DxO was able to test the new iPhone 15 range with many different chargers and cables. There’s definitely nothing to worry about with the iPhone 15’s USB-C port.
Much has been said about the iPhone’s switch to USB-C. It also raised many fears about the compatibility of the iPhone with the standard and cables from other manufacturers. The iPhone was even accused of overheating when using a USB-C cable from an Android smartphone.
To definitively clarify things, DXOMARK, which we know best for its photo tests, has decided to scrutinize the USB-C connector of the iPhone 15. DXOMARK therefore carried out load tests with different cables and different chargers to evaluate the behavior of the iPhone.
Up to 30W charging for the iPhone 15 Pro Max
First of all, DXOMARK evaluated the charging speed of the iPhone 15 Pro Max with different solutions: “we found very good compatibility between the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro Max“. We observe that in most cases, the iPhone reaches a maximum power around 28W. Obviously, if you limit it to a 20W charger like the one offered by Apple, then the charge will be reduced. Frandroid was also able to corroborate these measurements on its own iPhones and an external battery capable of displaying power in real time.
We can still see that the iPhone 15 has no problem using chargers from the Google, Samsung, Anker, Xiaomi or even OnePlus brands. Same for cables. If you order a cable or charger from a little-known brand and from a distributor with poor standards, you could run into problems.
Users of the iPhone 15 series can therefore use chargers and USB-C cables from competing brands and third-party brands without compatibility problems, thanks to the USB-C PD standard supported by these iPhones.
But this is true for any smartphone, Apple or not. This was also already verifiable with poor quality Lightning cables. On the other hand, if you opt for a charger and a cable from a recognized brand like Samsung, or Xiaomi, or even Google, you will not have any problems with charging your iPhone.
And does it heat up?
DXOMark also measured the heat released by the smartphone while charging, without using the smartphone. We see that there is indeed a higher temperature on the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 during charging: up to 45 degrees Celsius recorded.
These temperatures are higher than those observed on Android smartphones: a Xiaomi 12 Pro, a Google Pixel 6 or a Galaxy S23 do not exceed 39 degrees. The first tests of the iPhone 15 Pro also pointed to a titanium chassis that was more likely to absorb heat, to the point of being unpleasant to the touch. But again, this heating has nothing to do with the choice of cable or charger.
We now hope that Apple will rework these aspects for its next generation of iPhone. The tests were carried out during a fairly mild month of September, but we don’t dare imagine what an iPhone could give when charging in the middle of summer.