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Pixel 11 Pro XL's 25W Wireless Charging Still Falls Short in Test

Android Authority test: Pixel 11 Pro XL wireless charging still rarely hits 25W and runs hot.

AI News Feed · 2026-09-19 20:41

The test used the PixelSnap charger, which Google sells for $39.99 and which has replaced the Pixel Stand in its charging lineup. Android Authority said Google has abandoned the Pixel Stand in favor of PixelSnap, a move that brought MagSafe-style accessories but hurt charging times. In last year's test, the Pixel 10 Pro XL with PixelSnap was more than half an hour slower than the Pixel 9 Pro XL on the older Pixel Stand.

Google is again promoting 25W wireless charging across the Pixel 11 series. In the new test, the Pixel 11 Pro XL's wireless charging peaked at 23W, lower than the 31W Android Authority measured on the Pixel 10 Pro XL. The charger spent several minutes switching between 9V and 16V, apparently probing what the phone's temperature and battery would allow. It took about six minutes for the charger and phone to lock in at peak power, delaying even short top-ups. The phone maintained peak power for only about as long, leaving the PixelSnap closer to a 15W charger despite the 25W claim.

Some metrics improved over last year. The Pixel 10 Pro XL dropped to 10W within the first 30 minutes of charging in the previous test. The Pixel 11 Pro XL held closer to 15W for most of an hour. It reached a full charge in 119 minutes, compared with 145 minutes for the Pixel 10 Pro XL, and hit 50% in 47 minutes, compared with 61 minutes. Android Authority described those gains as meaningful.

The speed increase came with more heat. The Pixel 11 Pro XL felt warm to the touch during wireless charging. Internal temperatures were limited to 40°C in the test, which did not use Extreme Charging, and the phone throttled power after the initial faster period. Its average temperature was 37.4°C, about half a degree warmer than last year's model. Android Authority said PixelSnap charging remains slower and hotter than using even a modest wired charger.

The test also compared the Pixel 11 Pro XL with the Pixel 9 Pro XL on the Pixel Stand (2nd gen). The older phone can reach a full charge in 101 minutes wirelessly and 50% in 33 minutes, helped by 30W charging and a built-in fan that keeps temperatures down. With the Pixel 11 Pro XL, the Pixel Stand was far slower: the charger was capped at 7.5W, which Android Authority estimated would require well over four hours for a full charge. The publication did not wait to verify that time. It said the Pixel Stand is now virtually useless for the Pixel 10 and 11 series unless the phones are charged overnight.

Android Authority noted that MagSafe and Qi 2.2 offer conveniences beyond raw power, including cases and battery packs that attach to the phone. Wired charging remains available for fast top-ups. The article added that the Pixel 11 Pro XL's 45W wired charging is not as straightforward as it sounds, with real peak power closer to 41W.