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Qualcomm Announces Quick Charge 5+ Technology

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  Published in Science and Technology on Wednesday, September 10th 2025 at 13:56 GMT by Thurrott
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Qualcomm Unveils Quick Charge 5 – The Fast‑Charging Powerhouse of 2024

At Mobile World Congress 2024, Qualcomm made headlines with the announcement of its newest fast‑charging standard, Quick Charge 5 (QC 5). The company’s reveal, coupled with a series of demos, suggests that the technology could soon become the de‑facto benchmark for rapid mobile and laptop charging across the industry. Below is a concise but comprehensive overview of what QC 5 brings to the table, how it stacks up against its predecessors and current USB‑Power‑Delivery (USB‑PD) rivals, and what it could mean for OEMs, consumers and the broader ecosystem.

1. Quick Charge 5 – The Technical Snapshot

Qualcomm’s product team explained that QC 5 achieves its performance through a combination of higher voltage delivery, more robust power electronics, and tighter integration with the USB‑Type‑C specification. The new “Fast‑Charge‑Ready” chipset (QCC3000) allows OEMs to embed QC 5 support directly into the device’s power management IC (PMIC), eliminating the need for additional external circuitry that was necessary for earlier Quick Charge versions.

2. How QC 5 Differs from Its Predecessors

The jump from 27 W in QC 4.0 to 50 W for smartphones represents a near‑doubling of the power delivered, which translates into charging times that could be halved for the average user. For laptops, QC 5’s 100 W capability brings the standard into the same territory as the newer USB‑PD 3.2 “100 W” profile, but with Qualcomm’s proprietary optimizations that allow for faster ramp‑up and reduced heat generation.

3. Industry Context: USB‑PD vs. Quick Charge

USB‑Power‑Delivery has long been the de‑facto standard for wired charging across a range of devices, thanks to its universality and straightforward voltage scaling. The latest USB‑PD 3.2 adds support for 200 W via 20 V/10 A, but it is still limited by the need for explicit negotiation and a separate “Power Delivery” handshake.

QC 5, on the other hand, merges the negotiation process into the QC protocol, enabling a faster handshake that requires fewer round‑trips. Qualcomm claims that this gives QC 5 a measurable edge in real‑world scenarios, especially when pairing with newer “Smart‑Power” phones that have built‑in QC 5‑capable PMICs. Qualcomm’s own data shows a 10–15 % faster charging curve when compared to USB‑PD 3.2 under identical power levels.

4. The Ecosystem: Who Will Deploy QC 5 First?

Qualcomm announced that its first partner to roll out QC 5‑enabled devices is a major Chinese handset OEM (the company was kept unnamed in the press release but is widely speculated to be Xiaomi or OnePlus). The partner’s flagship 2024 model will reportedly feature a 5000 mAh battery that charges from 0 % to 100 % in just 14 minutes using a QC 5 charger.

In addition to phones, Qualcomm is targeting the growing laptop segment. Several U.S. OEMs, including a major laptop manufacturer that was cited in a follow‑up interview, have reportedly secured licensing agreements to embed QC 5 into next‑generation ultrabooks and thin‑and‑light PCs. The technology’s 100 W peak output makes it an attractive alternative to USB‑PD 3.2 for those devices, especially in terms of heat dissipation and power delivery stability.

5. Safety, Standards and Certification

Qualcomm emphasized that QC 5 is fully compliant with the latest USB‑Type‑C specification and has undergone rigorous testing under the UL and IEC safety standards. The company’s “Safe‑Charge” firmware monitors temperature and current in real‑time, throttling output if any component of the system exceeds safe operating thresholds. OEMs can integrate QC 5 using Qualcomm’s “Quick Charge SDK” and “Fast‑Charge‑Ready” reference design kit (RDK), which includes test vectors and validation guidelines.

Moreover, Qualcomm has submitted the QC 5 specifications to the USB‑IF (USB Implementers Forum) for formal endorsement, aiming to make the protocol an official “USB‑Power‑Delivery with Quick Charge” standard. While this certification process can take 6–12 months, Qualcomm’s early partnership with a range of OEMs should accelerate market adoption.

6. What This Means for Consumers

• Faster Charging Times: A typical 5000 mAh smartphone could reach 100 % in about 15 minutes, compared to roughly 30 minutes on QC 4.0 and 45 minutes on USB‑PD 3.2.
• Lower Heat: QC 5’s dynamic voltage scaling keeps the phone cooler during fast charging, which can prolong battery lifespan.
• Simplified Cable Management: QC 5 works with standard USB‑Type‑C cables; no new proprietary connectors are required.
• Cross‑Platform Compatibility: While the technology is proprietary, the back‑compatibility with earlier Quick Charge and USB‑PD protocols ensures that existing cables and chargers remain usable.

7. Potential Drawbacks and Challenges

• Higher Cost of Integration: The QCC3000 PMIC adds marginal cost to devices; OEMs will need to weigh this against the premium pricing of “fast‑charging” marketing.
• Adoption Lag: Even though Qualcomm’s partners are gearing up for 2024 launches, mainstream adoption may take a few years as OEMs cycle through their product development timelines.
• Competition: Other vendors, such as MediaTek, have announced their own high‑power charging solutions (e.g., 100 W “Power‑Pro” chargers), which could fragment the market.

8. Looking Ahead

Qualcomm’s announcement of Quick Charge 5 signals a clear push towards higher power delivery while keeping the ecosystem simple and consumer‑friendly. With the first QC 5‑enabled devices expected to hit the market later this year, it will be fascinating to observe how quickly the technology gains traction. If the speed and safety metrics hold true in real‑world deployments, QC 5 could very well become the new standard for both smartphones and lightweight laptops, potentially redefining what “instant” charging looks like for consumers worldwide.

Key Takeaway: Quick Charge 5 brings a 100 W peak power delivery for laptops and 50 W for phones, with faster charging curves, tighter safety controls, and seamless integration into existing USB‑Type‑C infrastructure. OEMs are already moving fast to incorporate the technology, and consumer adoption could begin as soon as late 2024.