So you need a new USB wall charger for your phone? Maybe your device didn’t come with one out of the box, a trend that is growing with phone manufacturers. Charging a phone is simple enough, but the sheer amount of charging standards, cables and optional fast charging don’t help to make the process of choosing the right charger any easier. Luckily, we are here to help to make the decision easier for you with our own range of wall chargers to choose from here. Let’s break down some of the key information you need when shopping for a reliable wall charger.
1. Find out how much power you need (W)
When considering a USB wall charger your first concern is how much power your device needs to charge effectively. This will often list the very maximum charging power a given device is capable of. You can turn to the manufacturer’s website/spec sheet for this. In general, smartphones require between 18 – 120 W (watts) of power.
2. Look into the supported charging protocol
In general, there are three smartphone charging standards, and these are:
- Universal – USB Power Delivery (USB PD): the most common USB - C charging standard for phones.
- Proprietary – OEM-specific charging standards: Limited to manufacturer products which may offer exclusive fast charge technology which you won’t find in third-party plugs.
- Legacy – Pre - USB - C: outdated and slowly being phased out, usually found on older lower powered phones.
So the key to correctly choosing a wall charger for your phone that will charge at the fastest possible speed is ensuring enough throughput wattage whilst supporting the required charging standard.
3. Check the output charging speed of your wall charger
Always remember to look at the Output of the Wall charger too before purchasing,
- 5V 1A: A 5V 1A charger means it’s a 5W charger (5Vx1A=5W)
- 5V 2A: Similarly 5V 2A charger is a 10W charger.
Effectively a 5V 2A charger is going to charge faster and more efficiently.
4. Consider the number of charging ports supported
It's important to bare in mind the use case for your wall charger before purchasing. Futureproofing is key, do you solely need your charger for one device? Perhaps you wish to be able to charge two portable devices at the same time such as a phone and a tablet. Consider your use case carefully to maximise the usefulness of the charger you purchase and check that it has the correct USB ports required for your device cables.
5. Evaluate the safety features of your wall charger
Input/output control, voltage regulation, and overheat protection, are all safety features that should be a baseline consideration when choosing your wall charger. These will regulate power in and out of the charger, prevent short circuits and ensure that your charger will not overheat. Without these, your wall charger or connected devices could be damaged, or in the worst-case scenario cause a fire. All GP wall chargers come with cutting-edge safety features as standard for peace of mind.
6. Chose your GP wall charger
Now you are armed with the knowledge to make an informed decision on which wall charger is best for you it’s time to choose the best one for your use case. As stated before we offer two different wall chargers, the 20W PD Charger & 65W GaN Charger. See a comparison below:
If you require a USB wall charger with its main purpose is to be used as a phone charger then we recommend the GP 20W, compact, lightweight, powerful and fully capable of high-speed fast charging. Including a legacy USB – A port to allow more flexibility to your charging options.
However, if you are looking for a universal solution that can also fully support laptop charging as well as smaller mobile devices then we recommend the GP65W, it is the ultimate charging hub for all your devices, with all the bonuses of the GP 20W for mobile devices plus the added benefit of being a fully featured laptop charger with the ability to fast charge any device connected.
Whichever best suits your charging needs you can be reassured that our wall chargers come fully featured, are best in class and designed to take the pain out of deciding on the best power delivery for your electronic devices.
7. EU new universal charger policy & UK at Odds
An important final note! It has recently been reported in the news that the EU will be standardising USB – C connectors across all portable devices by the end of 2024, including mobile phones. It’s up for debate whether this move is a good thing for consumers as charging cables will be more universal across devices, whereas at the present your phone may require Apple’s proprietary lightning cable, but your tablet may use USB – C. Critics however are saying that the move will stifle innovation and ultimately harm consumers.
The UK however will not be following suit stating, “It is not currently considering copying EU plans for a common charging cable.” Regardless of this move, all GP USB wall chargers are ‘future proofed’ and come with both USB -A & C standards.
