This is about finding the control, not the time math
If you want to know exactly how many minutes a faster speed actually saves you (the time savings are not a simple percentage), see a dedicated playback-speed time-savings calculator instead. This guide is about where to actually find and use the speed setting across different apps.
Pitch correction is why higher speeds sound normal
Modern players apply automatic pitch correction so voices do not sound high-pitched or 'chipmunked' at faster speeds, which is largely why 1.5x-2x playback became comfortable and mainstream.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does speeding up video always change the pitch of people's voices?
Not on modern players -- almost all major video and podcast apps apply automatic pitch correction, so voices stay natural-sounding even well above 1x speed.
What playback speed is considered "too fast" to follow comfortably?
It varies by person and content, but most people find comprehension starts dropping off noticeably beyond about 2x, especially for dense or unfamiliar material.