It’s nearly 2026, proprietary charging just needs to die out already

Another week, another problem with USB-C charging. Perhaps I’m just having a worse time than most, undoubtedly due to the sheer number of gadgets on my desk at any given time, but plugging in my new OPPO Find X9 Pro had me pulling my hair out.

It’s been a while since I’ve actually struggled to get a modern flagship to start fast charging. Like any normal person, I took my new Find X9 Pro out of the box and tried plugging it into my existing charger setup. That went OK, if not a little slow (more on that later). But I also wanted to compare my desk charger against an official 80W OPPO SuperVOOC plug, so I gave that a try as well. The phone wouldn’t charge at a rate above 22W-27W — far short of its claimed 80W charging potential.