Universal Laptop Charger Buying Guide

Laptops are essential tools for various activities, including work, creativity, entertainment, and education. A reliable charger is critical to maintaining productivity and avoiding interruptions. Choosing the right charger can be overwhelming with the variety of types, specifications, and features available. This guide provides the insights necessary to make an informed decision.

Why Finding the Right Charger Matters

Using another laptop’s charger may permanently damage your laptop, especially if the voltage is different. The replacement charger must have the same output values (volts & amps) as the original, plus the connector obviously has to physically fit the input connector on the laptop (they are not "one size fits all"). Battery voltage is nothing to go by because the charger is also an AC adapter - it has to be able to power the laptop direct from the mains socket as well as charging the battery.

Step 1: Identifying Your Laptop Charger's Model Number

You can find the laptop charger’s model among your AC adapter’s specs. Look for the word “Model”. The alphabets and numbers after it is the model number. For example, if you have a Dell’s AC adapter, the charger’s model might be “LA65NS2-01”. Next, just Google the model. The page would be filled with links to product listings from different marketplaces, such as Amazon and eBay. Click into one of them, and you will be able to see all the details of the replacement laptop charger.

Step 2: Verifying Pin Type, Diameter, and Output

Finding a replacement charger just by using a charger model alone is RISKY because sometimes, the same model has a few different pin diameters or outputs. If the pin type or size is wrong, it’ll never fit into your laptop’s pin socket to charge it. If the output voltage is wrong, you’ll risk permanently damaging your laptop’s components. So to really confirm that the replacement you’re getting is the right laptop charger, its pin type, diameter and output must match with your original laptop charger’s. Of all the info, these are the two you need to verify:

Pin Type & Diameter
Output (Voltage, Ampere, Wattage)

Pin Type and Diameter

To not overcomplicate things, Microsoft Surface & MacBook are excluded from this guide. Their connectors are unique and should be easy to identify. So that leaves us with only two categories of pin: slim tip & round tip. If you have a Lenovo laptop, chances are you’re using a slim tip pin, which usually only has 1 size. So the only thing you need to get right is the charger’s output. If your laptop uses a round tip pin, you’ll need to measure the original charger’s outer and inner diameter. Most laptop charger’s listings will include the laptop connector sizes in the product description or specification table. It will be listed in outer diameter x inner diameter format. For example: 4.5*3.0mm or sometimes 4530. Now, you need to measure your original laptop pin’s outer and inner diameters, and compare it with the replacement laptop charger’s diameters. And they both have to be exactly the same, or it won’t fit at all. You can use either a ruler or measurement tape.

Laptop Charger's Output (Voltage, Ampere, Wattage)

To get the output, just look at your AC adapter for “Output“. For example, the output for the laptop charger above is 19.5V x 3.33A. And the formula is Wattage = Voltage x Ampere.

Just for the sake of getting a replacement, you’ll want your output specs to be exactly the same for your original and replacement laptop charger. But if you must know, only the output voltage needs to be the same (or not more than 1V difference from your original laptop charger). For Ampere and Wattage, they CANNOT be lower. But you can use chargers with higher Ampere and Wattage.

In summary:

Look at your original AC adapter. Find its “Model” so you can look for replacements on Google.
Check your original laptop charger’s pin diameters and output, and compare them with specs from online marketplaces. Make sure they are the same.

Step 3: Choosing Your Laptop Charger's Replacement

You’ll have two options: getting the OEM/3rd party version of your laptop charger OR a universal charger.

Getting the OEM or 3rd Party Laptop Charger

To get a 3rd party laptop charger, just click through any of the search results that lead to online marketplaces (Amazon, eBay, etc), and order one. And it’s all done! As for a replacement from the original manufacturer (OEM), it might be hard to source or even expensive. There are two types of OEM laptop chargers:

AC adapters that are manufactured by 3rd party for the laptop brand. (Common ones are LiteON, ACBEL, and Delta.)
AC adapters that are manufactured by the laptop brand itself. (Usually the case for Samsung, Lenovo, and HP)

To start looking for one, first look at the branded logo on your original AC adapter. Scenario 1: OEM laptop charger is manufactured by a 3rd party Your best bet is to Google “OEM brand name laptop charger model” to look for any supplier. Using the example above, it’d be “liteon pa-1900-34”. But this method is not foolproof. You might end up getting a fake OEM laptop charger, as the genuine and fake version can be very hard to tell apart. A fake version might be missing a few safety features, which may cause permanent damage to your laptop. Alternatively, you can also source a replacement charger from a computer or electronics store. Just bring your laptop and original laptop charger along.

