Which Charger Should You Buy? Phone, Laptop and GaN Chargers Explained (2026)

Three things to check

Chargers look alike, but three details decide whether one suits your phone or laptop. You'll find all three on the charger's label or listing.

1. Watts (W). This is the most power the charger can give. A phone only takes what it can use, so a bigger charger is safe, but a charger smaller than your device needs will be slow.
2. The fast-charging standard. Most phones and laptops with USB-C use USB Power Delivery (PD). Samsung's Super Fast Charging uses PD with an extra feature called PPS. Xiaomi, OPPO, OnePlus, realme and vivo add their own systems on top for their highest speeds.
3. Ports and plug. Count the devices you want to charge at once. Then look at the pins. Nepali sockets take round pins (see our plug types guide). A charger with American flat pins needs an adapter.

The number on the box is a maximum. A 65W charger with three ports splits its power when you plug in more than one device, so each port gets less.

Chargers for phones

iPhone

Apple's fast-charging figures for recent iPhones (Apple):

• iPhone 17, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max: up to 50% in about 20 minutes with a 40W adapter or higher.
• iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max: up to 50% in about 15 minutes with Apple's 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max, or a third-party adapter that can give 60W or more and supports USB PD 3.1 or later with AVS. The iPhone Duo reaches 50% in about 20 minutes with the same adapters.
• iPhone Air and iPhone 17e: up to 50% in about 30 minutes with a 20W adapter or higher.
• iPhone 15 and 16: a USB-C PD adapter of 18W or more fast-charges them.

A 20W charger is all an iPhone 15, 16, Air or 17e needs for fast charging. The iPhone 17 models need 40W or more for Apple's fastest times, and the 18 Pro needs a 60W-capable adapter with AVS. On a 20W charger they still charge, just more slowly. iPhones up to the iPhone 14 have a Lightning port, so they need a USB-C to Lightning cable. Our iPhone charger guide compares Apple's own adapters and cables.

Samsung Galaxy

Samsung's Super Fast Charging means 25W (Android Authority), and Samsung sells its 45W adapter as Super Fast Charging 2.0, with USB PD 3.0 and PPS (Samsung). The Galaxy S26 Ultra goes further, with Super Fast Charging 3.0 at up to 60W (PhoneArena).

All of these run on USB PD with PPS, so you don't need Samsung's own charger. Almost any PPS charger gives 25W. For 45W, the charger's PPS output has to reach 5A, and many third-party chargers stop at 3A (GSMArena), so look for "Super Fast Charging 2.0" or "45W PPS" on the listing.

A charger without PPS still charges a Galaxy phone, just more slowly. If the listing doesn't mention PPS, assume it isn't there.

Xiaomi, OPPO, OnePlus, realme and vivo

These brands reach their headline speeds, like 67W or 100W, with their own charging systems: HyperCharge on Xiaomi, SUPERVOOC on OPPO, OnePlus and realme, and FlashCharge on vivo. Third-party chargers can't use those systems, so they fall back to standard USB PD (or Quick Charge on some phones) and charge more slowly (DXOMARK, Engadget).

If your phone came with a charger, keep it for the fastest charge. A PD charger is still useful as a spare or for travel, because it charges everything.

Chargers for laptops and MacBooks

Laptops that charge over USB-C

Most new MacBooks and many Windows laptops charge through a USB-C port with USB PD. Apple says you can charge a Mac laptop with any USB-C power adapter that supports USB Power Delivery, even one with a higher or lower wattage than Apple recommends. For the best charging, use at least the wattage Apple recommends for your Mac (Apple).

• MacBook Air (13-inch, M5): in India it comes with a 30W adapter (8-core GPU) or a 35W dual-port adapter (10-core GPU); other countries ship a different adapter or none (Apple India). With a 70W or higher USB PD charger it can fast-charge to 50% in about 30 minutes (Apple).
• MacBook Neo: Apple recommends its 20W USB-C adapter (Apple).
• Windows laptops: look at the label on the original adapter. Thin USB-C laptops are often 45W or 65W. A 65W GaN charger covers most of them and your phone too.

Apart from low-power laptops like the MacBook Neo, which Apple pairs with a 20W adapter, a 20W or 33W phone charger can only trickle-charge most laptops and won't keep up while you work.

Laptops with a round pin

Many laptops, especially older and gaming models, use a round barrel pin instead of USB-C. There's no universal standard for these. Match three things from the old adapter's label: the pin, the voltage (for example 19.5V or 20V) and the wattage. The new one should give at least the same watts. If you're not sure, bring the old adapter or the laptop model number to our store.

