How to choose a charger for the phone

When selecting a charger, the electrical characteristics of the power supply should be given priority.

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1. How to choose a charger for your phone: what do I need to pay attention to?
2. Types of chargers
3. The main criteria for choosing
4. How to choose an external charger
5. Best manufacturers

How to choose a charger for the phone: what to look for

The main criteria for choosing a charger are:

1. Type (standard adapter or external “powerbank”);
2. Electrical characteristics (voltage, charging current, power);
3. Support for fast charging technologies (Quick Charge, Fast Charge, etc.).d.);
4. The number of connectors for the cable and the voltage of each of them.
5. Also important is the manufacturer of the charger.

Types of chargers

Structurally and by the principle of operation chargers are divided into two types – adapters themselves, they are also power supplies; and external chargers, better known as “powerbank”.

Adapters or power supplies

Adapters are structurally normal electrical converters that rectify and reduce the voltage. These devices are designed for charging your phone or smartphone from home network. According to the results of the conversion of alternating current with a voltage of 220 V and a force of 5-6 A “turns” in the DC, whose parameters are 5-18 V and 0.5-2.1 A depending on the characteristics and purpose of the adapter.

Adapters are made in the form of small blocks, which are installed in a household outlet. They are connected to the power cable, through which the converted electric current is “transmitted” to the smartphone.

Structurally, adapters are divided into household, designed for installation in a regular socket, and automotive, powered from the cigarette lighter or a suitable socket. Despite the similar working principle, they are not interchangeable.

The main criteria for selecting adapters are parametersInput voltage, output voltage, current strength and support fast charging technology.

We should separately mention one more variety of power supply units – wireless chargers. Such devices recharge a smartphone that comes into contact with them. Of course, in a smartphone itself should be implemented support for wireless charging.

External batteries or power banks

External batteries, which can also be called portable chargers, powerbanks, etc.d., have the same operational purpose as the power supply – they are used for charging your smartphone. But the principles of operation of these devices are fundamentally different.

Powerbank is designed as a battery of high capacity. It is supplemented by various functional elements – charge controller, LEDs, power connectors, buttons, etc.d. The principle of operation of a power bank is as follows:

1. First, an external battery is charged from a power source (for example, from an adapter or computer via USB cable);
2. Then it “holds” the stored energy for some time;
3. When you connect your smartphone, the powerbank sends the stored energy to the connected device.

In fact, the powerbank is designed for emergency recharging of your smartphone in circumstances where you can not get to the outlet or have no time to do it – on trips, for example.

When choosing a power bank, you should consider the following criteria: capacity, charging current, body material, support for fast charging technology.

Top Choosing Criteria

When choosing a charger, you should pay attention to the following parameters:

1. Input current and the standard of sockets (especially important when ordering from foreign online stores);
2. Charging current;
3. Charging voltage;
4. Fast charging technology support.

All of these parameters determine the compatibility of the charger and smartphone.

Input current and outlet standard

In Russian household electrical networks a current of 220 V, 5-6 A (however, when you connect high-powered equipment like kitchen appliances this parameter increases significantly up to 18-19 A) and frequency of 50-60 Hz. These are the parameters that must be maintained by the charger.

At the same time, in the U.S. Household appliances are used, in which the voltage is 110 V. Adapter, designed for use in America, in the Russian “sockets” can simply burn.

As a consequence, when ordering a charger in any online stores you should first of all pay attention to the supported input voltage. Some adapters can work in any network.

Also note that power outlets in different countries also vary. In Russia Type C connectors are used. Our” plugs can be equipped with Europlug, Schuko, CEE 7/7, CEE 7/16 or CEE 7/17 plugs.

But A and B types (NEMA standards) that are used in the USA and Canada are not suitable for use with Russian sockets without the appropriate adapters.

Charging current

On the strength of the charging current depends, in fact, the charging speed of the smartphone. The higher the voltage, the faster the device will regenerate the battery. At the same time, it is worth remembering that older smartphones are simply not designed for high charging currents.

But a low charging current can mean your smartphone won’t charge at all – it will simply run out, even when plugged in. The standards of this parameter are:

1. 500 mA (0.5 a). Suitable for use with cell phones or very old smartphones. This charging current is not able to cover the “fixed costs” of a modern high-power mobile device, but it is necessary and sufficient for devices manufactured, for example, before 2010-2011;
2. 750mA (0.75 a). Rarely encountered. Scope is similar to chargers designed for 0.5 a;
3. 1000mA (1A). The most common current standard in chargers today. Sufficiently universal, suitable for use with most mobile devices – from cell phones or portable players to budget or mid-priced smartphones;
4. 2000-21000mA (2-2.1 a). Used for resource-intensive devices such as tablets or flagship smartphones with high-resolution screens and high-performance processors. Can be dangerous for older devices. Provides high charging speed and stable power even if the connected device is actively used.

It is desirable to use power supplies that have the same amperage as the ones that come with your smartphone. This, however, does not apply to adapters that support fast charging technology.

It is worth remembering that manufacturers of low-cost power supply units often deliberately overestimate the output current. For example, a device that is labeled as 1A may actually deliver 0.5 a. Therefore, the quality of the power supply is also very important.

