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> smaller more numerous cells -> same power, faster charging due to concurrency

Not really, because smaller cells -> less capacity -> lower current for same C rating.

One 1000 mAh battery charging at 5C means 5A charging current, while two 500 mAh batteries in parallel leads to 2 * 2.5A = 5A.

And AFAIK typically a larger battery scales better, that is, less dead space for connectors/housing etc so more mAh per volume.

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facepalm the assumption being made in my statement is that the individual cell can support the same charging rate.

my understanding was it was the chemistry of the cells that impacts the charging rate, not the physical size. happy to be wrong on that though.

scaling has mean dimensions. whats best for energy density may not necessarily be best for charging rates.

You don't seem to understand what "charging rate" means. There is nothing magical about subdividing lithium cells. No matter the size of the cell, you can't insert energy at a higher rate per unit of volume.

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