The maximum current that the device is capable of delivering to the charging output. This is one of the key parameters for any charger, it directly determines its power and, accordingly, its efficiency with certain batteries. These points are described in detail in the “Power” paragraph below, but here we note that if several values are indicated in this paragraph, it means that the design provides for several connectors with different current specs (or several groups of connectors, each with its own amount of amperes per port) .
As for specific numbers, when charging from USB (used in most modern chargers), the maximum current up to
1 A is considered very limited,
1.5 A is low,
2 A,
2.1 A and
2.4 A are average values, and in the most powerful chargers, this figure can be
3 A,
3.4 A and even
5 A.The maximum power that the charger is capable of delivering to one rechargeable gadget (for models with 1 connector or with 1 wireless platform — the actual charging power). We emphasize that for wireless devices, it is the power in the wireless format that is indicated here (even if the design has a USB port with a higher power). Wired chargers usually list the USB power with the highest charging current or with support of the most powerful fast charging technology.
The smallest value of this metric nowadays is actually
5 W. Other popular options include
10W,
12W,
15W, and the most powerful models have
18W or more
to charge laptops(up to
100W).
Higher output power allows you to speed up the charging process; and in the case of wireless devices, a value of more than 10 watts already allows us to talk about the presence of fast charging. At the same time, a number of nuances are associated with this parameter. Firstly, not only the charger, but also the gadget being charged should support the appropriate power — otherwise the speed of the process will be limited by the specs of the gadget. Secondly, in order to use the full capabilities of the charger, it may be necessary to support not only the appropriate charging power, but also a
...certain fast charging technology (see "Fast charging"). Thirdly, in a charger with several charging connectors, the maximum power per device can only be achieved if the other ports are not used.
