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5W charging brick for a 14 Pro Max

I intentionally use a small charging brick on my iPhone. A full day of use leaves me with 30% left.

my friends say I’m making the wrong call using a older 5W charging brick.


charging speed doesn’t matter to me, with this in mind will this negatively effect my phone battery?

iPhone 14 Pro Max

Posted on Aug 10, 2023 1:31 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Aug 10, 2023 1:54 AM

Using an older 5W charging brick on your iPhone 14 Pro Max will likely result in slower charging times, but it's not likely to have a significant negative impact on your phone's battery health, especially if you're not concerned about charging speed.


Modern smartphones, including the iPhone, are designed with advanced battery management systems that regulate charging to protect the battery from overcharging, overheating, and other potential issues. While faster charging can generate more heat and potentially stress the battery more, slower charging using a lower wattage charger is generally considered gentler on the battery.


However, it's important to note that using an underpowered charger might not provide enough power to charge your phone while you're using it heavily. If you're actively using your phone while charging with a 5W charger, the battery might not charge at all or might charge very slowly, and it might even drain the battery slightly if the power consumption of your activities exceeds the charging rate.


If your primary concern is battery health and you don't mind the slower charging times, using a 5W charger occasionally should not significantly impact your battery life negatively. Just be aware that using the phone heavily while charging might not result in much charge gain, and it's generally a good idea to use a charger with higher wattage when you need to charge your phone quickly or while using it actively.


If you find that your battery life is significantly decreasing over time, it's more likely due to the natural aging of the battery rather than the use of a lower wattage charger. All batteries degrade over time and usage, and this is a normal aspect of smartphone ownership.

3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Aug 10, 2023 1:54 AM in response to ArinTheUser

Using an older 5W charging brick on your iPhone 14 Pro Max will likely result in slower charging times, but it's not likely to have a significant negative impact on your phone's battery health, especially if you're not concerned about charging speed.


Modern smartphones, including the iPhone, are designed with advanced battery management systems that regulate charging to protect the battery from overcharging, overheating, and other potential issues. While faster charging can generate more heat and potentially stress the battery more, slower charging using a lower wattage charger is generally considered gentler on the battery.


However, it's important to note that using an underpowered charger might not provide enough power to charge your phone while you're using it heavily. If you're actively using your phone while charging with a 5W charger, the battery might not charge at all or might charge very slowly, and it might even drain the battery slightly if the power consumption of your activities exceeds the charging rate.


If your primary concern is battery health and you don't mind the slower charging times, using a 5W charger occasionally should not significantly impact your battery life negatively. Just be aware that using the phone heavily while charging might not result in much charge gain, and it's generally a good idea to use a charger with higher wattage when you need to charge your phone quickly or while using it actively.


If you find that your battery life is significantly decreasing over time, it's more likely due to the natural aging of the battery rather than the use of a lower wattage charger. All batteries degrade over time and usage, and this is a normal aspect of smartphone ownership.

Aug 10, 2023 1:36 AM in response to ArinTheUser

Using a smaller and older 5W charging brick with your iPhone will not necessarily negatively affect your phone's battery health directly. The iPhone is designed to handle different charging speeds and adjust accordingly.


Lithium-ion batteries, which are used in iPhones, tend to age over time regardless of the charging method. While slower charging might have some benefits, the difference in battery health due to using a 5W charger might not be substantial over the long term.


Using a smaller charging brick might mean you need to charge your phone more frequently, which could be less convenient if you're often on the go.


Ultimately, if charging speed doesn't matter to you and you're comfortable with the trade-offs, using a 5W charging brick should not significantly harm your iPhone's battery health. Just keep in mind that other factors like temperature, overall charging habits, and the natural degradation of lithium-ion batteries over time play a larger role in battery health. If you're concerned about your battery's lifespan, it's a good idea to follow best practices for battery maintenance, such as avoiding extreme temperatures and not letting your battery consistently drain to very low levels.


5W charging brick for a 14 Pro Max

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