It seems that the latest “fashion” for mobile phones that arrive without a charger in their boxes is here to stay. Apple, Xiaomi and Samsung are some of the manufacturers that, in their latest releases, no longer add this component in the box of their devices. And, if they have made that decision, we have no doubt that many others will follow in their footsteps. So, if you just bought a new mobile phone and you don’t have this adapter, don’t worry, today we explain what you should take into account before buying a charger for your mobile.
Why doesn’t my phone come with a charger?
This is one of the most repeated questions in recent months in the world of smartphones, especially in the higher-end ones. Like many other changes, the first adopters of modifications of this size are the top phones of each manufacturer. So far, we have been able to see this movement in the iPhone 12, Xiaomi Mi 11 and in the newly introduced Galaxy S21 .
This type of event does not fit in the heads of many users who, after having paid around 1,000 euros for their new device, open the box and only find the charging cable but not the power adapter. Does this all make sense? Well the truth, and trying to be as neutral as possible, is that in a certain way yes.
The explanation of not including the charger by the manufacturer takes two different routes:
- Final product price : by stopping including this type of accessories in the box of our phone, the sale price of this is reduced, since it is one less element on which the manufacturer must work. You may not have noticed much difference in this section due to the additional cost involved in other technologies such as 5G that, now, is beginning to become a standard for the most recent launches.
- Reduction of environmental impact : both when producing this type of accessories and when reaching the end of their useful life and recycling, they generate a fairly strong environmental impact. Hundreds of tons of small electronic components end up being thrown away every year. Therefore, eliminating these types of components and “forcing” ourselves to reuse the ones we already have at home, should greatly improve this aspect.
Key details for choosing a charger
Now that you know a little more about the reasons why these and many new phones that come on the market will not include a charger, you may find yourself in two different situations: you have an old charger , but you do not know if your current phone is compatible with these; Or, you need to buy a new connector for the smartphone.
Whether you are facing one or the other crossroads, below we want to show you what are those details that you should take into account before using a charger with your phone. In order of importance, the characteristics that you have to check are the following:
- Type of adapter and connection : the first detail to take into account is the type of connection that the charging cable has, which is included in the box. Normally, due to certain reasons that we will see below, this connector will be of the USB-C type. Although, in future launches of mid-range smartphones we would not be surprised to see some lifelong USB-A in the connector that goes to the charger.
- Quick Charge or Power Delivery : these technologies refer to the charger’s security protocol with which our smartphone is compatible. These are similar technologies that, through different techniques, limit the charging power that comes from the charger to our smartphone. Which one is compatible with my phone? In a rough way we could say that the QC standard is owned by the Qualcomm company and, therefore, any phone with a Snapdragon processor is compatible with it. On the contrary, the Power Delivery standard would be compatible with the rest of current devices. However, if the box or announcement of the purchase of your new smartphone indicates that it is compatible with QC 4 technology onwards, don’t worry, you can use any type of charger with both options. These technologies are usually indicated on the charging ports of the connectors with the abbreviations PD (Power Delivery), or with the letter “Q” next to a number and a lightning bolt.
- Electrical power : technology has advanced so far that, where before we had to focus on details such as exact voltage and amperage, now we “only” have to pay attention to the electrical power of our chargers. This data is measured in watts (W) and expresses, in a very simple way, how fast our mobile will charge . It is very important that you forget that idea of “the more powerful it is, the faster it will charge my phone”. Is it a true statement? Yes, but with certain nuances. It is vital that we know the maximum fast charge that our phone supports in order to buy the most suitable option for it. Will my phone explode if I charge it with a more powerful connector? No,
let’s not be dramatic, but this type of action may end up deteriorating the useful life of your battery, especially if the connector is of poor quality.
- Number of ports : finally, although this is not a vitally important aspect, evaluate your personal needs. Today there are different chargers with several ports that, with a single connector, give us the possibility of charging several devices. Therefore, this will not only save us money, but also space at home and on future trips.
The most versatile chargers for your smartphone
Now that you are clear about all the technical aspects that you must take into account before purchasing a new charger, it is time to choose a model. To facilitate this work, we have made a compilation with some of the most interesting models that you can find on Amazon .
UGREEN charger
The first model that we want to talk about, and one of the most interesting if you are looking for a single connector, is this 65W UGREEN connector . This model with USB-C connection is compatible with the Power Delivery 3.0 and Quick Charge 4.0 standards, therefore, you can use it with complete peace of mind if your phone has a lower charging power. In addition, it will be compatible with any smartphone with which we want to use it.
Multiple AUKEY connector
Another very interesting alternative is this AUKEY charger with two ports: a USB-A compatible with QC 3.0 and a USB-C compatible with Power Delivery 2.0. With both ports we can reach a maximum power of 18 W.
Baseus multiple charger
Increasing the number of connections, you may be interested in this Baseus connector with 2 USB-C ports with Power Delivery and a USB-A port compatible with Quick charge 3.0 technology. The maximum power that this connector offers is 65 W.
AUKEY charger
The manufacturer AUKEY also has within its catalog with connectors with a single port that, in addition, stand out for their small size. On this occasion, it is a charger with a single USB-C port that will report a power of 20 W, compatible with the PD standard.
Anker multiple connector
Finally, for those most in need in terms of number of ports, there is this alternative from the manufacturer Anker that includes a total of 5 connections: 4 USB-A ports compatible with QC and a single USB-C compatible with PD. The maximum power that this multiple connector reaches is 60 W.