Meanwhile, Apple’s adapter, which is one of the rare 140-watt power adapters on the market, is very fast and filled out the MacBook Pro nicely, as expected. However, I would like to mention that this is the only power brick in this segment that comes with a single port. This feels like a missed opportunity in the Apple ecosystem. Those who need additional flexibility may want to consider wireless charging options, although they may not offer the same speeds as wired connectors.
So if you’re someone who wants a charger that can quickly charge an ultra-portable laptop while still having a spare battery, Razer’s 130-watt GaN adapter is the way to go. Not only is it the best charger in this category, it’s also the smallest and most expensive at $180. Plus, it comes with two international wall adapters (for UK and EU outlets) and a braided 100-watt USB-C cable, all of which you don’t get with other products in this category. If you need a reliable power bank or fast charger while on the go, this could be a good investment.
finish
Apparently there are more than 14 ultra-fast chargers on the market, and unfortunately we don’t have time to test them all. These days, it can take 15 hours or more to completely discharge a phone with 100% battery, so depending on your device, you may only be testing one USB phone charger per day. It took two months to collect all this data. Unfortunately, while I was conducting this testing, Anker released a new generation of power adapters that I haven’t had a chance to evaluate yet.
That said, some important things still remain. First, you need to pay attention to the charging standards of your device and fast charger to ensure optimal charging speeds. Make sure your charger can supply the appropriate amount of power. Manufacturers usually list the maximum charging speed for their devices and clearly label the USB type and output on the power adapter. If in doubt, you can look at the fine text on the charger itself. However, you may need to do some calculations. Just remember that watts are volts times amperes. Additionally, for adapters with multiple ports, you can see how the total power is split when connected to multiple devices.
Then there are other factors to consider, such as size and weight. Newer gallium nitride adapters (GaN) often offer more compact designs and better power efficiency. If you’re really in doubt, just choose a fast charger made by the same company as your Android phone, iPhone, laptop, or other device. This is especially true for devices like the OnePlus 10T, which features proprietary fast charging. Protocol.
How we tested our fast chargers
The methodology of the fast charging experiment was made as simple as possible. We discharged each device’s battery to 10%, plugged it in, and recorded the additional charge every 10 minutes for one hour. Each adapter plugged directly into a standard 120-volt outlet (rather than using a power strip or extension cord) and, whenever possible, used cables included with the battery charger or made by the same manufacturer. device. If that wasn’t possible, I used certified 100-watt USB-C cables from companies like Anker and Apple.
Since a device’s charging speed varies depending on the amount of juice it has, we wanted to measure how well each adapter could match the optimal charging speed for each device. Typically, charging speeds slow between 0 and 20% and then increase until the battery reaches 80%. At this point it slows down again to protect and preserve the health and life of the power cells. For charging stations with multiple ports, we always chose the port with the highest power output without multiple devices connected.
For the devices themselves, we chose the Apple iPhone 13, Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, Nintendo Switch (2017 model), 2021 Dell XPS 13, and 16-inch M1 Max MacBook Pro. This family was chosen to cover a wide range of specifications and power consumption, from 20 watts (iPhone 13) up to 140 watts (M1 Max MBP). Additionally, to ensure consistent results, all systems are tested in an idle state (i.e., with no additional apps or games running).
One important thing to note is that although the USB Implementors Forum has approved USB Power Delivery (USB-PD) charging support for up to 240 watts, no adapters exist yet that actually support that power output. There are also a few cables that can handle more than 100 watts of power, but they are difficult or rare to find.
What is GaN?
When looking for chargers, you’ll see that some are labeled GaN, which stands for gallium nitride. This is an important difference because compared to traditional adapters using silicon switches, GaN-based devices support improved power efficiency and output, allowing manufacturers to create more compact chargers that run cooler and support higher wattages. Depending on the specific power output, GaN chargers can be 30 to 50 percent smaller and lighter than silicon-based chargers. It may not sound like a big deal, but putting it in your bag along with your laptop, phone, and other accessories can go a long way in reducing excess bulk and weight.
Fast chargers tested
With a variety of chargers of varying power outputs to test, we’ve broken them down into three categories. There are chargers under 30 watts designed primarily for smartphones and other small mobile devices. Then move on to chargers up to 45-65 watts (give 1-2 watts or reduce), which can handle thin and light laptops like cell phones. Lastly, we have chargers that output over 100 watts. This makes it suitable for almost anything but the largest and most power-hungry gaming laptops. Many of these higher wattage adapters also feature multiple ports, allowing you to charge additional devices at full speed. However, not all power supplies support multi-device charging, so we did not include this as a test metric.
You can see the full list of chargers we tested below.