Universal Laptop Chargers

Most universal chargers come with both USB-C port for high power devices and USB-A port for low power devices. You can get adapters that convert USB-C connector to laptop pin connector that fits in your laptop. So for example, if you have a 65W USB-C charger, you can charge every device that has a power requirement equal to or lower than 65W power: earbuds, smartphones, tablets, cameras, and a wide range of laptops.

Items you need to use universal charger with laptop:

Universal USB-C charger (with equal or higher power rating)
USB-C cable (with equal or higher power rating)
USB-C to Laptop Pin Adapter (pick one that matches your original charger’s pin type and diameters)

Choosing a Portable Laptop Charger

Searching for the best laptop charger that blends efficiency with a hassle-free experience? Starting at just $4.31 and backed by hundreds of orders, these chargers offer a pocket-friendly, travel-ready solution to keep you powered up. Whether you need a quick pick for daily use or a solid choice to stash in your bag, these laptop chargers hit the sweet spot.

Key Considerations

Adjustable Voltage: Look for a universal laptop charger that offers adjustable voltage settings, making it a packable, wallet-wise companion for most popular laptop brands.
Fast Charging: Consider adapters offering 65W fast charging with USB-C PD for compatible laptops like Asus and Huawei.
Safety Features: Opt for universal chargers featuring overcharge and temperature protection, delivering smart power that’s safe and compatible with many notebooks.
Compact Design: A 65W wall charger is a travel-tough, option for certain ASUS tablets, offering quick power in a compact design.
Durability: Most laptop chargers on this list are crafted for longevity with built-in protections against overcurrent and heat.

Tips for Maintaining Your Charger

Pack your charger with its cable neatly coiled and, whenever possible, use the included carrying bag.
Look for chargers with swappable connectors or USB-C PD capability for versatile, wallet-wise compatibility.
Store your charger in a dry, cool place away from sharp bends or heavy pressure.

Top Picks for Portable Laptop Chargers

Portable laptop chargers aren’t just for laptops. Since they’re power banks with AC outlets, they can provide power to virtually any device that draws up to about 100 watts - such as a room fan, floor lamp, air mattress pump, or ice cream maker. But since most people who buy these chargers are mainly looking to charge their laptops while working remotely, we wrote this guide with them in mind. Even someone who is rarely away from their desk might want a portable laptop charger in case of a blackout or other emergency. A portable laptop charger will provide more power in that scenario than a USB power bank. If you want to charge lots of different devices, or a single power-hungry device, for more than a few hours - or if you have critical electronics that require a pure sine wave inverter, such as a CPAP machine - you should get a portable power station.

Key Features to Consider:

Light and compact design: We gave preference to smaller, lighter models since they’re easier to bring to a coffee shop or on a plane.
At least one fast-charging port: USB-C Power Delivery (PD) ports are starting to replace older USB-C and USB-A ports, in part because they can transmit up to 100 W (compared with just 15 W over standard USB-C and 12 W over USB-A). This means, with the right cable, they can charge a laptop or other compatible device about as fast as an AC outlet would.
At least one USB-A port: Even though USB-C is becoming more common, most people still have standard USB-A charging cables, so we insisted that our picks have at least one USB-A port.
Reliable support: If you’re spending hundreds of dollars on something and depending on it in tight situations, you want to know that the manufacturer is reputable and reachable in case something goes wrong.
A cost of no more than $300: Based on the range of prices we saw, this is what we think someone would reasonably want to spend on a work-related purchase.

Testing Methodology:

We toted each portable charger around in backpacks and laptop bags to see if it would be convenient to carry every day.

