The most Google phone ever made is here and it is not short of surprises. With a new in-house Tensor chip in the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, stunning camera upgrades, and no charger in the box, Google is clearly making bold statements. But does the Pixel 6 have wireless charging and fast charging? Here’s everything you need to know. 

Does Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro have wireless charging?

Google may be following in the footsteps of Apple and Samsung by ditching the charger, but it makes up for it with faster wireless charging. Pixel 6 supports 21W of wireless charging while the Pixel 6 Pro supports 23W of wireless charging. 

Of course, a Pixel Stand is required to get these wireless charging speeds. On other Qi-enabled wireless chargers, the speed will be limited to 12W. This is a slight upgrade from its predecessors’ capabilities, but it still falls short when compared to OnePlus and Samsung phones that support 15W wireless charging speeds with unofficial Qi-based chargers.  

Does Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro have fast charging?

Yes, fast charging is also supported by the Pixel 6 series. In the case of wired charging, both the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro support 30W PD fast charging.

Some people may feel bummed out by Google’s decision to not include a charger with these premium phones. All that users get is a USB C-to-C data cable. Fortunately, an old plug can serve just fine to charge the Pixel 6. Those that want Google’s proprietary 30W charging head will have to shell out $25. 

How fast is charging in Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro?

30W of wired fast charging on the Pixel 6 is truly fast, especially if you’re comparing it with the 18W limit of previous pixel phones.  With such speeds, you can expect the Pixel 6 to go from 1 – 50% in about half an hour. 

When charging with the Pixel Stand, Pixel 6 Pro can hit the max speed of 23W (21W on standard Pixel 6) of wireless charging which is faster than what previous pixel phones could achieve with charging bricks. 

Google shifts to the USB Power Delivery PPS standard

Going from 18W of wired charging to 30W requires modifications to the USB Power Delivery standard possible with USB-C. Pixel 6 supports PPS (programmable power supply), which is the newest addition to the PD 3.0 standard. It necessitates that the chargers work at full speed to make fast charging truly fast.

Some other flagship phones in the market use this USB PD standard too, like the Galaxy S21 series, and more and more third-party plugs are supporting it too. At the same time, this means that older plugs won’t fast charge Pixel 6, and you’ll have to get the $25 charger to get those speeds. 

Fast charging, via both wired and wireless mechanisms, is the future and it’s good to see Google bringing it to the Pixel 6. However, not having a charger is a disappointment, and so is the 12W wireless charging with non-official wireless chargers.