

It’s not just about how powerful the wall adapter is. Not all laptops charge at the same speeds. There are even rumors that Apple will include a 65-watt GaN charger with its next MacBook Pros. Anker has been a leader in GaN chargers, releasing the PowerPort Atom PD 1 last year, but a lot of other charging companies are catching on. Essentially, it’s a new material that is way more energy- and space-efficient than silicon, the traditional material used in wall adapters, so GaN chargers can be smaller and lighter, but also still really powerful. GaN stands for Gallium Nitride and it’s a new buzzword in the world of charging technology. What is GaN? And how does it affect charging? For instance, Anker’s 18-watt Power Delivery charger and Aukey’s 18W PD Fast Charger are both designed to fast charge your smartphone, not your laptop. PD technology can be integrated into many devices whose power outputs can range from 18-watts to 100-watts. That said, just because a charger supports PD, doesn’t necessarily mean it can charge your laptop. And yes, PD is the only charging standard that can charge a laptop. Power Delivery (PD) is a charging standard that allows a charger to output higher currents and higher voltages, thus allowing you to charge your smartphone or laptop from 0% to 100% in a shorter time. What is Power Delivery (PD) and does the wall adapter need it? A safe range for a wall adapter is between 45-watts and 96-watts - those will definitely be able to charge your laptop (with normal use).

For instance, if you have a larger laptop or your running heavy-duty programs, a 30-watt wall adapter might not be able to charge your laptop as fast as you’re draining it. This, of course, will vary depending on how intensive your power consumption is. Typically, a wall adapter or portable charger has to output at least 29-watts or 31-watts to give a laptop more power than it consumes by just being on. Is there a minimum wattage required to charge a laptop? The confusing part is that not every USB-C wall adapter is capable of delivering enough juice to charge your laptop.īelow, we're answer some of your most common questions about laptop charging:

The good news is that we’re living in a day-and-age where basically every new laptop charges via USB-C - it doesn’t matter if it’s made by Apple, Dell, HP or Lenovo. The Best MagSafe Chargers for Your New iPhone 14