Maximum power output: To test the maximum power output of each model, we connected each one to a Kill A Watt power meter and an array of light-bulb sockets. We screwed in 20 W halogen bulbs one by one until the charger overloaded and shut down. Then we recorded the maximum wattage reading on the power meter.
How many times each charger could recharge a laptop: We started with a fully depleted 2015 13-inch MacBook Air and a fully charged portable laptop charger. Once the charger had juiced the laptop enough for it to power on, we maxed out the screen brightness and played a loop of high-resolution railway footage on YouTube. We let it run until the portable charger died or the laptop reached a full charge. If the laptop reached 100% before the portable charger died, we fully drained the laptop again and repeated the test with the partially charged portable charger to find the combined total number of recharges.
Ability to charge a 15-inch MacBook: To make sure all of the chargers could power a large, high-powered laptop, we connected them to a 15-inch MacBook Pro that normally uses an 87 W power adapter and checked the Mac System Report to make sure it wasn’t struggling to get enough power.
Look and feel: We picked the chargers up, stuffed them into a crammed backpack, and carried them around to see how they would fit into our lives. We also assessed extra features, such as a screen or battery-status lights.

Top Picks:

Top pick: Mophie Powerstation Pro AC: The Mophie Powerstation Pro AC is the best portable charger with an AC outlet for people who want to charge a laptop (or other devices drawing up to 100 W) while on the go. It’s supremely powerful, has great battery life, and it’s the only model we’ve tested with multiple fast-charging USB-C PD ports as well as a standard USB-A port. It supplies a lot of power. This Mophie model has the best AC output of the models we’ve tested, cranking out 174 W to our array of halogen bulbs. This is more than enough power to charge most laptops while they’re in use, even heavy-duty business or gaming laptops. It has great battery life. With a rated capacity of 27,000 mAh (or about 97.2 Wh), the Mophie comes very close to the TSA’s maximum capacity limit for spare batteries without exceeding it. In our testing, this model was able to charge our test laptop 1.9 times. It charges and recharges fast. To recharge itself, the Mophie has a USB-C PD port rated for 60 W input and output. The unit also has a second, slightly less-powerful USB-C PD port, which is handy for charging a phone or other small device. It’s about the size of a paperback. It has a sleek, upscale look. It has helpful battery-status lights. It has excellent build quality. It’s a great value. It has a longer warranty than other options.
- Flaws but not dealbreakers: It’s on the heavier side. It doesn’t come with a wall charger. It has only one USB-A port.
Best if you want a designated wall charger: ChargeTech Premium 27K AC: If you want something that comes with its own wall charger, without losing many of the features or capabilities of our top pick, get the ChargeTech Premium 27K AC. It has plenty of power. Like our top pick, this model can charge even large, professional-grade laptops without breaking a sweat. It’s also the only model we tested with a USB-C PD port that's powerful enough to fast-charge the latest MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models. Like our top pick, the ChargeTech has a single USB-A port, which is handy for charging a phone, wireless headphones, or other small device - albeit more slowly than a USB-C port. It has great battery life. Just like our top pick, the ChargeTech has a rated capacity of 27,000 mAh, and it performed just as well as that model in our capacity tests. It has a screen. This model has a simple display on the front that shows when the unit is powered on, as well as the percentage of battery life remaining. It has multiple recharging options. Unlike our top pick, the ChargeTech can be recharged over DC as well as USB-C. It’s small and lightweight.
- Flaws but not dealbreakers: Its warranty is on the shorter side. It doesn’t seem especially well-made. It comes with a charger, but it’s bulky.
Best if you want an informative screen: Omnicharge Omni 20+: The Omnicharge Omni 20+ is one of very few available options with wireless charging, as well as a screen showing helpful information like input/output power and operating temperature. It’s also the lightest of our picks. However, it’s pricier and less powerful than our other picks. Its screen is bright and informative, if sometimes cluttered. It can charge your phone wirelessly (but slowly). It’s exceptionally compact and lightweight. It has well-spaced ports. It has an AC outlet on one side, and USB-C PD and DC input/output ports on another. On a third side, you’ll find two USB-A output ports, the OLED display screen, and control buttons to toggle various ports on and off. It has an upscale look and feel. It’s relatively durable.
- Flaws but not dealbreakers: Its warranty is on the shorter side. It’s the least powerful of our picks. It has the lowest capacity, too. It comes with cables but not a wall charger. None of its ports are protected. It’s not cheap. But as the brand’s name suggests, this model also offers…

FAQ

What should I do if my laptop charger is missing?

