Everything You Really Need to Know About GaN Chargers

The average American owns an estimated 10 to 20 electronic devices, and our friends around the world aren’t too far behind us. Smartphones, laptops, cameras, tablets, e-readers, wearable devices, gaming consoles, and literally millions of others rest in the hands, laps, and backpacks of billions. Everyone has their own collection built around their needs and preferences, but there’s one thing they all have in common: power. They’re electronic devices, after all, and thus improve our lives through the wonders of electric power. But in order to power our devices, there’s an all-important link, the unsung hero of the digital age, the humble charger. Or power adapters, power bricks, power banks; whatever you like to call them. For their significance, chargers have remained largely the same for years, but a new technology has matured to take the next step forward. That tech is GaN, or Gallium Nitride, and it’s enabling safer and more efficient charging in smaller, lighter form factors and design features for greater versatility. 

What is a GaN Charger?

If GaN chargers are newer to the market, then it begs the question: “What type of charger are they replacing?” The answer to this question is silicon, which is notorious for its ubiquity in electronics, and chargers are no exception. Just like silicon, GaN is a semiconductor material, which is a type of material that conducts electricity in a way that’s different from conductors, like copper or aluminum, and insulators, like rubber or wood. Engineers talk about semiconductors in terms of what’s called their “band gap,” and the “wider” the band gap, the better a semiconductor can handle higher temperatures and voltages with greater efficiency. GaN has a wider band gap than silicon, which lets GaN-based devices deliver electrical energy with less energy loss, and consequently, less heat. In addition to the advantages of GaN’s wider band gap, GaN devices can also switch electricity on and off at much higher frequencies than silicon. That fact lets engineers design GaN chargers with smaller magnetic coils and capacitors so that GaN adapters can be as much as half the size of an older charger with the same wattage. So, what’s a GaN charger? It’s a marked improvement over older silicon-based technology that makes charging electronic devices better.

Why Should You Prefer a GaN Charger?

For something that touches many, if not all, of your most important electronic devices, which pervade nearly every part of our lives, a better charger can make a huge difference. We’ve already talked about what’s different with GaN chargers under the hood, but how does that manifest in practical terms? Why should you prefer a GaN charger?

Smaller and Lighter

GaN transistors (the part of a charger made from GaN) waste less energy as heat, so GaN chargers can be designed with smaller components. A good GaN charger can feed multiple devices and still fit comfortably in the palm of your hand. And if it fits in your hand, then it can also easily fit into small backpack compartments or even your pocket. For traveling, that makes a world of difference, and you don’t need to travel across the world to feel it. Trips to the coffee shop, gaming at a friend’s house, going back and forth every day between home and school or work, when a charger comes with you everywhere, grams and inches feel like pounds and miles.

Faster Charging

This is the big one. At the end of the day, a charger’s job is to charge (surprise!), so the faster, the better. The efficiency of GaN chargers makes it easier to sustain high-speed charging over USB-C PD, capable of sending 100 W or more through a single cable. When a GaN charger features multiple USB ports, it can split that high wattage to efficiently power several devices in parallel. Less energy lost to heat means more power to energize your devices; in other words, less time plugged in and more time untethered, free to use your devices.

Cooler

We’re sure that it’s clear by now why GaN chargers are so cool, but this time we actually mean temperature! You’ve already learned that GaN chargers lose less energy in the form of heat, which allows them to deliver power more efficiently, but lower temperatures are also an improvement in their own right. Less heat also means less thermal stress, so both the charger’s internal components and the devices it's connected to benefit. Not to mention, while the risk of overheating to the point of causing a fire or direct physical harm is low, a lower temperature only further reduces the likelihood of a serious accident or regular discomfort.

Griplux’s HyperGaNTM 160W Charger

Why do we know so much about GaN chargers? Because we make the best one on the market: the HyperGaNTM 160 W charger. Our GaN charger is a GaN 3 USC-C wall charger that delivers up to 160 W total output in a body roughly 28 x 54 x 70 mm, weighing only 113.6 g. That’s smaller and lighter than most silicon-based chargers, yet it’s powerful enough to work as a full-time desktop charger or lifetime travel companion. Let’s see how what we’ve learned maps onto HyperGaN’s performance:

• Three-Port Layout: Two USB-C ports configured for USB-C PD can power newer, more demanding devices like laptops and tablets, while a USB-A port remains convenient for older tech.

• 160 W Power: HyperGaN can push enough power to run a MacBook Pro on one USB-C PD port with plenty left over to fast-charge your smartphone.

• Efficiency: Power is one thing, efficiency is another, but HyperGaN has both; the internal GaN circuitry runs more efficiently than traditional silicon-based chargers, so there’s never a sweat or a threat.

• Quality & Safety: The HyperGaN’s housing uses fire-retardant PC and ABS plastics to encase electronics that are already built with surge and short-circuit protection.

GaN charges are the way of the future, and the HyperGaN is the best of the best. The next time you lose your charger, have enough devices to justify another charger, or are simply seeking that next piece of gear for your everyday carry, go with GaN and choose the Griplux HyperGaN.