How Many Watts to Charge a Laptop? (3 Methods!)

Written by: UGREEN

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Time to read 9 min

Stepping into the world of laptop charging, where we uncover the mystery of the right wattage. Have you ever found yourself staring at your laptop charger, wondering, "How many watts to charge a laptop?" 

Don't worry; we're on a mission to simplify the process of powering up your laptop. This easy guide will break down the wattage puzzle and let you understand the concept behind laptop charger wattage. Get set to master the power play and keep your laptop charged without any hassle. Ready to dive in? Let's begin. 

What is Meant by Wattage for Laptop Chargers?

Wattage in laptop chargers may sound like tech jargon, but it's pretty simple. The power rating that indicates how much energy a charger can provide to a laptop is known as laptop charger wattage. 

It is computed by multiplying the charger's maximum output current (Amps) by the voltage (V) that it delivers. More power can be supplied by a charger with a higher wattage, which is advantageous for larger, more demanding computers or for quickly charging smaller gadgets.

Using a lower power charger can lead to problems, even while a higher wattage charger won't necessarily damage your laptop because it will only use as much power as it needs. A too-low wattage could prevent the charger from powering your laptop enough, which could cause it to charge slowly or not at all.

So, how many watts to charge a laptop? Here’s the actual question. When you're eyeing a charger, check its wattage to ensure it matches your laptop's needs. Stick around as we uncover the wattage mystery and make your laptop charging hassle-free!

Wattage Decisions: Unveiling Laptop Charging Essentials

Numerous electronic parts in laptops require a significant amount of power to operate. Furthermore, the battery is designed by laptop makers based on how many watts to charge a laptop and to ensure optimal performance.

For instance, gaming laptops demand higher power levels to operate correctly, which means that their batteries are bulkier and require more power to charge. Simple laptops, on the other hand, require less power to charge as they lack very sophisticated apps. Therefore, the two elements listed below must be anticipated in order to determine how many watts to charge a laptop. 

1. Battery

One of the primary distinctions between a desktop PC and a laptop is that the latter may function independently because of its battery.

Additionally, the battery capacity is often designed by the makers, taking into account how many watts to charge a laptop. As a result, batteries give a laptop's components all the power they need to function in standalone mode.

Comparably, the batteries in regular laptops are smaller.  Batteries typically have a capacity of between 50- and 90-watt hours. The laptop user handbook will tell you how many watts are needed to charge the device, so check your battery capacity there. The battery is like a laptop's energy reservoir. 

It comes with a capacity, usually measured in watt-hours (Wh). Think of it as a bucket that can hold a certain amount of water. The bigger the bucket (higher Wh), the more energy your laptop can store. So, if you've got a bigger battery, it might take more wattage to fill it up.

2. Charging Adapter

The laptop's charger is built by suppliers to meet the device's specifications and take into account the battery life. See the information on the sticker on the back of the charger to get a precise estimate of how many watts to charge a laptop. 

Since some parts, including graphic cards, require a lot of power to operate correctly, the charger's power rating is higher than the battery's capacity. In that scenario, it is necessary to plug in the charger before you begin playing games in order to significantly shorten the time it takes for the battery to deplete. 

The charging adaptor has a specific output, usually measured in watts (W). This tells you how fast it can pour energy into your laptop. If your adaptor can pour water (watts) faster than your laptop's bucket can hold (battery capacity), you'll get a quicker charge.

What is the In-demand Wattages of Laptop Chargers?

There are several wattages of laptop chargers available, depending on the power requirements of the particular laptop and how many watts to charge a laptop an explanation of the typical wattages and their uses is provided below:

1. Standard Wattage Chargers (45-65W):

These are like the regular, everyday chargers. They're good for most laptops you use for normal stuff like browsing, watching videos, and checking emails. 45W chargers are commonly used for mini devices including smart laptops, ultra books and net books.

2. High Wattage Chargers (90-140W):

These chargers are a bit more powerful. They're like turning the tap up a notch. They're good for laptops that need more power, maybe because they have fancier features or do heavier tasks like video editing or gaming. It can handle more demanding tasks without running out of battery too fast.

Their purpose is to offer computers with minimal consumption of electricity with a sufficient power source and to charge their batteries. These chargers are frequently seen with laptops that have lower performance requirements or some starting point laptops with energy-efficient processors, such as Intel's Core-M series.

The more popular 90W chargers are typically seen with affordable laptops, which use a moderate amount of power. Laptops with standard processors, such as AMD's Ryzen, can be powered by these chargers. These laptops usually feature low-power discrete GPUs or integrated graphics, which allow them to function well enough without requiring a large-wattage charger.

3. Super-high Wattage Chargers (200-300W):

Now, these chargers are like turning the power to the max. They are for gaming laptops with crazy graphics or heavy-duty workstations.  Typically, laptops that need 300W chargers are more powerful devices, such as multimedia or gaming machines. Dedicated graphics cards, potent processors, and extra parts like numerous storage drives or improved cooling systems are frequently included with these laptops. 

