It seems the latest trend of phones arriving without chargers in the box is here to stay. Apple, Xiaomi, and Samsung are some of the manufacturers that, in their latest releases, no longer include this component in the box of their devices. And, if they've made that decision, we have no doubt that many others will follow suit. So, if you've just bought a new mobile phone and it doesn't have this adapter, don't worry, today we'll explain what you should consider before buying a charger for your phone.
Why doesn't my mobile come with a charger?
This is one of the most frequently asked questions in the smartphone world in recent months, especially regarding high-end models. Like many other changes, the first to adopt modifications of this magnitude are the flagship phones from each manufacturer. So far, we've seen this update in the iPhone 12, Xiaomi Mi 11, and the recently released Galaxy S21.
This kind of situation is baffling to many users who, after paying around €1.000 for their new device, open the box and find only the charging cable but not the power adapter. Does all this make sense? Well, to be honest, and trying to be as neutral as possible, in a way, yes.
The explanation of not including the charger by the manufacturer takes two different paths:
- Final product price: by ceasing to include this type of accessory in the box of our phones, the sale price of this is reduced, since it is one less element that the manufacturer must work on. You may not have noticed much difference in this section due to the additional cost involved in other technologies such as 5G, which is now beginning to become a standard in the most recent releases.
- Reduced environmental impact: Both when producing this type of accessory and when reaching the end of its useful life and recycling, they generate a fairly strong environmental impact. Hundreds of tons of small electronic components end up being discarded every year. Therefore, eliminating this type of component and "forcing" ourselves to reuse the ones we already have at home should greatly improve this aspect.
Key details for choosing a charger
Now that you know a little more about the reasons why these and many new phones that come onto the market will not include a charger, you may find yourself in two different situations: you have an old charger , but you don't know if your current phone is compatible with it; or you need to buy a new connector for the smartphone.
Whether you're facing either dilemma, we want to show you the details you should consider before using a charger with your phone. In order of importance, the features you should check are the following:
- Adapter and connection type: The first detail to take into account is the type of connection that the charging cable has, which is included in the box. Normally, due to certain reasons that we will see below, this connector will be of the type USB-C. Although, in future launches of mid-range smartphones, we would not be surprised to see some USB-A of all life in the connector that goes to the charger.
- Quick Charge or Power Delivery: These technologies refer to the security protocol of the charger with which our smartphone is compatible. These are similar technologies that, through different techniques, limit charging power that arrives from the charger to our smartphone. Which one is compatible with my phone? Roughly we could say that the QC standard It is owned by the Qualcomm company and, therefore, any phone with a Snapdragon processor is compatible with it. On the contrary, the power delivery standard It would be compatible with the rest of current devices. However, if the box or purchase advertisement for your new smartphone indicates that it is compatible with QC 4 technology onwards, don't worry, you can use any type of charger with both options. These technologies are usually indicate at loading ports of the connectors with the abbreviations PD (Power Delivery), or with the letter "Q" together with a number and a lightning bolt.
- electrical power: that technology has advanced so much means that, where before we had to pay attention to details such as exact voltage and amperage, now we "only" have to pay attention to the electrical power of our chargers. This data is measured in watts (W) and expresses, put very simply, how fast will it load our mobile. It is very important that you forget about that idea of “the more powerful it is, the faster it will charge my phone”. Is it a true statement? Yes, but with certain nuances. It is vital that we know the maximum fast charge that our phone supports in order to buy the most suitable option for it. Will my phone explode if I charge it with a stronger connector? No,
let's not be dramatic, but this type of action may end up deteriorating the useful life of your battery, especially if the connector is of poor quality.
- Number of ports: Finally, although this is not a vital aspect, evaluate your personal needs. Today there are different chargers with several ports that, with a single connector, give us the possibility of charging several devices. Therefore, this will not only save us money, but also space at home and on future trips.
The most versatile chargers for your smartphone
Now that you're clear on all the technical aspects you need to consider before buying a new charger, it's time to choose a model. To make this easier for you, we've compiled a list of some of the most interesting models you can find on Amazon.
UGREEN charger
The first model we want to tell you about, and one of the most interesting if you're looking for a single-connector charger, is this UGREEN 65W charger . This USB-C model is compatible with Power Delivery 3.0 and Quick Charge 4.0 standards, so you can use it with complete peace of mind even if your phone has a lower charging power. Furthermore, it will be compatible with any smartphone you want to use it with.
See offer on AmazonAUKEY multiple connector
Another very interesting alternative is this AUKEY charger with two ports: one USB-A compatible with QC 3.0 and one USB-C compatible with Power Delivery 2.0. With both ports, we can reach a maximum power of 18W.
See offer on AmazonBaseus multiple charger
If you're looking to increase your connectivity options, you might be interested in this Baseus connector with two USB-C ports with Power Delivery and one USB-A port compatible with Quick Charge 3.0. This connector offers a maximum power output of 65W.
See offer on AmazonAUKEY charger
AUKEY also offers single-port connectors in its catalog, which are notable for their small size. This particular model is a charger with a single USB-C port that delivers 20W of power and is compatible with the PD standard.
See offer on AmazonAnker multi connector
Finally, for those who need more ports, there's this alternative from Anker that includes a total of 5 connections: 4 USB-A ports compatible with QC and a single USB-C port compatible with PD. The maximum power output of this multi-connector is 60W.
See offer on Amazon*Note to the reader: the links that appear in this article are part of our agreement with their Affiliate Program. However, the decision to publish them has been taken, as always, freely and under the editorial criteria of El Output, without responding to requests from the brands involved.