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01Charger wattage calculator
Charging just a phone? You need 20W to 45W of USB-C Power Delivery, depending on the model. Once you add a tablet or a laptop to the same brick, the total climbs fast, and that's where people buy too small.
The device numbers are typical peaks, not averages. Most of the time your phone pulls much less, especially past 80%. Sizing for the peak means nothing slows down when everything is plugged in at once.
02Wattage by phone: what each model can use
This is the ceiling for each phone. A bigger charger is fine, it just won't go faster.
| Phone | Top wired speed | Charger to buy | Must support |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 16, iPhone Air | About 20W class | 20W to 30W | USB PD |
| iPhone 17 | Faster with 40W+ | 40W or more | USB PD |
| iPhone 18 Pro / Pro Max | Best with a 60W-capable charger | 60W or more | USB PD |
| Galaxy S26 | 25W | 25W or more | USB PD with PPS |
| Galaxy S26+ | 45W | 45W or more | USB PD with PPS |
| Galaxy S26 Ultra | 60W | 60W or more | USB PD with PPS |
| Pixel 10 Pro | 30W class | 30W or more | USB PD with PPS |
PPS (Programmable Power Supply) is part of the USB PD spec. Samsung's Super Fast Charging only switches on with it, so a 65W charger without PPS can charge a Galaxy slower than a 25W one with it. Our PPS explainer covers how to check, and the Galaxy S26 Ultra charger guide shows it in practice.
03Sharing one brick: the per-port catch
Charger total ≥ biggest device + everything else charging at the same timeThen check the single-port maximum covers your biggest device on its own.
Multi-port chargers advertise their total. When you plug in a second device, the charger re-divides that total, and a port that gave 65W alone might drop to 45W or less. The split is printed on the box or the listing, usually as a small table of port combinations. Read it before you buy.
Every time you plug or unplug something, most multi-port chargers briefly cut power to all ports while they renegotiate. That's normal. More on this in how multi-port chargers share power.
On chargers that mix USB-C and USB-A, the USB-A port is usually limited and can drag other ports down when used. Save it for earbuds or a watch.
04Three sensible charger sizes
20W to 30W, one port
- Fast charging for every iPhone
- Small enough for a pocket
- Too small for a laptop
65W GaN, two or three ports
- Covers the fastest-charging phones
- Can run a thin laptop
- About the size of an old 20W cube
100W+ multi-port
- Laptop, phone and tablet at once
- Replaces two or three bricks
- Overkill for a phone alone
GaN (gallium nitride) chargers pack more watts into a smaller, cooler body than older silicon designs. At 65W and up, that's the difference between a pocketable brick and a lump. See GaN vs regular chargers.
From a single-port 20W brick to multi-port GaN chargers that run a laptop. Check each listing's port split.
05Don't forget the cable
A USB-C cable without an e-marker chip carries up to 60W. Anything above that, typically a laptop, needs a cable rated 100W or 240W. For phones, a decent 60W cable is plenty. Our e-marker explainer has the details.
Not sure your current charger is the bottleneck? Run your numbers through the charging time calculator first. If the times look fine, keep what you have.
Questions people ask
Is a 20W charger enough for my phone?
For most iPhones, yes. It's the threshold Apple uses for fast charging. Newer iPhones and big Galaxy or Pixel models charge faster on 30W to 60W, and Samsung phones need PPS support for Super Fast Charging.
Can a charger have too many watts for my phone?
No. A USB-C PD charger only delivers what the phone asks for. A 100W charger feeding a 25W phone delivers about 25W. The rating is a maximum, not a fixed output.
What wattage charger do I need for a phone and a laptop?
Add the laptop's charger rating to your phone's top speed. A 45W laptop plus a 20W phone needs about 65W total, ideally from a GaN charger with at least two USB-C ports and a port that can give the laptop its full 45W.
Do I need a different charger for wireless charging?
The wireless pad needs a power adapter big enough to feed it, often 20W to 35W for a 15W or 25W magnetic charger. Check the pad's listing for the adapter it needs.