One of the most important upgrades Chromebooks have gotten over the last three years is the switch from old, proprietary barrel connector chargers to simple, standard, widely-adopted USB-C Power Delivery charging. Because of this, no matter how expensive or affordable, all Chromebooks releases in the last few years can use the same reliable USB-C chargers, and here are my favorite single-port and multi-port chargers.
Sleek and swift
RAVPower 45W Ultrathin PD Charger
Staff pick
This Chromebook charger is the size of a standard deck of playing cards, but it’ll still output top speed for your Chromebook with ease. It’s as easy on your wallet as it is on your pocket, and it’s low-profile to stash behind your desk.
$26 at Amazon
Charge it all
AUKEY Omnia 65W Fast Charger
65W is more than a Chromebook needs, but this model from AUKEY that debuted at CES is impressively compact despite its ability to quickly charge a Chromebook and another device at the same time.
$40 at Amazon
Forever attached
Nekteck 45W USB-C Wall Charger
This affordable charger has a built-in cable, meaning that you can’t accidentally forget the cable at home and end up stranded without a way to charge, the way I have multiple times.
$24 at Amazon
Charge two a once
RAVPower GaN PD 90W Wall Charger
This charger is smaller than many 45W chargers, yet it’ll charge two Chromebooks at full speed without overheating. That makes this charger great for a home office or makeshift charging station for your kids’ Chromebooks.
$55 at Amazon
Compact charging station
Anker PowerPort Atom III Slim
Want to charge a Chromebook, a phone, a smar watch, and your Bluetooth headphones without getting some big ugly brick? Anker’s compact multi-charger is the perfect size, and travel-friendly, too.
$58 at Amazon
Ridiculously tiny
AUKEY PA-Y19 30W USB-C Wall Charger
This won’t charge a Chromebook at top speed, but at the size of a quarter, PD chargers quite literally don’t get any smaller than this. This is what I pocket every time I head to Walt Disney World for an afternoon adventure.
$17 at Amazon
Charge anywhere
AUKEY PB-Y24 26,800mAh Universal Power Bank
This brand-new power bank model from AUKEY can charge a Chromebook and a phone at top speed and is big enough that it should keep both devices alive for an entire weekend.
$80 at Amazon
On the go affordability
RAVPower PD Pioneer 20,000mAh Power Bank
This power bank only has one USB-C port and a slightly smaller capacity, but it’s a more affordable price and a lighter weight as well, making it easier to pack and lug around in a backpack all day.
$50 at Amazon
Charging cable
Anker Powerline+
This cable is rated for up to 60W charging, which is perfect for Chromebooks, phones, and tablets! Available in gray or red, I love this durable cable because it comes with a tidy, magnetic carrier.
$16 at Amazon
Ports, power distribution, and portability: The three Ps of Chromebook chargers
Pretty much every Chromebook I’ve come across so far that uses USB-C Power Delivery charging tops out at 45W, which is great because 15V/3A is one of the most common PD charging speeds. You’ll get it on basically any high-powered charger, whether you get an actual 45W charger or a 60W or even 100W PD charger.
So how do we pick a good replacement charger? There are three things to balance in your decision:
- Ports: If you only need to charge one device at a time, single-port chargers are certainly more affordable. Good dual-port or multi-port chargers are out there though and will let you charge your phone and Chromebook at the same time, or two Chromebooks at once if you need one for your kids’ Chromebooks.
- Power distribution: Multi-port chargers don’t always share power between their ports evenly, but the RAVPower GaN PD 90W Wall Charger does, so when two laptop are plugged in, both will get 45W. On the other hand, the dual USB-C version of the AUKEY Omnia 65W has to mark the higher-power port because when two devices are plugged in, one device gets 45W and the other gets 18W.
- Portability: Smaller, lighter chargers are always nice, but there’s a difference between being compact in your bag and being compact on your wall plug. If you need a charger that you can fit into crowded airport or classrooms, you’ll want to avoid wider/flatter chargers like the RAVPower Ultrathin, which don’t always work well in tight spaces.
For a pocket-friendly Chromebook charger, I love the RAVPower Ultrathin 45W Charger so long as I know I’m not going to be contorting and straining to plug into a recessed or overcrowded outlet. I’ve hidden this charger in a playing card box before to help avoid it being “borrowed” by coworkers.
If you need to charge a phone/tablet and a Chromebook at the same, the AUKEY Omnia 65W Fast Charger is the charger our own Andrew Martonik upgraded to for charging his laptop and phone while out and about in the world. If you need to charge two Chromebooks at once, the RAVPower 90W Wall Charger is a durable, compact option for your distance learning setup for your kids.
What if my Chromebook doesn’t use USB-C?
If your Chromebook is an older model and still uses a barrel or other manufacturer-specific connector, you won’t have nearly the selection to choose from that USB-C Chromebook owners will — USB-C is an open standard, so it’s popular — but don’t feel like you need to fork over big bucks to buy another charger from the manufacturer.
For older laptops, you can usually rely on Universal Laptop Chargers that have swappable tips, allowing you to change it to whatever connector your unique model uses. These chargers usually come with the more popular barrel sizes, but figure out which tip you need before you buy.
