PD or Power Delivery is a universal standard that goes well with smartphones, laptops, and other devices. When it comes to a PD charger, we have two options: a normal PD charger or a Gallium Nitride PD charger, popularly known as a GaN PD charger. So, here in this, GaN PD charger vs a Normal PD Charger article, I’ll be talking all about the similarities, and differences and help you choose the best one between the two.
GaN PD Charger vs a Normal PD Charger:
Introduction to GaN Chargers
A GaN charger is a type of charger that uses Gallium Nitride (GaN) as its semiconductor material, composed of the elements Gallium (Ga) and Nitrogen (N). Unlike normal chargers that use silicon semiconductors, GaN chargers support higher voltages, manage greater power densities, and offer better power conversion efficiency.
Types of GaN Chargers
Although built on the same Gallium Nitride material inside, GaN chargers can be classified into two types: GaN PD chargers and GaN Non-PD chargers.
The GaN PD charger, I’m referring to in this article, is the one that compulsorily has a USB-C output port, which is the base for the USB-Power Delivery standard. It can also have multiple USB-C ports and a USB-Type A port with Quick Charge protocol as well. Which can charge supported laptops via USB-C to USB-C medium, other than smartphones, TWS, or smartwatches.
Therefore, the GaN PD Charger herein, shouldn’t be confused with a non-PD GaN charger that doesn’t use the PD protocol, boasting a USB Type-A port instead of a Type-C output port. The most happening example of a non-PD GaN charger is the Xiaomi 120W HyperCharge GaN charger with a single USB-A port. It uses Quick Charge protocol and boasts no USB-C port.
Now that we have learned the difference between a GaN PD charger and a GaN Non-PD charger, let’s understand the PD protocol and USB-Type-C port which is the common ground for both a GaN PD charger and a normal PD charger.
USB PD Protocol
USB Power Delivery (PD) is a fast-charging standard designed to provide efficient and adaptable power delivery via USB connections. It allows devices to communicate with the power source to negotiate the optimal voltage and current, delivering up to 240W based on the device’s needs. This protocol ensures safe and efficient charging for various gadgets like smartphones, laptops, and tablets, and supports bidirectional power transfer, enabling devices to charge each other. Integrated into USB-C technology, PD simplifies charging by reducing the need for multiple chargers and enhancing compatibility across devices.
It is supported by iPhones, iPads, Samsung Galaxy phones, and Google Pixel phones. Also, it is cross-compatible with HyperCharge-supported phones from Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco, Honor’s Super charge protocol, and Motorola’s Turbo Power protocol.
What is a GaN PD Charger?
A GaN PD charger is essentially a type of PD charger (USB-C to USB-C) that uses a semiconductor made up of Gallium (Ga) and Nitrogen (N) as aforementioned. Due to this, it enjoys the perks of having better heat dissipation, greater power conversion, and efficiency. As of the current market scene, we can find a GaN PD charger that can deliver up to 140W of power.
What is a Normal PD Charger?
A Normal Power Delivery charger uses a USB-C port for output. Its semiconductor is made up of silicon materials with lesser power efficiency. It supports fast charging via a USB-C to USB-C connection and can provide up to 100W of power. A normal power adapter with a USB-C port can be termed a PD charger, to put into common words. Some normal PD chargers also have a USB-A port.
Comparing a GaN PD Charger and a Normal PD Charger
Size
The primary advantage of a GaN charger is that, it comes in a more smaller form factor. And for a GaN PD charger, it remains the same. So, it has a lightweight body in comparison to a normal PD charger, making it easier to carry on day-to-day usage. Plus despite the smaller size, it can deliver fast charging for your smartphones and laptop alike. Looking at the current market scene, we can get up to 140W power GaN chargers. Meanwhile, PD chargers can also do that, but they tend to come with a heavier body and boast power up to 100W.
Let’s just look at this image, the white charger is a normal 65W PD charger from Realme and the other one is a 65W RoboGaN PD charger from Ugreen. The former one is bigger and heavier than the latter. And that pretty much sums up the difference in terms of size.
