Like every other category, the cell phone & laptop industry has also evolved exponentially in the recent past. If we look back a couple of decades ago, the percentage of people having cell phones was as low as 5%. Since then, people have shown interest in mobile technology, and now there are hundreds of companies producing millions of phones every month. Mobile phones are electronic products that need to be charged on time for further use. With the availability of numerous numbers of cell phone brands, there are multiple types of chargers as well.
Initially, when everyone had Nokia 3310 or any other Nokia phone, there was only one universal charger called Ac-18. As the phones evolved, companies started producing their types of chargers. In this article, we will explain each charger type in detail.
Different Types of Chargers
When we discuss types of chargers, there are a few things to clarify first. Either we are talking about the USB type or highlighting chargers that charge different devices. According to recent updates, types of charges include fast and light charging, wireless charging, and desktop charging. So let’s enlighten the types of USB chargers first.
USB is an abbreviation of Universal Serial Bus. Like there is a universal standard set to measure Mass in KG, distance in miles, and length in meters. Similarly, a cable standard is set to connect two devices, which we call USB. These cable standards were first developed in 1996. Since then, there has been a lot of development in the mobile industry. Hence, the standards have also evolved with time. Due to this evolution, you can not use Android chargers with iPhone, or even you can not use iPhone 3 chargers for iPhone 10.
Keep one thing in mind USB is not specified for charging only. It can help transfer files and charge electronic devices like mobile phones, controllers, and laptops. Speaking of laptops, we have guidance for you about the perfect specifications of a laptop in 2022.
Development of USB
The first ever USB produced was named USB 1.0. It was long ago when people used USB 1.0, and it is not difficult to find such a charger. The recent derivation of USB includes USB 2.0, 3.0, 3.1, and C-Type. Due to the variety of mobile phones available in the market, it is understandable that each mobile can require varying amounts of power to get charged. Types of USB chargers described here provide different amounts of electronic energy to charge your devices.
- USB 2.0 delivers 2.5W on average
- USB 3.0 charges devices with 4.5W
- USB 3.1 is to charge high-processing devices, that is why it provides 7.5W
- USB C is of further two types
1. Powered Delivery – 100W
2. Non-Powered Delivery – 15W
Types of USB Connectors or Phone Chargers
Connectors are the basic things that determine the importance of different types of chargers. You must have seen a recent development in the Connectors field where a new USB-C type has been introduced that charges the most recent electronic devices. Before type-C, there used to be only two types of chargers/connectors. One was usually used for all android phones, and the other type was used for iPhones. Let’s discuss the types of connectors in detail;
Type – A
All the mobile phones or controller chargers have this Type-A on one end of the USB. This end is always used to connect to the adapter side, which is plugged into any switch. So if you charge your devices through laptops or personal computers, Type-A is a connector you use to plug into a USB port. The other side of the USB can be of any type( B or C) but can never be type-A.
Type-A has a rectangular area with pins on the bottom, which helps you connect it to any PC, adapter, or laptop. The host also has a rectangular port with hooks on the upper part, completing the connection when the USB cable is plugged in.
Type – B
Type B USB cables are usually used to connect more significant devices than phones. For example, if your office has a printer, check the connecting wire between the printer and the PC. On the PC end, you will see a type-A connector, while the connector connected to the printer consists of Type-B. Similarly, connecting a scanner with a laptop or PC needs Type-A & type-B connectors.
Besides printers and scanners, type-B helps connect your laptop with an external hard disk called a storage device. In most cases, you will see only one combination, which is Type A and Type B, but in some cases, you’ll see Type B on both ends.
Mini – B – Old Phone Charger Types
As the name of this charger type suggests, Mini B is a slightly smaller version of the original Type B. The shape of the Mini B connector is exactly the same as the actual type B, while the only difference between them is varying size. Mini-B is also rarely available in the market because these connectors helped us charge cameras or phones like Motorola in the past. However, as there is high development seen in recent digital cameras and Motorola phones have also vanished from the scene, Mini-B has become extremely rare.
Micro – B
If you do a survey in the Middle East or Asia, 90 out of 100 people use a Micro B connector to charge their mobile phone. Right now, type C is quickly overtaking the market by replacing Micro B. Only a few years ago; android had not issued type-C chargers and slots in their mobile phones. At that time, all the android chargers had Micro B connector-type slots. Now android is slowly eradicating Micro B by shifting its mobile ports to Type C.
Type – C
Type C is the latest development among the chargers universe. In Micro B, users found difficulty connecting the charger to the phone. You must have used Micro B and faced a problem connecting the charger to the phone. Type C eliminates that difficulty, and now you can put a type C charger in without taking care of the up or downside of the connector.
In Micro B, people had to take care of Facing up or down the connector, which also caused defection in the connectors or the mobile ports. Moreover, Micro B could be connected from one side only, while the Type-C connectors are good enough to be connected either way.
Types of Phone Chargers – Placement Wise
We have discussed connector types earlier, and now we will see charger types that allow you to charge your electronic devices differently.
