TurboPower block. Expanding our scope a bit to include the Xiaomi 13 Pro —  a phone that ships with a 120W charger — swings back into Motorola’s favor. Xiaomi’s flagship reached 17W speeds with the SuperVOOC charger but topped out at around 23W with TurboPower at the helm. Neither speed is close to its full potential, but TurboPower still squeaks out in front.

And finally, when we let the Motorola Edge Plus (2023) and OnePlus 11 charge from empty to full with their respective chargers, we get a reminder of why SuperVOOC still has some staying power. The OnePlus 11, with its 5,000mAh battery, flies from empty to full in just about half an hour with its 80W charger, whereas the Motorola Edge Plus (2023) takes closer to 50 minutes to fill its 5,100mAh cell. SuperVOOC still has the advantage in terms of raw speed, but you won’t be able to help your friends charge their phones quickly if they don’t have a BBK-affiliated device.

At the end of the day, a Power Delivery-enabled charger will probably make you more friends than the raw speed of a SuperVOOC rival — unless you’re in a OnePlus fan club. TurboPower is certainly doing the trick for Motorola right now.

Waiting for copycats

Maybe we’re just not used to Motorola leading the charge these days (pun intended). The company makes most of its weight in the budget market, where keeping up seems more important than getting ahead. However, taking on SuperVOOC and the high-power charging options of the world might be the perfect way for Motorola to get itself back out in front. It might finally inspire others to follow its lead, too.

Motorola might not eat into much market share against giants like Apple and Samsung, but the Motorola Edge Plus (2023) might offer just enough punch to make them sweat. Samsung’s 45W charging power obviously comes up short of TurboPower’s 68W rate, and Samsung makes matters worse by limiting its best speeds to devices that cost $1,000. Apple’s limit is still around 20W, though it’s not as noticeable given the tiny batteries you find on most iPhones.

Where Motorola might really make the most headway, however, is by knocking out OnePlus once and for all. That sounds dramatic, but Motorola seems to be on the rise as OnePlus is shrinking from its true flagship killer mentality. The Edge Plus (2023) takes SuperVOOC head-on while offering a cleaner, more enjoyable Android skin, a durable, fingerprint-averse design, and a solid camera setup that doesn’t rely on Hasselblad to stay above water. Motorola’s Edge Plus (2023) might cost a bit more than the OnePlus 11, but it’s hard to argue against the overall experience.

What do you think? Will Motorola’s improved TurboPower charging lead to Apple and Samsung raising their respective rates? Let us know in the poll above.