Google confirms that the Pixel 6 series doesn’t charge at 30W

Like many other flagship smartphones launched this year, the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro don’t come with a charger in the box. Instead, Google sells a 30W fast charger separately for the devices. This led many reviewers and Pixel 6 buyers to assume that the latest Pixel smartphones offer 30W fast charging support. However, as we found out earlier this month, the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro don’t actually charge at 30W.

Google has now clarified (via 9to5Google) that even though it sells a 30W charger for the Pixel 6 series, the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro have a 21W and 23W peak power draw. In a recent post titled “How charging works on Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro,” Google explains that irrespective of the power coming from the wall plug, the actual power delivered to the device was over a full charge cycle varies over the course of a single charge. “The charge rate at any moment is based on factors such as battery cell and system design, temperature, system usage, and state of charge,” the post notes.

When the devices are running low on power, they draw 21W and 23W power from the brick and take around 30 minutes to charge up to 50 percent. In the next half an hour, the phones charge at a slower pace and get to 80 percent charge, depending on device usage and temperature. While topping up the last 20 percent, the charging power is reduced gradually to improve battery longevity. This falls in line with Android Authority’s recent findings.

It’s worth noting that the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro will charge at 21W and 23W with the Pixel Stands 2nd-gen as well, as it will ship with the same 30W charging brick. The new Pixel Stand is now available for pre-order, and you can book yours right away to get it by next month.