Wall Charger | Different Type of Charger
A wall charger is usually compatible with a specific mobile phone from a particular brand. However, you can not charge any phone with the help of a wall charger. This charger didn’t work out well and is slowly fading away from the market due to its limited usage. One flaw is that you will have to place the phone near the wall socket, which prohibits you from using the phone during charging. Secondly, you can not charge your friend’s phone with this wall charger at all unless and until your friend comes up with his wall charger.
Personal Computer Chargers
Sometimes people find their adapters or sockets defective. With a budget shortage, they try to find another alternative to charge their phone. In this case, they need to extract the USB cable from the adapter and plug it into any USB port of a personal computer or laptop. In some offices, there are limited slots to charge mobile phones. PC chargers come in handy in such cases. Although the computer charges your phones slower than actual chargers, it still does the required work.
Car/Bike Charger
Forgetting to turn the switch of a wall charger on is most people’s biggest fear. You usually charge your mobile to complete for a couple of hours whenever you have to stay away from home or travel long distances. What if you forgot to turn the switch on? You will need a car or a bike charger to keep your phone at least on to tackle worst-case scenarios. If you are traveling by car for over 3 hours, the latest cars can charge your phone to 100% within 3 hours.
Power bank | Types of Phone Chargers
Just like you can export your laptop, mobile, or PC’s data to an external storage device, a Power bank stores energy to help you charge your phones when you are traveling or when there is a power outage. Power banks are getting popular lately among those who travel a lot. The power bank needs 304 hours of charging, allowing you to charge more than one phone at a time using multiple USB connectors. You only need to worry about Power Bank to buy the best product because there are many fake outlets selling the worst items as well.
Types of Chargers – Recent Developments
Some local technologies are working exceptionally well to make life easy for mobile phone users. For example, these regional bodies have made some impressive developments in the chargers category. Let’s discuss some of their appreciable products.
Fast Charger | Android Charger Type
As the name suggests, these chargers are good enough to shorten the total time needed to charge a phone completely. As described earlier, these chargers are not supplied by authorized brands, but local product manufacturing companies make these chargers. 10% of their products prove good, while the rest damage the phone’s battery.
The only better application of a fast charger is to use it when you are in an emergency. However, if you make a routine of charging your phone with a fast charger daily, you may end up bearing a heavy loss.
Lightning Charger | Phone Charger Types
If you are a regular or a newbie in the iPhone world, your phone’s charger is of lightning technology. Apple produced this charger that could charge phones quickly, and while plugging it into the phone, you could connect it on either side. Later, type-C copied the technique, which is now being used in the latest mobile phones produced by android.
Qi Charger
Qi is a unique technology recently launched to charge mobile without using a USB cable. The charger itself is connected to a socket but not to your phone. You just need to place your phone on the wireless charger, ensuring the phone is facing upwards. The most recently produced mobile phones, whether iPhone or android, sustain with Qi technology. As per our experience, this technique takes more time to charge a phone than the other technique.
Buying Guide for Different Types of Chargers
After a whole discussion of different types of chargers in this article, you must clearly know which type of charger would suit you the best. Then, we will specify some specifications you need to take care of while buying a newer charger for your cell phone or any other electronic device.
- Check out your phone or device’s specification manual first to know how many watts your phone needs to get charged properly. If your charger supplies more watts than the required limit, the phone’s battery will die soon.
- After the watts, you need to see the protocols defined by your phone manufacturer. Some phones prohibit charging from a charger of any other brand. On the other hand, many phones get charged with a third-party connector.
- Once you have met the protocol and power requirements, you can go to buy the selected charger.
After buying a charger, you can test its performance every week with the help of some mobile apps like Ampere and Inward.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Different Types of Phone Chargers?
Chargers are of various types depending on the purpose. The most common styles include a mobile phones, laptops, and controller chargers. Inside the Phone category, we have type-A, type-B, and type-C chargers designed to charge various generations of mobile phones. Latest phones get charged with the help of type-C.
How many types of chargers are there?
From the start to the date, chargers have been of 4 different types. Type-A is available in almost every charger. Type-B was initially used to connect scanners and printers with personal computers or laptops. Mini-B chargers are the recent forms of Type-B, while Micro-B chargers have already occupied the phone world. Finally, type-C is the latest charger type which is slowly overtaking Micro-B technology.
What are android chargers called?
Android chargers are usually known as Micro-B USB cables. These USBs allow you to charge android phones as well as gaming controllers. Micro-B is a refined form of Type-B and Mini-B. You can connect it to the phone only one way, either facing upside or downside depending on the phone’s charging slot.
What is the difference between C Type charger and a normal charger?
The most common difference between a Type-C charger and a standard android charger is that an android charger can be connected to a mobile phone in one possible way, either facing upwards or downwards. On the other hand, in type-C, you can plug it inside the device either way.
Final Words on Types of Chargers
With all this discussion, we have described all types of chargers related to the electronics field. Multiple electronic devices need to be charged to keep performing continuously. The most common devices are cell phones, laptops, and gaming controllers. Cell phones require micro-B or Type-C chargers to get charged, while gaming controllers follow the same pattern. Laptop chargers are a little different from the other devices.