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Category hub · 11 form factors
Power adapter types: the shape decides the watts.
Two adapters can share a wattage number and be nothing alike. Form factor sets the sustained output, the port count, the per-port split and where the thing can physically live. Start here, then go to the page that matches your outlet.
Every type, positioned
| Type | What it actually is | When it's the right pick | Typical wattage |
|---|---|---|---|
| AC adapter | The retail term for any external supply that plugs into mains and converts AC to low-voltage DC | Whenever a device came with an external brick — this is the default category | 5W–240W |
| DC power supply | The same hardware named from the output side: a fixed rail such as 5V, 9V, 12V or 19V | Matching a barrel-plug device whose label reads "DC 12V 2A" | 2.5W–120W |
| Wall adapter | One-piece body with prongs, usually folding, hanging off the outlet | Travel, bedside, anywhere a cord on the floor is a nuisance | 20W–100W |
| Desktop adapter | Bench-top unit with a detachable AC cord and a real heatsink | A permanent desk that has to hold full output for hours | 100W–250W |
| Car adapter | 12V accessory-socket converter, stepping the vehicle rail down (or up) to USB profiles | Road trips, navigation, topping up a laptop on the move | 20W–160W |
| USB-A adapter | Legacy rectangular port with no Power Delivery contract | Older accessories and the USB-A cables already in your drawer | 5W–18W |
| 2-port | Two outputs sharing one budget, typically split roughly 70/30 | Phone plus one companion device, in a bag | 30W–100W |
| 3-port | Laptop port plus two accessory ports, often 2× C and 1× A | The one-bag laptop kit that replaces three bricks | 65W–120W |
| 4-port | Desk hub with one high-watt port and three that step down | A fixed workstation with a laptop permanently attached | 100W–240W |
| 6-port | Charging station where per-port wattage falls sharply | Families and shared desks charging many small devices | 100W–250W |
| Retractable | Adapter with a reel-in cable built into the housing | Travel kits where one less loose cable is worth a trade-off | 20W–65W |
One from each shelf
- Wall
Anker 511 Nano 3 30W
The archetypal wall type: folding prongs, GaN, thumb-sized, one USB-C port at full 30W.
- Form
- Wall, folding prongs
- Output
- 30W USB-C PD
- Ports
- 1× USB-C
- 2-port
Apple 35W Dual USB-C Compact
The archetypal 2-port: 35W to one device, or 17.5W each when both ports are busy.
- Form
- Wall, dual port
- Output
- 35W shared
- Ports
- 2× USB-C
- Desktop
SmallRig 240W 4-Port PD
The archetypal desktop: detachable AC cord, PD 3.1, and enough budget that no port has to starve.
- Form
- Desktop, corded
- Output
- 240W shared
- Ports
- 3× C, 1× A
How to choose between them
Three questions. Where does it live? A bag means wall type; a fixed desk means desktop type, since a corded unit with a heatsink holds its rated output instead of thermally backing off. How many charge at once? Count simultaneous devices only — that picks the port count, and each port-count page carries its split table. What is the biggest single draw? Size the total to that device plus roughly 20% with the wattage guide, then check protocol on the Power Delivery page.
All 11 type pages
Related hubs
FAQ
Is an AC adapter the same thing as a DC power supply?
Nearly always, yes. The box takes AC from the wall and delivers DC to the device, so sellers name it from either end. Genuine AC-output units exist for doorbell chimes and some audio gear, and their labels show a wavy line rather than a straight-and-dashed line next to the output voltage.
Does the form factor change how fast my device charges?
Only through sustained output. A wall brick and a desktop unit rated at the same watts charge identically for the first few minutes; over a long session the corded desktop unit is likelier to hold full output because it has more mass and surface area to shed heat.
How many ports do I actually need?
Count the devices you charge at the same moment, not the ones you own. Two ports covers a phone plus a companion, three a laptop travel kit; four or more pays off only on a fixed desk or in a shared household.