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A while back I went down the USB-C charging rabbit hole with the simple goal of finding a 3rd party charger that could charge all my USB-C devices (13" Macbook,
by nickm12 6y ago
A while back I went down the USB-C charging rabbit hole with the simple goal of finding a 3rd party charger that could charge all my USB-C devices (13" Macbook, Motorola phone, Nintendo Switch) as fast as the charger that came in the box.
I found it tremendously difficult to make a purchase decision; the device manufacturers and 3rd party vendors provide very little information and everyone wants their own trademark: USB-PD, Quick Charge, PowerIQ, iSmart, VoltIQ, Turbopower... it just goes on and on.
However, I decided to hope for the best and get some well-reviewed USB-PD chargers and bought the following two chargers:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PLR7T1M/ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PLR7T1M/ (RAVPower 61w wall charger)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075WQQG7C/ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075WQQG7C/ (Necktek 45w auto charger)
They work out really well and met my requirements, with the exception that the Necktek doesn't provide the full 60 watts the Macbook can use, but I knew that was the case.
- beefalo 6y agoWhy not just use the MacBook charger for everything? I've had no issues using a variety of MacBook usb-c chargers for lots of devices.
- extra88 6y agoThe RAVPower is 50% smaller than a 13-inch MacBook Pro's AC adapter while providing the same wattage. Also, the RAVPower has two ports, a USB-C and a USB Type A so you can charge two devices at a time. The RAVPower is also cheaper than buying a 2nd Apple AC adapter when you want to leave an adapter at your desk and have a 2nd one in your bag to use elsewhere.
- nickm12 6y agoWhat extra88 said. My Macbook charger is fixed at my desk and I wanted a travel charger that was compact and also had a USB-A port for other low-power devices I need to charge when I travel like my Fitbit and Kindle.
- AdrianB1 6y agoAll these names invented by phone manufacturers have nothing to do with USB-C capabilities, but to their branding.
- nickm12 6y agoIt's worse. The phone manufacturers have one set of names and the 3rd party charger manufacturers like Anker and RAVPoewr have their own. My experience is that USB-PD actually works as advertised, but it's really difficult to tell if a device actually supports USB-PD.
- pantalaimon 6y agoIt’s especially fun with the switch where third party chargers reportedly will break the device. Although afaik that only applies to docked mode.
- TheColorYellow 6y agoI was really annoyed when I found out that only some USB C chargers can be used to support docking mode in the Switch. So stupid.
- MrMember 6y agoThat's on Nintendo, they use their own protocol for video instead of following the spec.