Ready to buy the Nothing Phone 1, but want to make sure it has wireless charging before you put down your money? There’s both good and bad news on the charging front with the new Nothing Phone 1, so here’s what you need to know.
First, the Nothing Phone 1 does have wireless charging, but it can’t match the speed of its own wired charging system, nor the wireless charging speeds achieved by devices from Huawei, Oppo, or some other brands. It’s based on the Qi wireless charging system, which means that, although you don’t get a wireless charger with the phone, most wireless chargers available will support it. The Nothing Phone 1 supports maximum power of 15W when wirelessly charging.
Nothing estimates that, by using a 15W wireless charger, the battery will reach full capacity after two hours. In reality, the total time it will take to recharge the battery will vary depending on the type of wireless charging pad you’re using and the charging block’s power output.
The Nothing Phone 1 also has reverse wireless charging
In addition to the standard wireless charging system, the Nothing Phone 1 supports reverse wireless charging. You can see the wireless charging coil through the transparent back of the phone, and by placing a compatible device on the back of the Phone 1, it’ll charge it up at 5W. In our tests, it worked with the Nothing Ear 1, Samsung’s true wireless headphones, and an iPhone 13 Pro. It won’t charge them up very quickly, but it’ll stop the battery from going flat in an emergency.
Nothing’s wired charging options
If you don’t use wireless charging, you can charge the Nothing Phone 1 with a normal USB Type-C cable and charging block. You get a USB Type-C cable in the box, but not a charging block, so you’ll have to use one you already have or buy a new one. It supports 33W Power Delivery 3.0, also known as PD 3.0, so make sure any new charger you buy is compatible with this standard. Note that it’s not the same as Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0 technology, and the two are not cross-compatible.
Plug in a PD 3.0 33W charger with Nothing’s USB cable, and the company says to expect a total charge time of around 70 minutes. In our tests using a PD 3.0 charger, this figure was easily achievable if you start off with a few percent remaining in the battery. The Nothing Phone 1 does not have the fastest charging technology available and isn’t quick enough to change your charging habits, but it’s acceptable considering the price of the phone.
