Thursday, April 18, 2024

Buy yourself a better phone and laptop charger with these Prime Day deals

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From phones to laptops and beyond, USB-C Power Delivery chargers are simply the best.

Trying to keep all of your tech and toys charged day after day is no small challenge, but having a good Power Delivery charger to center your gear around is a godsend. Whether you need a newer, smaller charger for your phone since the new iPhones and Galaxy S21 don’t include one in the box anymore, or you want to use one singular charger for both your laptop and phone — these are the USB-C charger deals that stand out the most right now.

Though Prime Day isn’t live just yet, we’re already beginning to see some excellent deals appearing on USB-C chargers and other products. Below we’re gathering some of our favorites and you’ll also find the best Prime Day USB-C Charger deals right here once they go live.

Twice the charge

RAVPower 65W PD Charger 2-Port Fast Wall Charger

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Clip the coupon on its product page at Amazon to save an extra $10 off this charger’s sale price instantly! It’s equipped with two USB-C ports that offer up to 65W output and Power Delivery, though it’s about 50% smaller than other 65W PD chargers.

$29.99 at Amazon

Making way for the new one

Anker PowerPort III Pod 65W PIQ 3.0 PPS Fast Charger

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A couple of weeks ago, Anker announced a new Nano II 65W charger that’s about 40% smaller than this one, and it also sells for $40. This still compact previous model is primed for a major discount on Prime Day, and it’ll still fast-charge laptops and phones.

$40 at Amazon

For you and your friends

UGREEN USB-C 65W 4-Port PD Charger | 20% off at Amazon

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It’s rare to see a charger this small that can still pact 3 USB-C ports into it, and if you need a travel charger for your whole family’s phones — or just a way to keep all the phones on your desk charged at once — this powerful little puck is for you.

$40 at Amazon

Keep it all together

RAVPower 65W 4-Port Desktop USB Charging Station | $17 off at Amazon

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Whenever it comes to multi-port chargers and Power Delivery, things get uncertain when it comes to how exactly power is broken down when multiple ports are in use. RAVPower takes out the guesswork. Make sure to clip the coupon for an extra $7 off!

$47.49 at Amazon

Ultra compact

Apple 20W USB-C Power Adapter

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Amazon’s offering a slight discount on the Apple 20W USB-C Power Adapter right now. While it’s not a huge savings, you can’t go wrong with this reliable option.

$17.98 at Amazon

Sleek and stylish

Anker PowerPort Atom III Slim 30W | $24 at Amazon

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This slim, sophisticated-looking GaN charger can charge either a phone, tablet, or laptop while also fitting into low clearance outlets like between your nightstand and bed. It can also hide in a deck of playing cards if your coworkers tend to “borrow” your charger.

$23.99 at Amazon

Of course, once you grab a new charger, chances are you’re going to need some new USB-C cables to reach between your phone and your new charger. If you’re grabbing a cable specifically for charging, consider grabbing a long cable so you can run it from your wall charger halfway across your bed so you can charge while you scroll Insta in bed.

What to look for when buying a charger

There are a myriad of factors that go into picking the perfect charger, but if you need a short, sweet checklist before you buy, here’s the one I use:

  • Does it have Power Delivery? Just because a charger has a Type-C port does not mean it’s Power Delivery. If it’s not, the most power that USB-C port can output safely is 15W, which makes it practically worthless. So check to be sure it’s Power Delivery — and if it also supports PPS (Programmable Power Supply, a specialized classification within the Power Delivery spec), that’s even better.
  • Does it use GaN chips? Gallium nitride is a newer semiconductor type that is smaller, more efficient, and generates less heat, three very, very good things for a charger. The best GaN chargers have come down in price over the last 18 months and Prime Day is a great time to catch one on sale. This isn’t a dealbreaker unless you have small children in the house; if you do, GaN chargers are less likely to scald little fingers if your little one is poking around your desk.
  • What’s the power distribution? If you’re buying a single-port charger, this won’t matter to you, but for multi-port chargers, you need to know what happens if you plug in multiple things. Some 90W two-port chargers will limit both ports to 45W when both in use, even if one device is an 18W phone and the other is a 65W laptop. These breakdowns are either shown in the photos of a listing or in the specs chart further down, but it’s always there on a good charger.
  • Do the prongs fold up? Even if you don’t plan to travel with this charger, folding plugs mean that when it’s not in use, you’re less likely to bend or break the plug when it’s stuck in your electronics drawer or in a backpack. Some chargers also allow you to swap the prongs between US AC prongs and international configurations, so it’s worth keeping an eye for if you’re a frequent flier.

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