If you only charge a phone, the best USB-C chargers for most iPhone and Android models are 45W plugs. If you charge a laptop too, get the Anker 735, or for two laptops, the Anker Prime, which shares 160W across its three ports.
| Charger | Ports | Most power from one port | Cable in the box | Get it for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anker Charger (45W, 2-Pack) | 1 USB-C on each charger | 45W | Two 5 ft USB-C cables | One phone or tablet |
| UGREEN Nexode Air 65W USB-C Charger | 1 USB-C | 65W | One 3.3 ft USB-C cable | A MacBook Air |
| Anker 317 Charger (100W) | 1 USB-C | 100W | One 5 ft USB-C cable | One laptop that takes up to 100W |
| Anker 735 Charger (Nano II 65W) | 2 USB-C, 1 USB-A | 65W | None | A laptop and a phone |
| Anker Prime Charger (160W, 3 Ports, Smart Display) | 3 USB-C | 140W (150W to an Anker Prime power bank) | None | Two laptops, or a 16-inch MacBook Pro |
These five chargers run from 45W to 160W. Each covers a different mix of devices, from one phone to two laptops. Three have a single port. The other two share power across their ports, so a second device changes how much the first one gets.
One phone or tablet: the Anker 45W 2-pack
The Anker Charger (45W, 2-Pack) is two chargers with one USB-C port each, so you can keep one by the bed and one in your bag. Both give up to 45W and also support PPS (Programmable Power Supply), a fast-charging mode some phones use. The pack includes two 5 ft USB-C cables, each rated for up to 100W.
The 45W 2-pack isn’t only for phones. Apple’s adapter list for a MacBook Air from 2022 or later starts at 30W for the 13-inch and 35W for the 15-inch, so 45W charges either one. An iPad works too, since Apple allows third-party adapters that meet safety standards.
Who it’s for: anyone charging one phone, tablet or MacBook Air at a time. Skip it if a laptop and a phone need to share one plug, since each charger has a single port.
Which iPhones charge at full speed on a USB-C charger?
Every iPhone 15, 16 and 17 model gets Apple’s fast-charge speed from any of the five picks, as long as nothing else shares the charger. For the iPhone 15 and 16, Apple asks for at least 18W over USB Power Delivery (USB-PD), the charging standard for USB-C. All five give that. The iPhone 17, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max reach 50 percent in about 20 minutes on 40W or more. For the iPhone 17e and iPhone Air, 20W is enough, though they take about 30 minutes to get halfway.
The iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max are faster still, reaching 50 percent in about 15 minutes. But that takes the cable from the iPhone’s box, plus an adapter that can supply 60W, supports USB-PD 3.2 and uses Adjustable Voltage Supply (AVS), a newer USB-PD feature. Anker’s and UGREEN’s own pages don’t list AVS for any of these five, so don’t count on that speed. Both phones still charge on all five.
What Samsung and Pixel phones ask of a charger
Samsung’s Super Fast Charging 2.0 runs at 45W to 60W, so the company asks for a 45W or 60W adapter and a cable rated for 5 amps (5A). With its included cable, the 45W 2-pack supports Super Fast Charging 2.0, and Anker says it can charge a Galaxy S24 Ultra halfway in 20 minutes. The 735 doesn’t support the 2.0 version. Anker lists it only for Samsung’s 25W Super Fast Charging on the Galaxy S22 Ultra. Samsung also tells owners to “only use Samsung-approved charging devices,” because other accessories may void the warranty and cause damage.
Google’s Pixel Help site says any PPS adapter rated for 30W or more works with Pixel phones. The Pixel 11 Pro XL and Pixel 10a need a 45W or higher PPS charger for their quoted speeds. Anker lists PPS for all four of its chargers here. UGREEN’s US pages don’t mention it for the Nexode Air, though its Canadian page says the charger works with devices that use PPS.
One laptop: the UGREEN Nexode Air 65W or the Anker 317 (100W)
If you charge one laptop, a charger with a single port is all you need. Get the UGREEN for a MacBook Air, or for any laptop whose adapter is 65W or less. Choose the Anker 317 for a laptop that takes up to 100W.
The UGREEN Nexode Air 65W USB-C Charger measures 1.22 × 1.30 × 1.59 in, which the company calls pocket-sized. Its prongs fold, and a 3.3 ft USB-C cable comes in the box. UGREEN says the charger can bring a MacBook Air to about 55% in half an hour. There’s also a Honkai: Star Rail Edition with game artwork. Who it’s for: a MacBook Air owner packing light.
The Anker 317 Charger (100W) gives up to 100W, comes with a 5 ft USB-C cable and has a US plug that folds. Its output tops the 67W, 70W and 96W adapters Apple recommends for a 14-inch MacBook Pro from 2021 or later. Apple says any USB-C charger can charge a Mac, even one below the recommended wattage. Still, a Mac charges faster with more watts. Apple pairs a 16-inch MacBook Pro from 2021 or later with a 140W adapter, so that laptop charges more slowly on the 317 than it does on the Prime with the right cable.
Anker’s manual recommends using the 317 in temperatures from 32 to 77°F. When the room is between 78.8 and 95°F and a device is drawing a lot of power, the 317’s output may fluctuate. That’s because its ActiveShield system adjusts power to the temperature. Who it’s for: a 14-inch MacBook Pro, or a Windows laptop with an adapter of 100W or less.
