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“The best charger is the one that shipped with your laptop” is old advice that needs updating because there are often superior options available either as your principal laptop charger, as a spare, or as a flexible travel charger. You know that the charger that came with your laptop will work, but it won’t do much else and there are third-party USB-C chargers available that do much more. Some laptops still ship with their own cumbersome AC power brick and barrel-shaped DC connector, but most premium laptops today also or solely charge via USB-C—including all the models in our roundup of the best laptops. Foundry Foundry Foundry USB-C chargers are much smaller and more convenient than proprietary chargers, and will work with multiple and varied devices, making them a more flexible, more portable solution. Thunderbolt ports on laptops are compatible with—and look identical to—USB-C, the reversible connector that is fast replacing the rectangular USB-A standard. Of course, not every laptop with a USB-C port can be charged with a USB-C charger. The determining factor is support for USB Power Delivery (PD); more details below. Assuming that your laptop supports charging via USB-C, the following products reviewed are, in our estimation, the best USB-C PD chargers you can pair with your device. For USB-C chargers you don’t need to buy an HP laptop charger to charge an HP laptop. Each of the third-party USB-C chargers tested and reviewed below will work with any laptop that supports USB PD charging. Note that cheaper low-quality chargers can pose a significant risk due to their lack of safety measures, and can lead to electric shocks or short circuits that could damage your laptop’s battery or cause a fire. Here, we have reviewed and highlighted only superior laptop chargers, ensuring top-end performance, safety, and compatibility. Which wattage charger do you need? Smaller laptops often require just a 35W or 45W charger, mid-sized need 65W, and larger laptops demand 100W or higher. PD chargers will be rated at either PD 3.0 or PD 3.1. PD 3.0 can charge at up to 100W depending on the maximum output of the charging port; PD 3.1 at up to 240W, although few current laptops require anything over 140W. Consider the total output of the charger when it has multiple ports. Most multi-port chargers are quite flexible in spreading that total output between ports. We have listed the default port maximums and the total all-port output for each charger reviewed. Also look for chargers offering Programmable Power Supply (PPS), which makes charging supported devices more efficient; note that not all devices support PPS. See below our list of the best chargers for more information on PD, PPS and other technologies. Different types of laptop charger Below we have tested and reviewed wall chargers that plug directly into a wall power socket, desktop chargers that connect to the socket via a longer cable and usually offer a lot more USB ports, and power extender strips that boast AC outlets as well as USB ports. We have also chosen our best laptop charger for car, and even some fun laptop chargers that might even make you smile. You can learn more about wattages and what else to look for in a USB-C charger and how we test them below our recommendations. Anker 713 Nano II 45W Charger – Best single-port 45W wall charger Pros Super compact 45W PD Foldable prongs (U.S.) Cons Single port For smaller laptops only Best Prices Today: $27.99 at Amazon$27.99 at Best Buy Dimensions: 1.38 x 1.49 x 1.62in (3.5 x 3.8 x 4.1cm) Weight: 2.44oz (69g) Total output: 45W Ports: 1x USB-C (45W PD 3.0) PPS: Yes Colors: Gray/Black Cable included: No If you are used to a standard laptop charger with proprietary power brick, plug, and cable, or even an older USB charger, you’ll be stunned at the ultra-compact size and super-light weight of most GaN USB-C chargers—and this GaN 2 charger is the smallest we have tested. At 45W it’s not appropriate for medium or large laptops, but is fine for smaller models—check the required wattage on your laptop, and read our advice below this list. You can use the Anker 713 to charge your phone or tablet, too—at 45W it supports Samsung Super Fast Charging and Apple Fast Charge—but not at the same time as your laptop, as it has just the one port and only 45W to share. The only problem you might have is losing it—it’s that small. The U.S./CA model of the Anker 713 Nano II features foldable plug prongs for extra portability. The U.K. model is therefore a little larger, but still almost unbelievably tiny. U.K. buyers instead might prefer the Ugreen Foldable 45W Nexode GaN Dual USB C Charger that does have foldable plug pins and boasts two ports. Anker 715 Nano II 65W Charger – Best single-port 65W wall charger Pros Super compact 65W PD Foldable prongs (U.S.) Cons Single port Best Prices Today: $26.39 at Amazon Dimensions: 1.65 x 1.42 x 1.74in (4.2 x 3.6 x 4.4cm) Weight: 3.96oz (112g) Total output: 65W Ports: 1x USB-C (65W PD 3.0) PPS: Yes Colors: Gray/Black Cable included: No This 65W charger is a little larger than its 45W sibling above, but the GaN 2 Anker 715 is still pocket-sized and can power up larger laptops or fast-charge compatible phones. Its plug prongs fold back, making it ultra-portable for a 65W charger. If, however, you want to charge more than one device at the same time, look for a charger with more than one USB port. Ugreen Nexode Pro 65W USB-C Charger – Best= three-port USB-C wall charger Pros Compact Three ports 65W PD Foldable prongs (U.S.) Best Prices Today: $55.99 at Amazon Dimensions: 2.1 x 1.6 x 1.3 inches (5.5 x 4 x 3.2cm) Weight: 4.1oz (117g) Total output: 65W Ports: 2x USB-C (65W PD 3.0) and 1x USB-A (22.5W) PPS: Yes Colors: Gray Cable included: No Ugreen’s Nexode Pro 65W is larger than the Anker 715 Nano II, reviewed above, but boasts three ports so you can charge multiple devices at the same time, using just one compact charger. When I say larger, don’t get me wrong, it’s tiny. The two USB-C ports each support 65W, and the lower USB-A port can charge at up to 22.5W—powerful enough to fast-charge most phones—but note that maximum simultaneous output is 65W. Other same-time charging options include 45W for a laptop and 20W for a second device, or 45W plus 15W shared between the other two outputs. We also recommend the Anker 735 Nano II (U.S. / U.K.) in the 65W three-port wall charger category. The two chargers are very similar in terms of charging functionality. You can save a little money for the (barely) larger non-Pro Ugreen Nexode 65W USB C GaN Charger-3 Ports Wall Charger ($44.99), which is has a lower energy density but is a few bucks cheaper. U.K. recommendation: The prongs on the U.K. version of the non-Pro 65W Nexode do fold back, unlike on the fixed Nexode Pro version, so we recommend that version to readers from that country. Anker Prime 67W GaN Wall Charger – Best= three-port USB-C wall charger Pros Compact Three ports 67W PD Foldable prongs (U.S. and U.K.) Best Prices Today: $59.99 at Amazon Dimensions: 1.6 x 1.5 x 1.9in (4 x 3.8 x 5cm) Weight: 4.8oz (136g) Total output: 67W Ports: 2x USB-C (67W PD 3.0) and 1x USB-A (22.5W) PPS: Yes Colors: Gray/Black Cable included: No Anker’s compact Prime 67W GaN Wall Charger has three ports just like the Ugreen Nexode Pro 65W USB-C Charger reviewed above and is roughly the same size and weight. This excellent charger ties with the Ugreen as our favorite three-port 65/67W wall charger. Both are tiny for what they offer and represent great value for money. You get 2x 67W instead of 2x 65W (remember that the total charger output is 67W, so using both will share that power) but this extra 2W is not significant enough to make the Anker outright champion, and the Ugreen has a slight edge in being a tiny bit lighter. You can pretty much choose on price—check our live pricing above. Acefast Crystal Charger A47 – Colorful three-port 65W USB-C wall charger Pros Colorful Three ports 65W PD Foldable prongs (U.S.) Cons North America only Best Prices Today: $19.99 at Amazon Dimensions: 2.4 x 1.6 x 2.2in (6 x 4 x 5.5cm) Weight: 3.7oz (105g) Total output: 65W Ports: 2x USB-C (65W PD 3.0) and 1x USB-A (20W) PPS: Yes Colors: Purple, Green, Gray or Pink Cable included: No All the other laptop chargers reviewed here are either white, black or gray—not very imaginative. The Acefast Crystal Charger, however, rocks the monochrome boat with its range of pastel 65W chargers that may well bring joy to your office or home. The two USB-C ports can both charge at 65W, although not at the same time as the rated wattage of any charger indicates the maximum total output. If using all three ports, the top USB-C port will charge at 45W, and the other two share 18W between them. Acefast hasn’t yet announced color-matching USB-C cables, but Anker sells some colored USB-C cables in similar hues. Nekteck 100W USB-C Charger – Best budget 100W USB-C wall charger Pros 100W PD Foldable prongs (U.S.) Includes cable Cons Single port North America only Best Prices Today: $33.99 at Amazon Dimensions: 1.18 x 2.64 x 2.64in (3 x 6.7 x 6.7cm) Weight: 8.29oz (235g) Total output: 100W Ports: 1x USB-C (100W PD 3.0) PPS: No Colors: Black Cable included: 2m 100W USB-C cable Larger laptops usually require more power than 65W and ship with a 100W charger. For a spare, the single-port Nekteck 100W Charger is a budget winner—especially as it ships with a 2m 100W USB-C cable. But we think multiple ports are worth spending that extra cash on. Ugreen Nexode 100W USB-C Wall Charger – Best four-port 100W USB-C wall charger Pros 100W PD Four ports Foldable prongs (U.S.) Cons Larger size Best Prices Today: $54.99 at Amazon Dimensions: 1.3 x 2.72 x 2.72in (3.3 x 6.9 x 6.9cm) Weight: 8.3oz (235g) Total output: 100W Ports: 2x USB-C (100W PD 3.0), 1x USB-C (22.5W), and 1x USB-A (22.5W) PPS: Yes Colors: Gray Cable included: No It might be larger and twice as heavy as the single-port chargers, but you can’t argue with four ports with multiple charging options, such as simultaneous 65W for laptop charging and 30W PD for light-laptop powering, plus lower outputs for phones and other devices. Or just use all 100W on your favorite large laptop. Using three ports you could charge at 45W, 30W, and 22.5W at the same time. Using all four, it can support laptop power delivery at 45W and 30W plus two devices each at 10.5W. The inclusion of an old-style USB-A port will please owners of that type of cable—probably for older phones or other gadgets. And its foldable prongs win extra portability points on a larger charger. The barrel-shaped UK model looks quite different and doesn’t have foldable prongs, but offers the same ports. Ugreen offers a slightly smaller 100W Nexode Pro ($74.99) that has a higher energy density but only three ports, so we still prefer the 100W non-Pro Nexode ($69.95) for its extra port. Anker Prime 100W GaN Wall Charger (3 Ports) – Best three-port 100W USB-C wall charger Pros Compact Three ports 100W PD Foldable prongs (U.S. and U.K.) Best Prices Today: $84.99 at Amazon Dimensions: 1.7 × 1.1 × 2.7in (4.4 x 2.9 x 6.8cm) Weight: 6oz (170g) Total output: 100W Ports: 2x USB-C (100W PD 3.0) and 1x USB-A (22.5W) PPS: Yes Colors: Gray/Black Cable included: No While it lacks the fourth port of the Ugreen Nexode 100W USB-C Wall Charger, the Anker Prime 100W GaN Wall Charger is smaller and lighter while carrying the same 100W credentials. Anker has recently updated an older model with this slightly smaller and lighter version. It features two 100W USB-C ports and one USB-A for those older charging cables still required by some devices. Both the U.S. and U.K. versions have neat foldable prongs. Read Macworld’s full Anker Prime 100W GaN Wall Charger review. Anker 717 USB-C 140W Charger – Best one-port 140W wall charger Pros 140W (USB PD 3.1) Foldable prongs (U.S.) Cons Single port Best Prices Today: $79.99 at Amazon Dimensions: 1.22 x 2.66 x 2.31in (3.1 x 6.8 x 5.9cm) Weight: 8.3oz (235g) Total output: 140W Ports: 1x USB-C (140W PD 3.1) PPS: Yes Colors: Gray Cable included: Optional For larger laptops with higher battery capacity, a USB PD 3.1 charger is essential if you want to charge or fast-charge at 140W or higher. While it has just the one port, the Anker 717 goes further at 140W than most wall chargers. Pair it with Anker’s own 765 140W USB-C to USB-C Cable in either 3-foot or 6-foot lengths. Again, we applaud the foldable prongs for added portability. Ugreen Nexode Pro 160W Charger – Best multiport 160W wall charger Pros 140W port (USB PD 3.1) Four ports Foldable prongs (U.S.) Best Prices Today: $119.99 at Amazon Dimensions: 2.8 x 1.7 x 1.3in (7.1 x 4.3 x 3.3cm) Weight: 10.7oz (304g) Total output: 160W Ports: 1x USB-C (140W PD 3.1), 1x USB-C (100W PD 3.0), 1x USB-C (30W PD 3.0) and 1x USB-A (22.5W) PPS: Yes Colors: Gray Cable included: Optional This is