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Is a Bigger Charger Better? (Usually Not)

October 6, 2026 · 1:35

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Your phone decides how fast it charges, not the charger. Why a 100 W brick won't help a 20 W phone, what PD and Quick Charge mean, and the one charger that's just right.

The Just Right card

Too littleAn old tiny cube that can't keep up.
Too muchA 100 W brick for a 20 W phone.
Just rightOne 40 W USB-C PD charger.

Checklist

  • The phone decides how fast it charges. The charger only offers power.
  • Most phones top out between 20 and 40 watts; older iPhones around 20.
  • A 100 W charger on a 20 W phone still charges at 20 W.
  • Old 2.5 W cubes barely keep up, and cheap no-name chargers can skip safety circuits.
  • Look for PD (USB Power Delivery) on the charger; newer Quick Charge chargers speak PD too.
  • Wireless charging is handy but slower and turns 20 to 30% of the power into heat.
  • Just right: one 40 W USB-C PD charger for just about every phone and tablet.
The dad joke
My wife asked why I own 14 chargers. I told her I'm just trying to stay current.

Sources

  1. USB Power Delivery · USB Implementers Forum https://www.usb.org/usb-charger-pd
  2. Charge and connect with the USB-C connector on your iPhone · Apple Support https://support.apple.com/en-us/105099
  3. Wireless Power Consortium (Qi and Qi2) · Wireless Power Consortium https://www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/
Read the transcript

Does a bigger charger charge your phone faster? Only up to a point.

Your phone decides how fast it charges, not the charger. The charger just offers power, and the phone takes what it can handle. Most phones top out somewhere between 20 and 40 watts. Older iPhones top out around 20. Plug that 20 watt phone into a 100 watt charger? It still takes 20. You just paid for 80 watts you'll never use.

Now the other end. That old 2.5 watt cube in the junk drawer? Use your phone while it's plugged in and it barely charges faster than the phone burns power. And the cheap no-name ones often skip the protection circuits that keep your phone and your house safe.

What about Quick Charge? That's Qualcomm's way of charging faster by raising the voltage. Some Android phones use it. iPhones, Pixels and Samsungs use USB Power Delivery, or PD, instead, and newer Quick Charge chargers speak PD too. Look for PD on the charger.

Wireless charging is handy but slower, and it turns 20 to 30 percent of the power into heat. Great for the nightstand, not for a quick top-off. Newer phones with Qi2 snap on with magnets and charge faster.

Too little? A tiny old cube that can't keep up. Too much? A 100 watt brick for a 20 watt phone. Just right? One 40 watt PD charger. It charges just about every phone and tablet at top speed, and you only need one.

My wife asked why I own 14 chargers. I told her I'm just trying to stay current.

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