What is a PD charger?

Ever bought a new gadget and noticed the charger brick or cable packaging mentions "PD"? Maybe you’ve seen USB ports labeled "USB PD" and wondered if it’s just some tech jargon or something you should care about. It can seem confusing with all the different charging standards out there. Let’s figure out what PD really means.

A PD charger is a power adapter that supports the USB Power Delivery¹ standard. This is a universal fast-charging technology that allows for much higher power levels (up to 100W or more) over a USB-C connection, enabling faster and more flexible charging for a wide range of devices, including smartphones, tablets, and laptops.

Think of it as a smarter, more powerful way to charge using USB. Before PD, USB charging was limited to low power levels (like the 5W from old USB ports) or relied on proprietary, often incompatible fast-charging methods from different manufacturers. USB PD changes that by creating a common language and infrastructure for higher power delivery across devices from different brands. As someone deeply involved in designing and manufacturing chargers, I’ve seen this shift firsthand – PD is a game-changer for charging convenience and efficiency.

Why is USB PD different from other USB charging?

You’ve probably used older USB chargers or ports. Maybe they were slow, or maybe they had a special label like "Quick Charge" that only worked with certain phones. How is PD different, and why is it becoming the standard for so many devices?

USB PD is fundamentally different because it allows devices and chargers to communicate and negotiate the optimum power level for charging, supporting variable voltages and much higher wattages (up to 100W+) compared to older USB standards which were limited to fixed low voltages and wattages (like 5V/1A or 5V/2.4A).

Here’s a breakdown of the key differences:

How USB PD Stands Out

1. Negotiation (It’s Smart): This is the biggest difference. Instead of just supplying a fixed amount of power, a USB PD charger talks to the connected device. The device tells the charger how much power it needs and what voltage/current it prefers, and the charger supplies it (up to the charger’s maximum capability). This ensures the device gets the right amount of power for safe and efficient charging. Older chargers just pushed power, hoping the device could handle it.
2. Higher Power Output: USB PD can deliver significantly more power than previous USB standards.
   • Older USB: Typically maxed out at 7.5W (USB BC 1.2).
   • Early Proprietary Fast Charge: Often reached 10W-20W.
   • USB PD: Starts at 15W and goes up to 100W (and even higher with USB PD 3.1, reaching 240W). This is enough to charge not just phones and tablets, but also laptops, monitors, and other larger devices.
3. Variable Voltage: Instead of just 5V, USB PD can output various voltage levels (like 5V, 9V, 12V, 15V, 20V). This flexibility allows devices to draw power more efficiently and reduces energy loss and heat during charging.
4. Universal Standard: While other fast-charging methods (like Quick Charge, which is now often included within the USB PD standard as PPS) were often tied to specific chipsets or manufacturers, USB PD is an open standard managed by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF). This promotes compatibility across different brands. A USB PD phone can often fast charge with a USB PD laptop charger, and vice versa (within the wattage limits).
5. Power Direction is Flexible: With USB PD over a USB-C² cable, power can flow in either direction. A laptop could potentially charge a phone, or a monitor could power a laptop, as long as both devices and the cable support PD and the necessary power profiles.
6. Data and Power Simultaneously: USB PD can deliver high power over the same cable that is transferring data, audio, or video (as with DisplayPort Alt Mode or Thunderbolt 3/4 over USB-C). This allows for single-cable docking solutions where a laptop is charged by a monitor or dock while also using its ports.

In essence, USB PD is a more intelligent, powerful, and versatile charging standard designed to handle the increasing power needs of modern electronics using a single, reversible USB-C connector. It moves beyond just charging small devices to powering a whole ecosystem.

What kind of devices use PD charging?

Given its capabilities, it makes sense that USB PD is showing up everywhere. It’s not just for one type of gadget. If a device has a USB-C port and needs more than just basic power, there’s a good chance it uses or can benefit from USB PD.

A wide variety of modern electronic devices use or support PD charging, including most new smartphones (like iPhones, Google Pixels, Samsung Galaxies), many laptops (especially thin and light models from Apple, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Microsoft Surface), tablets, portable power banks, monitors, and even some gaming consoles.

The adoption of USB-C as a universal connector has paved the way for PD to become the go-to charging standard. Here’s a look at the common categories of devices using PD:

Devices Relying on USB PD

1. Smartphones: Most major smartphone manufacturers now support USB PD (often specifically the PPS part of the standard) for fast charging³. While they might not use the full 100W, they benefit from the faster speeds possible (e.g., 18W, 25W, 45W) compared to older methods. Examples: iPhone 8 and newer, Google Pixel 3 and newer, many Samsung Galaxy S and Note/Fold series phones.
2. Laptops: This is where high-wattage PD (30W-100W) is most common. Many laptops have replaced their bulky barrel plug chargers with a single USB-C port for charging. Examples: Apple MacBooks (2015 and later with USB-C), Dell XPS, HP Spectre, Lenovo ThinkPad (newer models), Microsoft Surface (some models use Surface Connect or USB-C PD).
3. Tablets: Larger tablets often need more power than old USB standards provide, making PD ideal. Examples: Apple iPad Pro (2018 and later), Samsung Galaxy Tab S series.
4. Portable Power Banks: High-capacity power banks often feature USB-C PD ports for both fast charging the power bank itself (PD input) and fast charging devices connected to it (PD output).
5. Monitors and Docks: Many modern USB-C monitors and docking stations can receive power from a wall outlet and then supply power to a connected laptop or tablet via a single USB-C cable, while also handling video and data.
6. Gaming Consoles: The Nintendo Switch, for example, uses USB PD for charging both the console and the dock.

When buying a new device, especially if it has a USB-C port, check if it mentions USB PD support. If it does, getting a USB PD charger (with sufficient wattage for the device) will ensure you get the fastest, most efficient, and safest charging experience the device is capable of. It also means you might be able to use one charger for multiple devices, simplifying your life and reducing clutter!

Conclusion

A PD charger supports the USB Power Delivery standard, enabling smarter, higher-wattage fast charging up to 100W+ over USB-C. Unlike older methods, PD chargers negotiate power with devices and charge a wide range of electronics, including phones, laptops, and tablets.