Meanwhile, as one of the rare 140-watt power adapters on the market, Apple’s brick is very fast and did an expectedly excellent job of charging the MacBook Pro. However, I must point out that this is the only power brick in this segment to come with a single port, which feels like a missed opportunity for the Apple ecosystem. For those who need extra flexibility, wireless charging options are worth considering, although they may not offer the same speeds as wired connectors.
So I recommend it for anyone who wants a charger that can quickly charge an ultra-portable laptop while still having juice to spare. Razer’s 130-watt GaN adapter. It’s the best charger in this category, and 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 won’t get anywhere else in this category. If you need a reliable power bank or fast charger, this could be a good investment.
Collection
Obviously, there are more than just 14 super fast chargers on the market, and unfortunately I don’t have time to try them all. These days it can take upwards of 15 hours to drain a phone from 100 percent battery to dead, so depending on the device, I might only test one USB phone charger per day. Gathering all this information took the better part of two months. Unfortunately, while I was running this test, Anker came out with a new generation of power adapters which I have not yet had the opportunity to evaluate.
However, there are still some important points. 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 required amount of power. Manufacturers usually list the device’s maximum charging speeds, while power adapters clearly state their USB types and outputs. When in doubt, you can look at the fine print on the charger itself, although you may have to do some math. Remember that watts are equal to volts and amperes. In addition, in the case of adapters with multiple ports, you will check how its total power is divided when it is connected to more than one device.
Then there are other factors to consider, such as size and weight, newer gallium nitride adapters (GaN) often have more compact designs and better power efficiency. If you’re really in doubt, you can simply opt for a fast charger made by the same company as your Android phone, iPhone, laptop or other gadgets. OnePlus 10T It has special fast charging protocols.
How we tested fast chargers
The methodology for my fast charging experience is meant to be as simple as possible. I drained each device’s battery to 10 percent, plugged in the power brick, and then recorded the amount of charge added every 10 minutes for an hour. Each adapter plugged directly into a standard 120-volt outlet (without using a power strip or any extension cords), and whenever possible I used the cable that came with the battery charger or was made by the same manufacturer as the battery charger. device. If that’s not possible, I’ve used certified 100-watt USB-C cables made by Anker, Apple, and others.
Since the charging rate for devices varies depending on how much juice you have, I wanted to measure how well each adapter matches each gadget’s optimal charging speed. Generally, charging is slower from zero to 20 percent before ramping up until the battery reaches 80 percent, at which point things slow down again to preserve and protect the health and longevity of the power cell. For multi-port charging stations, I always choose the port with the highest power output, while not having multiple devices connected at the same time.
As for the devices themselves, I chose the Apple iPhone 13, Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, Nintendo Switch (from 2017 release model), 2021 Dell XPS 13 and 16-inch M1 Max MacBook Pro. This range has been chosen to cover a wide range of features and power draws, from 20 watts (iPhone 13) to 140 watts (M1 Max MBP). Also, to ensure consistent results, each system was tested at idle (i.e. no additional software or games running).
It should be noted that although the USB Implementers Forum confirms support for USB Power Delivery (USB-PD) for charging up to 240 watts, adapters that actually support this power output are not yet available. Additionally, while there are a few cables that can handle more than 100 watts of water, they are somewhat rare or difficult to obtain.
What is GaN?
When searching for chargers, you may find that some are listed as GaN, which stands for gallium nitride. This is an important distinction because compared to older adapters that used silicon switches, GaN-based devices support increased energy efficiency and output, allowing manufacturers to create more compact chargers that run cooler and support higher watts. Depending on the specific power output, GaN chargers can be 30 to 50 percent smaller and lighter than silicon-based alternatives. That might not sound like much, but they can cut down on excess bulk and weight when sitting in a bag next to your laptop, phone, and any other accessories you might have.
We tested fast chargers
With so many different chargers of different power outputs to test, I’ve broken things down into three categories. There are chargers of 30 watts and below, mainly designed for smartphones and other small mobile devices. Then we move 45- to 65-watt chargers (give or take a watt or two) that can power things like phones, along with a number of thin and light laptops. Finally, we have chargers with 100 watts or more, which is good for almost anything except the largest and most power-hungry gaming laptops. Many of these higher wattage adapters have multiple ports so you can charge additional devices at full speed. However, since not every power brick supports multi-device charging, I have not included this as a test benchmark.
You can see the full list of chargers we tested below:
