What are Quick Charge and Power Delivery (PD) chargers and cables, and why do you need them?

Technology seems to move at the speed of electricity these days. New innovations flow like current to make your life easier and your tasks quicker. Chargers and cables for your smartphone, tablet, laptop and other wireless devices keep getting better, faster and safer too.

But with so many charging acronyms floating about – USB, USB-C, QC, PD – well, it can get downright confusing. So let’s break it down for you, so you know which charger and cable is right for your gizmos and your lifestyle.

Once upon a time just about every rechargeable thing in your daily life got its energy from the standard USB charger and cable. Its 5-volt output was commonly referred to as “Fast Charge.” That old standby still has a place in our lives, particularly with older devices. Think of it as the Granddaddy of today’s more sophisticated chargers and cables.

As the world changed and devices evolved with larger screens and higher battery capacities, the need for faster, more powerful recharging emerged. In 2015 an electronics innovator named Qualcomm unveiled some fresh technology aptly named Quick Charge.

They bumped the standard 5V/2A charging output up to 5, 9 and 12V. Suddenly, devices engineered to accept the Quick Charge power were recharging up to 4 times faster than 5V USB! In addition to that speed, the Quick Charge design incorporated a controller chip that regulates the flow of electricity to your battery. This prevents dangerous current spikes while temperature and voltage controls keep your charger running within safe parameters.

Accessory brands like Outdoor Tech immediately recognized the power of Quick Charge technology and earned Qualcomm’s certification. Today, Outdoor Tech chargers, power stations and QC-compatible charging cables prove that Quick Charge is here to stay.

PD stands for Power Delivery, and it beats Quick Charge by 8 volts. Which means PD can support voltages as high as 20V at up to a 100W maximum. That’s a lot of juice!

The most famous brand to adopt PD is Apple® with a USB-C to Lightning adapter. Many Android, Google and Samsung devices support PD as well. Charging time with USB-C PD is up to 70% faster than with standard 5W USB charging. If you require a fast battery boost, a quick 10-minute charge with USB-C PD can be all you need.

As previously mentioned, USB-C PD outputs up to 100W. This makes it ideal for charging everything from your iPhone to larger devices like iPads and even your MacBook. All you need is the right wall charger and a USB-C PD charging cable like many bearing the Outdoor Tech brand.

Perhaps the coolest thing about PD, beyond its wicked-fast charging, is how intelligent the technology is. When two USB-C PD devices plug into each other, they enter into a sort of power agreement. Each knows the power level of the other, and they can each either source or receive the output.

For safety, USB-C PD circuitry is specially designed to carry this increased wattage without fear of damage or overheating. So rest easy knowing your expensive PD-supported devices are safe and sound.

There you have it, the latest charging acronyms broken down… until the next technological breakthrough in charges and cables comes rolling in. When that happens, trusted brands like Outdoor Tech will have your back.