Phone Chargers Explained
Charging has two halves: the charger and the standard it speaks. This section explains both in plain language, and every figure traces to a maker, a standards body or a named reference listed at the bottom of each page.
Which charging standard is which?
Seven guides cover the standards and numbers you will meet on a box or a spec sheet.
| Standard or topic | What it is | Read |
|---|---|---|
| USB Power Delivery (USB PD) | The USB-IF standard for agreeing power over one USB-C cable, up to 240W in revision 3.1 | USB PD explained |
| PPS | An optional USB PD 3.0 feature that adjusts voltage in fine steps; Samsung’s Super Fast Charging 2.0 uses it | PPS explained |
| Qi | The Wireless Power Consortium’s wireless charging standard, launched in 2010 | Qi explained |
| Qi2 | The magnetic version of Qi, with Qi2 25W added in July 2025 | Qi2 explained |
| MagSafe | Apple’s magnetic wireless charging, up to 25W on recent iPhones | MagSafe explained |
| GaN | A chip material that lets some chargers be smaller | GaN chargers |
| Wattage | The published numbers collected in one table | Wattage guide |
Where should I start?
Start with the wattage guide. It collects the numbers phone makers and standards bodies publish, so you can see which row matches your phone before reading the detail. If you want to know why some small chargers are so compact, read GaN chargers.
What do the phones in our library actually use?
We checked every phone page in the library. The pattern is useful before you buy anything.
| Charging fact | Phones in our library | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Charger included in the box | 0 of 41 | Each maker’s in-the-box list, recorded on the phone page |
| Wired figure published by the maker | 16 of 41 (Samsung and Motorola) | Maker spec pages; the other 25 publish a fast-charge claim or no wattage |
| Wireless labelled Qi2 | 19 | Maker spec pages |
| Wireless labelled MagSafe | 16 (all iPhones except the iPhone 16e) | Apple spec pages |
| No wireless charging listed | 6 (five Galaxy A phones and the Moto G Power) | Maker spec pages |
These counts describe the library of 41 phones we cover, not every phone on sale. Browse the phone library to see each phone’s row.
How do I check that a charger is safe?
Read which charger is safe for my phone and cable buying safety. The short version from the standards bodies: the USB-IF says to buy certified products from trusted sources, and the Wireless Power Consortium says only Qi Certified products can show the Qi or Qi2 logo.
Related
For the cable half of the story, see USB-C explained. Buying advice lives in accessories, including wireless chargers and power banks.