It's safe to quick charge the LG G5 and HTC 10 via USB-C

HTC 10

Reports have suggested the LG G5 and HTC 10 aren't reliable thanks to the pairing of USB Type-C with Qualcomm's Quick Charge 3 technology, But all the companies involved claim that to be false.

Benson Leung, an employee at Google and expert in all things USB-C, took to Google+ last week to explain how quick charging technology isn't compliant with USB Type-C tech.

Leung's claims stem from the fact USB-C technology is only compliant with currents up to five volts, but Qualcomm's QuickCharge tech can use between 9V and 12V. He said it's "why you'll never see me recommend the LG G5 or the HTC 10 phones. "

Qualcomm, LG and HTC don't agree though.

Wait, it's safe

A Qualcomm spokesperson told techradar, "Qualcomm Quick Charge is designed to be connector-independent. It can be implemented in a device that supports a variety of connectors, including USB Type-A, USB micro, USB Type-C, and others. When an OEM chooses to implement Quick Charge into their device, they can configure the voltage to fit within the specifications of the USB Type-C standard.

"We have received no reports of user experience or device malfunction issues with or without USB Type-C connectors" - which should put minds at ease as the fast charging solution in over 70 different devices, including the LG G5 and HTC 10.

Those feelings are echoed by LG, who told techradar, "LG concurs with Qualcomm that Quick Charge and USB Type-C are 100 percent compatible. The charger included with the LG G5 or any certified third party Quick Charge 3.0 adapter, for that matter, are designed to work perfectly with the G5."

A spokesperson for HTC added, "HTC has configured our Quick Charge 3.0 implementation to Qualcomm's spec. We always recommend that users charge with HTC's first-party chargers (including the USB-C cable). If a user opts for a third-party charger or cable, we strongly advise they purchase only from reputable brands."

Buying a HTC 10, LG G5 or any other high-end phone with Quick Charge 3.0 technology and USB-C doesn't mean it's a danger. It's always recommended to use the original first-party charger technology and then opt for well known and reliable third-party chargers when you need to.

If you already own an LG G5 or HTC 10, you should be safe in the knowledge that putting it on charge at night won't mean it'll break your phone or cause even more damage.

Gareth Beavis
Formerly Global Editor in Chief

Gareth has been part of the consumer technology world in a career spanning three decades. He started life as a staff writer on the fledgling TechRadar, and has grown with the site (primarily as phones, tablets and wearables editor) until becoming Global Editor in Chief in 2018. Gareth has written over 4,000 articles for TechRadar, has contributed expert insight to a number of other publications, chaired panels on zeitgeist technologies, presented at the Gadget Show Live as well as representing the brand on TV and radio for multiple channels including Sky, BBC, ITV and Al-Jazeera. Passionate about fitness, he can bore anyone rigid about stress management, sleep tracking, heart rate variance as well as bemoaning something about the latest iPhone, Galaxy or OLED TV.