Heat Dissipation and Efficiency
Normal PD chargers can get hot quite quickly while charging multiple devices or a single device requiring higher wattage power. Meanwhile, GaN PD chargers convert AC to DC power with higher efficiency than normal PD chargers with silicon-based semiconductors. So, it can dissipate heat much better than the normal ones. This is also applicable for a non-PD GaN charger.
Protocols
Both the GaN PD charger and a normal PD charger rely on the same Power Delivery protocol. This is a widely popular protocol that can fast charge your iPhone, Samsung, Pixel phones, Macbook, and other PD-supported devices. But let me remind you, it also depends upon the wattage power of the chargers. Like, a device needing 100W of PD must be charged by a 100W GaN PD or a normal 100W PD charger, to leverage the maximum charging speed, as simple as that! But some GaN PD chargers with multiple ports also come with USB-A ports, having Quick Charge support which is pretty handy for supported devices.
Meanwhile, normal PD chargers can also have support for other protocols. For example, OnePlus and Oppo also bundle PD chargers with USB-C to USB-C connection, (not to be confused with USB-A to USB-C chargers) in the box for their flagship phones. This is actually a bit different than normal PD chargers. Because you get support for PD and Oppo/OnePlus/Realme’s SuperVOOC charging protocols via the same USB-C port. The same goes for Vivo and iQOO PD chargers which support PD plus FlashCharge support.
Ports
A normal GaN PD charger usually comes with a single USB-C port. But with the price increase, you can also find GaN PD chargers with multiple ports such as 3x USB-C and 1x USB-A port, or 2x USB-C and 1x USB-A port and such. So you can charge up to four devices at a time, that too at high efficiency and better heat dissipation. So, a 140W GaN PD charger can charge a Macbook Air (30W), two Galaxy S24 smartphones (25W), Redmi 14C (18W), and a TWS at the same time. In contrast, a normal PD charger usually comes with a single USB-C port and sometimes 1x USB-A and 1x USB-C port. But while charging multiple devices, it would heat up pretty swiftly.
Safety features
A GaN PD charger from a trusted brand comes with multiple layers of safety measures. For example, the Ugreen 100W Uno GaN charger includes protection against overcurrent, overvoltage, short circuit, overtemperature, overpower, and such. In comparison, a normal PD charger misses out on multiple levels of such protection.
- Also Read:
What GaN PD chargers are available in Nepal?
Digging up several online stores, I have found Ugreen, Anker, Prolink, Remax, Aukey, Choetech, Joyroom, Promate, and such. Among them, Ugreen and Anker are quite reliable names in the market. Plus, coming from my personal experience, I can bet on the GaN PD chargers from Ugreen, they boast top-notch quality and are superbly reliable. Plus, the pricing of Ugreen chargers is also at a good spot. But, you can opt for any PD GaN chargers of other brands but always make sure to do a little background search and watch some reviews.
Where to buy PD GaN chargers in Nepal?
You can purchase GaN PD chargers from all major online stores including our affiliate partner Hukut store.
GaN PD Charger vs Normal PD Charger: Conclusion
So, you might have already learned why a GaN PD charger is better than a normal/traditional PD charger. There are multiple good perks to choosing it over the other, like a smaller body, better heat dissipation and efficiency, better safety measures, and more ports. When it comes to pricing, these chargers are generally priced higher than a normal PD charger. So, if your budget is pretty tight, you can go for a normal PD charger too. But the price difference is not that mighty to change your buying decision from GaN to a normal PD charger.
| GaN PD Charger | Normal PD Charger | |
| Main Protocol | Power Delivery (PD) | Power Delivery (PD) |
| Type of Semiconductor | Gallium (Ga) Nitride(N) | Traditional Silicon |
| Number of Ports | Up to 4 (Normal Charger), Up to 6 (Desktop Charger) | Usually 1 (Type-C) or 1 Type-C + 1 USB-A |
| Size | Lighter than a normal PD charger | Heavier than a GaN Charger |
| Heat Dissipation | Better heat dissipation as compared to a normal PD charger | Inferior heat dissipation as compared to GaN charger |
| Safety Measures | Advanced level of Safety Measures | Basic Level of Safety Measures |
| Pricing | Comparatively expensive | Comparatively cheaper |
- Meanwhile, you can see our Realme GT3 review with 240W charging test.