The 300W connectors are made to work with laptops that need more power to operate at peak efficiency and charge more quickly. These chargers are designed especially for mobile workstations or high-end gaming laptops with power-hungry components. These laptops frequently have strong, dedicated graphics cards, several storage drives, and top-tier processors. 

As a result, higher-wattage chargers are needed to supply the power and maintain the device's functionality. To support demanding jobs like generating 3D models, video editing, or playing graphically intensive games, these chargers are necessary to determine how many watts to charge a laptop. 

How to Check Laptop Charger Wattage?

Let's uncover the secret behind checking your laptop charger wattage. We will discuss the top three methods to calculate and check your laptop charger wattage. 

Method #1 Verifying the Power Brick of Your Charger

Taking out the laptop charger's power brick and measuring its laptop charger wattage is the simplest approach to find out how much it costs. Try searching for a "W" sign on your power adapter to locate the wattage area. The laptop charger wattage is shown by the number just next to the "W" mark on your charger.

Don't panic, though, if the wattage of your laptop charger isn't shown on your power brick. Companies frequently omit including the wattage information on their laptop chargers, but don't worry—there are alternative methods for determining your laptop's wattage.

Method #2 How Much Power Your Laptop Will Need

You'll need to pull out your calculator and perform some math in order to determine the laptop charger wattage. Traditionally, voltage and current usage have been displayed on laptops instead of watts. Consequently, you will need to perform some math in order to determine the watts on your laptop. Having said that, you can determine the voltage of your laptop by using the procedures listed below.

1.Access the Power Brick on your laptop.
2.Look for "Output" on the sticker on your Power Brick.
3.Make a note of your current and voltage to determine the laptop charger wattage.

Multiplying Volts and Amperes 

You need to ascertain your laptop's wattage after determining its voltage and current needs. A simple formula that you must use to determine the watts of your laptop is:

Volts * Amperes = Watts 

We'll walk you through an example to assist you better grasp the process. A laptop with a voltage of 19.5 volts and a current output of 3.34 amps will yield a result of 65.13 watts, or around 65 watts. You're set to go if you now complete the identical action with your laptop charger.

Method # 3 Looking through the Official Website

You can get the laptop charger wattage by going to its official website if you are unable to determine the voltage of your laptop or if you prefer not to compute its wattage. On almost every charger website, there is information on the power consumption of their devices.

Try checking other tech forums for your laptop's wattage if you're still having trouble locating it. There is a lot of misleading information on these forums, so exercise caution before browsing through them.

As we all know, there are many wattages available for laptop chargers; the usual range lies between 60 to 160 watts. A charger for a smaller battery might require about 60 watts, although gaming laptops might need more power.

How Many Watts Is Best for a Laptop Charger?

It's crucial to refer to the wattage estimate, or specifications supplied by the company that makes it in the instruction guide or on the device itself to find out how many watts a laptop uses while charging. While using a charger that is far more powerful than what is needed won't necessarily damage the laptop, it won't shorten the charging time either. However, using a charger that is less powerful than the one that came with the device could cause the battery to discharge more slowly or even break.

FAQs about Laptop charger wattage

Is 60W Enough to Charge a Laptop?

It depends on the specific power requirements of your laptop. How many watts to charge a laptop?  Many laptops can be charged with a 60W power adapter, but some high-performance laptops may require more power, such as 80W or 100W. Check your laptop's specifications or the manufacturer's recommendations to ensure that a 60W charger is sufficient. You should also check your laptop charger wattage before making any purchase. 

What is Power Delivery (PD) and Does the Wall Adapter Need it?

With the help of the Power Delivery (PD) charging standard, you may quickly charge your laptop or smartphone from 0% to 100% by using a charger that can generate greater voltages and currents. Indeed, the only charging method compatible with laptops is PD.

Having stated that a charger may not be able to charge your laptop merely because it supports PD. Numerous devices with power outputs ranging from 18 to 100 watts can incorporate PD technology. For example, the purpose of the 18-watt power transfer charger and the 18-watt PD Fast Charger is to quickly charge the battery on your cell phone, not the laptop you are using.

Do All Laptops Charge at the Same Speed?

It goes beyond the wall adapter's power capacity and laptop charger wattage. The laptop's power capacity also plays a major role in this. Various power inputs are supported by various laptops. 

For example, the most recent 16-inch MacBook Pros can handle up to 140 watts of power input, but the most recent MacBook Airs can only handle much less. This implies that regardless of how strong the charger's power output is, not every USB-C computer will be able to get charged at the same rate.

Furthermore, not every USB-C port is created equal. To be more precise, not every USB-C connector is compatible with charging or Power Delivery. Moreover, not all USB-C cables are PD-compatible. Therefore, there may be a problem with the connector for charging or the cable that you're using if your laptop won't charge even when it is plugged in.