Shopping for a new laptop instead? See our best laptops under 1 lakh.

What is a GaN charger?

GaN stands for gallium nitride. GaN chargers use it in place of the silicon power transistors in older chargers. It switches power faster and wastes less of it as heat, so the charger can use smaller parts and needs less room to cool down (Canyon, How-To Geek).

In practice, a 65W GaN charger is small enough for a bag, and it runs cooler than an old 65W brick. It doesn't charge any faster at the same wattage. Speed depends on the phone and the wattage. GaN just makes high wattage easier to carry.

The cable matters too

USB-C to USB-C cables are rated 60W (3A), or 100W or 240W for 5A cables. USB-IF now certifies new cables only at 60W or 240W, but many 100W cables are still sold (UL Solutions). Every 5A cable has an e-marker chip that tells the charger it can carry more than 3A. A cable without one is treated as 3A, so a 100W charger stays at 60W.

• Most phones: any decent USB-C cable is fine.
• Samsung 45W on older Galaxy phones (S24 and earlier): this pushes more than 3A, so it needs a 5A cable. The S25+ and S25 Ultra get 45W with the cable in the box (SamMobile).
• Laptops above 60W: use a 5A cable, for example the UNITEK 100W USB-C cable (Rs 925).
• Lightning iPhones: a USB-C to Lightning cable, such as the Mcdodo 36W (Rs 750).

Chargers in our store

Quality Computer sells phone and laptop chargers, GaN chargers and cables. Visit our store in Birtamode, Jhapa or order online for delivery across Nepal. Going on a trip? A power bank is the other thing to pack. A note on plugs: going by the listings, the Mcdodo 20W, Mcdodo 33W and UGREEN 45W have US flat pins, so most Nepali sockets need an adapter for them. The WiWU 33W comes in EU, UK or CN versions, so check which one you get, and the UNITEK 65W includes extra EU and UK plugs.

Prices checked on 12 November 2026 on our website.

In our store

UGREEN 45W GaN

UNITEK 65W GaN

Mcdodo 33W GaN

Mcdodo 20W GaN

All chargersPhone chargersPower banks

Frequently asked questions

Which charger is best for the iPhone 17?

A USB-C PD charger of 40W or more charges the iPhone 17, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max up to 50% in about 20 minutes, according to Apple. A 20W charger works too, just more slowly.

Is it safe to use a 65W charger on my phone?

Yes. A USB PD charger only gives the phone as much power as the phone asks for, so a bigger charger won't harm it.

Do I need a Samsung charger for Super Fast Charging?

No. Super Fast Charging runs on USB PD with PPS, so a charger with PPS from another brand works too. For 45W, the charger needs a 5A PPS output, so look for Super Fast Charging 2.0 or 45W PPS on the listing.

What does GaN mean on a charger?

GaN is gallium nitride. It replaces the silicon power transistors inside the charger, so the charger is smaller and runs cooler at the same wattage.

Can I charge my laptop with a phone charger?

Only low-power ones, like the MacBook Neo. Most USB-C laptops just trickle-charge from a 20W or 33W phone charger and won't keep up while you work, so use at least the wattage the maker recommends.

Will a US-plug charger work in Nepal?

Usually not without an adapter. Most Nepali sockets take round pins, though some universal sockets also accept flat pins. Phone chargers are almost always rated 100 to 240V, so only the plug is the issue.

Sources

• Fast charge your iPhone, Apple Support
• Use a power adapter with your Mac, Apple Support
• Charge the MacBook Air battery, MacBook Air User Guide, Apple
• 45W Super Fast Charger 2.0, Samsung UK
• What is Samsung Super Fast Charging?, Android Authority
• Charging devices: Can new EU law clear the path to a unified experience?, DXOMARK
• Why are there so many fast charging standards, and what's the difference between them?, Engadget
• 240W USB-C Cable Performance Testing and Safety Considerations, UL Solutions
• Galaxy S26 battery and charging, PhoneArena
• Don't just buy any 45W PD charger for the Samsung Galaxy Note10, GSMArena
• Galaxy S25+ and S25 Ultra reach 45W with a 3A cable, SamMobile
• MacBook Air tech specs, Apple India
• What Is a GaN Charger?, Canyon
• What Is a GaN Charger, and Why Will You Want One?, How-To Geek
• Charger specs and plug types: Quality Computer product listings, 12 November 2026.