In today’s world where digital devices are all the rage, owning multiple electronic gadgets has become the norm. Whether traveling or working daily, how to efficiently charge these devices has become a concern for many practical users who often find themselves switching charging cables. Today, let’s delve into how to select a multi-port charger that suits you and gain a thorough understanding of the mysteries behind fast charging technology, helping you effortlessly tackle the challenge of charging multiple devices.
Check The Total Power
Laptops: Recommend ≥65W
- The minimum charging power requirement for many laptop computers is around 65W. For instance, Lenovo Xiaoxin series and Dell XPS series, which are ultra-light notebooks, often come with original chargers of 65W. Choosing a multi-port charger with a total power of ≥65W can ensure that when charging your laptop, you achieve good charging efficiency. This avoids situations where the charging power is insufficient, leading to slow laptop charging speeds or even the battery draining while charging.
- For some high-performance gaming laptops, such as Lenovo Legion series and ASUS TUF series, which have higher power consumption, a charger with a power rating of around 100W – 140W may be required to meet their fast charging needs.
Phones/Tablets: Opt for 30W – 45W
- The fast charging protocols of most smartphones today, such as Qualcomm QC4+ and PD3.0, have charging power in the range of 30W – 45W. Smartphones from brands like Xiaomi, Huawei, OPPO, and Vivo, especially their mid-to-high-end models, support fast charging within this power range. A multi-port charger within the 30W – 45W range can meet the demand for quick charging of smartphones, allowing them to reach 50% – 60% battery life in about half an hour. For tablet computers like the iPad, the charging power requirement is also between 30W – 45W. Selecting a multi-port charger within this power range ensures ideal charging speed for tablets.
Check Protocol Compatibility
- Prioritize Chargers Supporting PD3.0/QC4+ for Wider Compatibility
- Multi-port chargers that support a wide range of fast charging protocols can meet the needs of various devices.
- PD3.0 (USB – Power Delivery 3.0) is a relatively universal fast charging protocol currently. Numerous devices from various brands support this protocol, such as Apple’s iPhone and iPad, as well as Android devices with USB – C interfaces. When using a multi-port charger that supports the PD3.0 protocol to charge these devices, it can trigger the fast charging function of the devices, enabling quick charging.
- QC4+ (Qualcomm Quick Charge 4+) is a fast charging protocol introduced by Qualcomm and is supported by many Android devices, such as smartphones from Xiaomi, OPPO, and OnePlus. Multi-port chargers that support the QC4+ protocol can provide fast and stable charging for these devices. Some brands also have their proprietary fast charging protocols, such as Huawei’s FCP, OPPO’s VOOC, and Samsung’s AFC. If your device is from one of these brands and you want to achieve faster charging speeds, try to select multi-port chargers that support both PD3.0/QC4+ and the corresponding brand’s proprietary fast charging protocols.
Advantages Over Other Protocols
- Compared to some older fast charging protocols like QC2.0 and QC3.0, PD3.0 and QC4+ offer significant improvements in charging speed, charging efficiency, and compatibility. The PD3.0 protocol supports a wider range of voltage and current adjustment, enabling more precise adaptation to the charging requirements of different devices and achieving a more efficient charging process. QC4+, on the other hand, optimizes the charging algorithm based on compatibility with previous QC protocols, further enhancing charging speed and stability.
It also better protects battery health.
Check Power Allocation Strategy
- The power allocation strategy of a multi-port charger determines how power is distributed when charging multiple devices. Different allocation strategies are suitable for different usage scenarios.
Fixed Allocation (Ideal for Laptops + Phones)
- Fixed allocation multi-port chargers have fixed output power for each port. For example, a 2C1A multi-port charger may have one USB – C port fixed at 65W output, another USB – C port at 30W, and a USB – A port at 18W. This allocation strategy is perfect for scenarios where you need to charge devices like laptops and phones simultaneously. When you connect your laptop to the 65W USB – C port, it ensures sufficient charging power for the laptop, providing stable power supply. Meanwhile, phones and other devices connected to other ports can also charge normally. In office settings, this type of fixed allocation multi-port charger can effectively meet your needs. For instance, while working on your laptop, your phone may also need charging. The fixed allocation charger guarantees stable charging power for each device, preventing other devices from affecting the laptop’s charging speed. This allows you to focus on your work without worrying about device battery life.
- Fixed allocation chargers, with preset output power for each port, can better ensure the stability of output voltage and current during design and manufacturing. This enhances charging safety. For devices with strict charging power requirements, such as laptops, fixed allocation chargers can better meet their design standards, avoiding potential damage caused by unstable charging power. In actual tests, when using a 65W fixed allocation multi-port charger to charge a laptop, the charger’s output voltage fluctuation range is kept to a minimum, always meeting the laptop’s charging requirements and ensuring a safe and reliable charging process.