If your laptop charger has gone missing, you can still find the correct replacement by identifying your laptop’s model. To clarify, you need the specific model name, like “Lenovo Yoga 500-14ACL”. Not the range like “Lenovo Yoga 500”. Because different models in a range may use laptop chargers with different voltage or wattage.

Here’s how to find laptop model:

A. Look at your laptop’s underside Usually, you’ll be able to find it under your laptop. If the texts on the underside has been blurred or rubbed off, you can then …

B. Power on your laptop & find it in System Information For Windows users: While on Desktop, press ⊞+Q or click on the Search Bar Type “System Information“ Look for “System Model”. For example “81JS” With your system model, you can easily find your laptop’s model by just looking it up on Google.

Then, you’ll only need to Google for the laptop charger for your specific model. For example “ThinkPad P16 Gen 1 AC adapter” or “81js laptop charger”. Both search queries will pull out laptop chargers from online marketplaces, just like in Step 1.

Can you use a different or higher wattage charger for laptop?

Yes. BUT with the following conditions: You CANNOT use a charger with a higher or lower voltage. More specifically, the difference cannot exceed 1V, whether it’s higher or lower. Or else, your laptop may overheat and shut down; or worse, it damages your laptop’s battery and circuitry. For example, your original laptop charger has a voltage rating of 20V. You still can use a charger that supplies between 19V - 21V. However, you can use a charger with higher amperage or wattage. (But never lower.) Here’s why: Unlike voltage, the laptop will only draw the amount of current (A) and power (W) it needs. The amount drawn depends on the running application(s); and the original charger’s wattage rating is the maximum power the laptop will ever draw as calculated by the manufacturer. If you use a lower ampere charger, your laptop may not charge at all or extremely slowly.

Question from Joanne_16 : "Can I use a universal laptop charger on my asus laptop? Iv lost the original charger for my asus laptop I'm wondering if I can buy a universal laptop charger? And if so ..will any universal charger do?"

Replacement charger must have the same output values (volts & amps) as the original, plus the connector obviously has to physically fit the input connector on the laptop (they are not "one size fits all"). Battery voltage is nothing to go by because the charger is also an AC adapter - it has to be able to power the laptop direct from the mains socket as well as charging the battery. Probably.

Additional Charger FAQs

What is the ideal wattage for a laptop charger? The ideal wattage depends on your laptop's power requirements. Most standard laptops require chargers with 45-65 watts, while high-performance laptops may need 90 watts or more.
Are universal chargers safe to use? Yes, universal chargers are designed to work with multiple laptop models. Check the charger's specifications, including voltage, wattage, and connector type, to ensure compatibility with your laptop.
Are fast chargers safe for laptops? Yes, fast chargers are safe if they include built-in safety features such as overcurrent protection and temperature control. Look for chargers with overcurrent protection, overvoltage protection, short-circuit protection, and temperature control.
Is it okay to use a charger with higher wattage? Yes, using a charger with higher wattage is generally safe as long as the voltage matches your laptop's requirements.
Are portable chargers effective for laptops? Portable chargers, such as power banks, can be effective if they provide sufficient wattage and voltage for your laptop.
How long does a high-quality charger last? A high-quality charger can last several years with proper care.
Are USB-C chargers better than traditional chargers? USB-C chargers are more versatile and compact, supporting faster charging and compatibility with multiple devices.
What type of charger do gaming laptops need? Gaming laptops require chargers with high wattage (90 watts or more) to support their power-hungry components.
Can I use my laptop while it’s charging? Yes, you can use your laptop while it’s charging.
What are foldable prongs and are they useful? Foldable prongs enhance portability by reducing the charger's size and preventing damage during transport.
How should I clean my laptop charger? Use a soft, dry cloth to clean the charger and cables.
Can I use a different brand of charger for my laptop? Yes, as long as the charger matches your laptop's voltage, wattage, and connector type.
What is the difference between charging speed and power output? Charging speed refers to how quickly a charger can recharge your laptop, while power output is the amount of energy the charger delivers.
How should I store my laptop charger? Store your charger in a cool, dry place and avoid bending or twisting the cables.
Are there wireless chargers for laptops? Wireless chargers for laptops are not widely available due to the high power requirements of laptops.

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