Charging voltage

Virtually all modern smartphones, unless otherwise specified, are designed to be powered by a charging current of 5V. This standard is used, for example, in computer USB ports. As a consequence, for a smartphone to be compatible with a PC, it must receive a 5-volt current.

So it is definitely not worth buying chargers or power supplies that have a supply voltage greater or less than 5 volts. Such accessories may well “burn” the delicate electronics inside your smartphone or cause damage to the built-in battery.

Similarly, this rule does not apply to adapters that support some form of fast charging technology.

Support fast charging technology

Since 2014-2015, many manufacturers have begun to introduce fast charging technology. When connected in this way, the power supply gives high values of current and voltage in order to restore the battery capacity of your smartphone even faster. The specific value of these electrical parameters is determined by the manufacturer and the fast charging technology standard, but is generally up to 5 A and up to 20 V, respectively.

Fast charging technology is implemented at a low hardware-software level and involves the exchange between the smartphone and the power supply, not only electricity, but also information. For example, the power controller in your smartphone sends a “command” to the power supply to increase the current and voltage, and the latter accordingly performs. Or not, unless it supports fast charging technology.

It is clear that if you connect a smartphone that does not have fast charging technology to a power bank, the latter will receive less current.

However, the standards for fast charging are different. The following stand out:

1. Quick Charge. A standard developed by Qualcomm and supported only by a limited number of SoC processors from that manufacturer;

2. ump Express. A standard developed by MediaTek. Similar to Quick Charge, supported only by a limited number of SoC-processors from this manufacturer (installed in most Chinese flagship smartphones);

3. TurboPower . A standard developed by Lenovo specifically for some Motorola smartphones;
4. Adaptive Fast Charging. Samsung’s proprietary charging standard. Used since 2015 in smartphones in the flagship and “upper-middle” price segments – the S, Note, A series and some others;
5. VOOC Fast Charging – developed by BBK specifically for OPPO smartphones;
6. Dash Charge – developed by OnePlus for branded smartphones;
7. Super Charge – the standard Huawei;
8. Super mCharge – Meizu standard.

Standards in most cases are not cross-compatible. Therefore, if your smartphone supports Samsung Fast Charging technology, it is worth to buy a power adapter for it, equipped with support for the same technology. But the adapter Quick Charge will “give out” only the standard 5V/2A.

How to choose an external battery charger

When choosing a powerbank, you should pay attention to three parameters:

1. Capacity;
2. Charging current;
3. Case material.

But the most important are the first two.

Capacity;

The higher the capacity of the powerbank – the more times it is able to recharge a dead smartphone. However, the actual value of this number is determined by the battery capacity of the smartphone.

For example, if the smartphone is equipped with a battery of 3000 mAh:

1. 5000 mAh powerbank will recharge it 1 time;
2. The 10000 mAh powerbank will charge it 2-2.5 times;
3. Powerbank at 20,000 mAh will charge it 5-6 times.

However, the exact number depends on a number of other parameters, including the charging current, the resistance of the connected cable, the weather outside, the time that has passed since charging and many others. So do not expect that, for example, a 5000 mAh powerbank will be able to recharge a smartphone with a 2500 mAh battery twice.

Charging current

Choose the value of the charging current should be based on the same parameters as for conventional power adapters (power supplies). Given that the stability of the current in the power banks is not too high, it is worth choosing knowingly higher parameters:

1. For cell phones, old smartphones, players, smart watches, wireless headphones and other gadgets that don’t draw high power during use – 1A;
2. For modern smartphones, tablets, low-power laptops – 2-2.5 a.

There are several models of power banks that support fast charging technology. As a consequence, it is worth considering the compatibility of the charger and the smartphone with which it will be used.

Nevertheless, powerbanks that support fast charging technology are not recommended for purchase. Built-in batteries usually “do not survive” the “squeeze” of them 20V/5A. That’s why the capacity of batteries is decreasing, and in a few months you will have to change the powerbank.

Case material

The material of the case determines the strength, durability and some performance characteristics of the powerbank. Such devices can be made of plastic, metal, as well as complemented by rubberized inserts.

1. Plastic – a simple, inexpensive, but quite reliable material. Powerbanks with this case are cheaper than metal ones, but they do not survive a fall on the floor. However, plastic has an important advantage – external chargers, made in this material, better survive temperature changes in the cold season.
2. Metal is better to survive any falls and other mechanical effects. However, powerbanks in these cases are a little more expensive. In addition, due to the fact that metal “accumulates” low temperatures, in the cold season such devices self-discharge faster.

Additional inserts, like rubber, either protect the PowerBank from shocks, or just make it more beautiful.

Best manufacturers

The best manufacturers of power adaptersfor smartphones are:

1. Belkin;
2. InterStep;
3. Nobby;
4. Samsung.

The best powerbank manufacturersare:

1. Xiaomi;
2. InterStep;
3. Hiper;
4. Canyon.

In the following articles our experts tell you how to choose headphones for your phone and the secrets of choosing a memory card for your smartphone.