Choetech 18W USB-C PD fast charger review: You get what you pay for
USB-C technology used to be expensive. This is no longer the case, as various brands are quickly driving down the price of USB-C gadgets and accessories, including Choetech out of Shenzhen, China.
The company’s 18W USB-C Power Delivery (PD) charger is one of the most affordable and widely available adapters on the market. But is it any good? We’ll take you through the pros and cons in Android Authority‘s Choetech 18W USB-C PD fast charger review.
See also: The best phone charging accessories
What you need to know about the Choetech 18W USB-C PD fast charger
- Choetech USB-C charger 18W: $12.99/€12.99/£12.99/Rs. 1,899
Choetech’s 18W USB-C charger is an affordable option for those looking for a simple replacement phone charger. With USB PD 3.0 and Quick Charge 3.0 standards supported over a single USB-C port, this adapter should have you covered for charging the vast majority of your gadgets.
18W of power is not a tremendous amount by modern fast-charging standards and certainly isn’t enough for fast-charging laptops and larger tablets that require at least 45W. However, 18W will cover a lot of Quick Charge and USB-C gadgets, including phones and the Nintendo Switch. The supported power modes at 5V 3A, 9V 2A, and 12V 1.5A.
The Choetech USB-C charger 18W is available in black and white color options, depending on the region. The US model measures 45 x 26 x 68mm, including the prongs. It’s a nice and compact charger.
What’s good?
At $12.99, you’ll struggle to find a cheaper charger on the market that supports a decent range of gadgets. If you’ve lost or need to replace a similarly specced adapter, Cheotech’s offer is very hard to beat in terms of value for money.
The design is very compact and perfect as a travel companion. It is also sturdy for the price. This little plug definitely feels like it could survive a drop or two. The plastic coating won’t scratch easily if left in your travel bag, either.
What’s not so good?
The Choetech USB-C charger 18W will work with all the gadgets you throw at it. However, when testing the speed of a range of high-end and more affordable smartphones from the past couple of years, getting the full 18W was much more hit or miss.
| Chotech 18W USB-C PD Test | Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus | Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max | Google Pixel 5 | ZTE Axon 11 | LG G8X | Huawei P40 Pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USB Power Test | 13.9W / 25W | 17.8W / 20W | 16.8 / 18W | 12.8 / 18W | 11.7 / 21W | 11.75/40W |
| Voltage & Current | 8.88V, 1.56A | 9.05V, 1.97A | 9.06V, 1.85A | 8.95V, 1.43A | 4.91V, 2.39A | 9.11V, 1.29A |
| Charging Standard | USB PD 3.0 | USB PD 3.0 | USB PD 2.0 | USB PD | Quick Charge | USB PD |
| Power from wall | 18W | 22.4W | 21.1W | 16.2W | 16.2W | 14.5W |
| Energy Efficiency | 77.0%, OK. | 79.6%, OK. | 79.4%, OK. | 79%, OK. | 79%, OK. | 81%, good. |
There’s no USB PD PSS protocol to fast charge modern Samsung phones. USB PD devices, such as Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Pixel series, will hit close to the full 18W. These are definitely the best products to use the Choetech with.
However, those that rely on Quick Charge or other standards won’t hit anywhere near their rated speeds. Those devices hit just about 12W from the plug. I don’t believe the port supports Quick Charge 3.0 as an independent standard, rather it’s running some form of backward compatibility. This isn’t uncommon with USB PD ports but is worth noting given that Choetech advertises Quick Charge 3.0 support on the box and only has a single port available.
The Choetech USB-C charger 18W charger isn’t that efficient at converting power from the wall to your phone either. 79% on average is below what we’ve seen from USB-C GaN chargers that are increasingly common in the market.
Choetech 18W USB-C PD fast charger review: Should I buy it?
Choetech 18W USB-C PD fast charger is a solid charger providing you’re looking to only power up USB PD gadgets that require no more than 18W of power. This includes only a handful of gadgets, including the Google Pixel 5 and Nintendo Switch.
Choetech's charger is a great buy if you're on a budget and looking to charge a handful of very specific devices.
Newer smartphones will benefit from slightly more powerful chargers and Galaxy S21 owners will want a charger with USB PD PPS support. Meanwhile, older Quick Charge gadgets will see faster speeds from a different charger with a compatible USB-A port. It will still charge these products, but not as quickly as you might expect.
At $12.99, Choetech’s little charger was never going to offer all the bells and whistles. It’s a great buy if you’re on a budget and looking to charge a handful of very specific devices. Those looking for a more universal powerful future-proof USB plug will want to look elsewhere.
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