I see. I assume this means compared to not enabling any charge limit - letting the iOS algorithm do its own thing, either with or without the “Optimized charging” feature being enabled.
Optimized doesn’t actually limit the maximum - it still charges to 100%. What it does differently is that it uses usage history to determine when you’re likely to remove it from the charger (e.g. when waking up in the morning) and uses that time to calibrate its charging schedule:
- Fast charge to 80%
- Pause charging
- Resume at trickle-charge speeds so it reaches 100% about an hour before your “remove from charger” time.
At least that’s what happens on my 13 mini. It may have changed for newer models.
But I personally think these different charging schemes don’t affect all that much. I think batteries take much more damage from deep-draining and overheating. If you can put it on a charger when it gets down to 20% or so, and keep it from getting hot (no car dashboards, don’t use it in bright sunlight, which overdrives the display), that will go a lot further than funky charging algorithms.
That is, the funky algorithms may have benefit, but if you’re running the battery to zero every day playing games, that’s going to kill your battery a lot more than charging it to 100% afterward.