What about a Windows laptop?
For a Windows laptop, choose a charger that gives at least the wattage of the laptop’s adapter. Microsoft says a Surface on a lower-wattage charger may charge slowly, or not charge at all. Not sure of the number? Our post on what wattage charger you need lists it device by device. Skip the Nexode Air and the 317 if a phone must share the plug.
Sharing one charger: how much power each port gets
Only the 735 and the Prime split their power, and they do it in different ways. The 735 follows a fixed table, while the Prime, in AI Mode, moves power between the devices on Anker’s compatibility list as their needs change.
| Charger | One device | Two devices | Three devices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anker 735 Charger (Nano II 65W) | 65W from either USB-C port, 22.5W from USB-A | Top USB-C and lower USB-C: 45W and 20W. Top USB-C and USB-A: 40W and 22.5W. Lower USB-C and USB-A: 12W each | Top USB-C 40W, lower USB-C 12W, USB-A 12W |
| Anker Prime Charger (160W, 3 Ports, Smart Display) | Up to 140W from any USB-C port, or 150W to Anker’s Prime power bank in AI Mode | Up to 160W in total. Dual-Laptop Mode shares power equally between two laptops, while AI Mode updates the split every 2 minutes | Up to 160W in total. AI Mode updates the split every 2 minutes |
A laptop and a phone: the Anker 735
The Anker 735 Charger (Nano II 65W) has two USB-C ports and one USB-A port. Anker publishes the split for every port combination. A laptop alone in the top USB-C port gets up to 65W. But add a phone to the lower USB-C port, and the laptop’s share drops to 45W. That’s a cut of 20W, almost a third. Keep the laptop in the top port, because the lower USB-C port falls to 12W when the USB-A port is busy. That’s less than the 30W that even Apple’s smallest MacBook Air adapter gives.
The 735 measures 1.50 × 1.15 × 2.60 in and doesn’t come with a cable. Who it’s for: anyone who wants one charger for a laptop and a phone. Skip it for two laptops, or for a Galaxy that uses Super Fast Charging 2.0.
Two laptops: the Anker Prime 160W
The Anker Prime Charger (160W, 3 Ports, Smart Display) is the one to get for two laptops. When you turn on Dual-Laptop Mode in Anker’s app over Bluetooth, the Prime splits power equally between them. In AI Mode, the split updates every 2 minutes instead, and the screen shows how many watts each port is getting.
One port alone gives a laptop up to 140W, which matches the adapter Apple recommends for a 16-inch MacBook Pro from 2021 or later. No other charger here tops 100W. Anker says the Prime gets that MacBook Pro to 50% in 25 minutes, the same as Apple’s own charger. To get that speed, though, M1 and M2 models need a USB-C to MagSafe 3 cable, while an M3 or M4 model can use either that cable or an EPR (Extended Power Range) USB-C cable, rated up to 240W. The Prime measures 2.56 × 2.05 × 1.38 in without its folding prongs and weighs 7.76 oz.
It isn’t cheap. Anker’s own store charges several times as much for the Prime as for the 735. The extra money buys 95W more in total, 140W from a single port, the screen and a third USB-C port in place of the 735’s USB-A port. Who it’s for: two laptops, or a 16-inch MacBook Pro plus a phone. Skip it for one laptop and a phone, since the 735 does that for far less.
Why the cable matters above 60W
Above 60W, the cable can hold a charger back. USB-IF, the group behind the USB standards, requires every certified USB-C to USB-C cable to be labeled 60W or 240W. Before USB Power Delivery was updated to 240W, it topped out at 100W with cables rated at 5A. That update also added a 28V setting, which is what makes 140W possible.
Anker says the Prime’s screen shows “3A Cable” for a cable good for up to 60W, “5A Cable” for up to 100W and “EPR Cable” for up to 240W. Anker also says Apple’s 1.8 m, 2 m and 3 m Thunderbolt cables carry at most 60W on the Prime. Check your cable.
The two chargers with more than one port are also the two that come without a cable, so if you get the 735 or the Prime, buy a USB-C cable rated for what your laptop draws.
When a desk charging station beats a wall charger
None of these five chargers has more than three ports, so a fourth device means a second charger. Small devices draw little power, and Anker notes that most earbuds and watches cap their input, typically at 5W or less. A charging station with more ports, or a wireless pad, handles those from a single outlet. Keep a wall charger for the bag, where size matters more than port count.
Questions about USB-C chargers
Is it OK to charge a phone with a 100W USB-C charger?
Yes, a 100W charger is fine for phones. Apple says you can use a 20W or higher USB-C adapter with an iPhone for faster charging. Samsung says that on a charger rated above what a Galaxy needs, the phone picks the best speed it supports. USB-IF says USB Power Delivery lets each device draw only what it requires.
Can you use a USB-C charger abroad?
The four Anker chargers here accept 100 to 240V input, so they work on outlets in that range with a plug adapter that fits the socket. But UGREEN doesn’t publish an input range for the Nexode Air 65W on its US pages. Check the rating printed on that charger before a trip abroad.