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Reference hub · 22 wattage classes
Every wattage, 5W to 240W.
Wattage is the one number that decides charging speed. This hub maps all 22 common adapter classes to the devices they serve — pick your device's class or round up; extra watts are free headroom, never a risk.
The four wattages most people need
- 20W
20W — the phone floor
Fast-charges every iPhone since 2017 and any earbuds, watch, or e-reader.
- Charges
- Phones, accessories
- Typical price
- $10–19
- Skip if
- You own an iPad/laptop
- 45W
45W — the tablet/handheld class
Galaxy Ultra at full PPS speed, iPad Pro, Steam Deck, and Switch dock duty.
- Charges
- + tablets, handhelds
- Typical price
- $20–35
- Note
- PPS needed for Galaxy
- 65W
65W — the do-everything default
Ultrabooks, MacBook Air, and every smaller device. The single best wattage to standardize on.
- Charges
- + most laptops
- Typical price
- $25–45
- Best form
- GaN 3-port
- 140W
140W — the big-laptop class
16″ MacBook Pro fast charge and PD 3.1 headroom for anything below it.
- Charges
- Everything
- Typical price
- $60–100
- Requires
- 240W EPR cable
How to size an adapter in 3 steps
1. Find your hungriest device below. 2. Buy that wattage or one class above. 3. If it's above 60W, pair it with an e-marked cable. That's the whole method — the device negotiates the rest via USB-C PD.
| If your biggest device is… | Buy at least |
|---|---|
| Phone / earbuds / watch | 20W (30W for headroom) |
| Galaxy S Ultra / iPad Pro / Steam Deck | 45W |
| MacBook Air / ultrabook | 65W |
| MacBook Pro 14″ / gaming handheld dock | 96W–100W |
| MacBook Pro 16″ / workstation laptop | 140W+ |
All 22 wattage pages
- 5W — legacy/trickle
- 10W — old iPads
- 12W — legacy Apple
- 18W — early PD
- 20W — iPhone standard
- 25W — base Galaxy
- 30W — phone sweet spot
- 33W — OnePlus/Xiaomi
- 35W — Apple dual-port
- 40W — Apple Dynamic
- 45W — Galaxy Ultra / Switch 2
- 60W — small laptops
- 65W — ultrabook standard
- 67W — MacBook Pro 14″ base
- 70W — MacBook Air fast
- 96W — MacBook Pro 14″
- 100W — multi-device
- 120W — gaming laptops
- 140W — MacBook Pro 16″
- 160W — PD 3.1 mid
- 200W — desk multi-port
- 240W — PD 3.1 maximum
Adjacent classes are usually the real decision, so the comparisons are broken out too: 5W vs 20W, 18W vs 20W, 20W vs 30W, 30W vs 45W, 45W vs 65W, 65W vs 100W, 100W vs 140W and 140W vs 240W. To go the other direction and start from the device, use chargers by device; for ranked picks at the popular tiers see best 65W, best 100W and best 140W.
FAQ
Can too many watts damage my device?
No. USB-C PD devices request a specific voltage/current contract and the adapter supplies exactly that. A 240W adapter charges AirPods as gently as a 5W cube.
Why does my 100W charger charge my laptop at 60W?
Almost always the cable: basic USB-C cables are rated 60W (3A). Sustained power above that requires an e-marked 100W (5A) cable, and above 100W an EPR 240W cable.
Is it cheaper to buy one big adapter or several small ones?
One 65–100W multi-port GaN unit is usually cheaper than three singles, uses one outlet, and travels lighter. Standardizing is the win.