the first multiport 160W charger (PD 3.1) we’ve tested, and it is barely larger than the single-port Anker 717 charger. The top USB-C port is rated at 140W, and below it is another 100W USB-C port, then a 30W USB-C port, with a 22.5W USB-A port at the bottom. There are multiple charging options: Any one of the above-mentioned ports, two 65W laptops simultaneously, or an impressive 65W+65W+30W charging at the same time. The Nexode Pro 160W charger has foldable plug prongs in the North American version—U..K. users will have to put up with the plug always extended. Ugreen Nexode 300W GaN Desktop Charger – Best 300W PD 3.1 USB-C desktop charger Pros Five ports 300W maximum 140W (USB PD 3.1) Cons Only one PD 3.1 port Best Prices Today: $269.99 at Amazon Dimensions: 6.49 x 4.9 x 4.2in (16.5 x 12.5 x 10.7cm) Weight: 1.91lb (868g) Total output: 300W Ports: 1x USB-C (140W PD 3.1), 2x USB-C (100W PD 3.0), 1x USB-C (45W PD 3.0), 1x USB-A (22.5W) PPS: Yes Colors: Gray/Black Cable included: 1.5m AC power cable + 2m 240W USB-C cable With four USB-C ports and one USB-A, this desktop charger should fulfil most of your charging needs. It’s the first maximum 300W desktop charger that we’ve tested. That’s a hell of a lot of power that can be shared around. You could power one 140W laptop and another at 100W—impossible with a 200W charger. With all ports in action it follows a port hierarchy of 140W / 65W / 45W / 10W /22.5W, which beats the full-use capability of the Satechi 200W USB-C 6-port PD GaN Charger reviewed below. However, that rival desktop charger boasts two 140W PD 3.1 ports to Ugreen’s single 140W PD 3.1 port—that said, you can’t use both of them at that power output at the same time as the Satechi’s max power is 200W. The inclusion of an USB-A port may also swing you to the Ugreen 300W charger, as the Satechi charger lacks one. Bonus points, too, to Ugreen for including a 240W charging cable as well as the unit’s own power cable. Satechi 200W USB-C 6-port PD GaN Charger – Best 200W PD 3.1 USB-C desktop charger Pros Six ports 200W maximum 2x 140W (USB PD 3.1) Cons No USB-A port Best Prices Today: $149.99 at Amazon Dimensions: 4.13 x 4.13 x 1.38in (10.5 x 10.5 x 3.5cm) Weight: 1.37lb (622g) Total output: 200W Ports: 2x USB-C (140W PD 3.1), 4x USB-C (100W PD 3.0) PPS: Yes Colors: Gray Cable included: 1.5m AC power cable; no USB-C cable Boasting six USB-C ports, this desktop charger plugs into a power socket via cable rather than directly as a USB-C wall charger does. Its total output is 200W across the six USB-C ports, but its special bonus are the two 140W PD 3.1 ports for fast-charging larger laptops. Do the math, however, and you realise that you can’t use both 140W ports at full power at the same time. Each of the remaining 100W ports is USB-C so you’ll need an adapter to use a USB-A charging cable if your device demands it. With all ports in action it follows a port hierarchy of 65W / 45W / 20W / 20W / 20W / 20W. As a desktop charger, it comes with a power cable but you’ll need to add your own USB-C cables—and remember you’ll need a 240W PD 3.1 charging cable to take advantage of the 140W port. Mac users should note that Apple requires you use its own MagSafe 3 charging cable to fast charge the 16-inch MacBook Pro as that model’s USB-C ports (actually Thunderbolt 4) are still rated at 100W PD 3.0. Anker Prime Charger (200W, 6 Ports, GaN) – Best compact mixed USB-A/USB-C desktop charger Pros Six ports 200W maximum 100W PD Cons No 140W port Dimensions: 4.4 x 3 x 1.4 inches (11.2 x 7.6 x 3.5cm) Weight: 1.24lb (563g) Total output: 200W Ports: 4x USB-C (100W PD 3.0), 2x USB-A (22.5W) PPS: Yes Colors: Gray Cable included: 1.5m AC power cable This desktop charger lacks the PD 3.1 support that is essential for higher-than-100W charging, so if you’re looking for 140W large-laptop fast-charging you’d do better choosing the Satechi 200W USB-C 6-port PD GaN Charger, reviewed above. That said, the Anker Prime 200W 6-Port desktop charger includes two USB-A ports for devices that require the older USB connector. With all six ports in action, you could charge one laptop at 65W, two at 45W, fast-charge a phone at 20W, and have the two USB-A ports share 24W of power—enough for most busy working desks. Arch power rival Ugreen sells a similar Nexode 200W USB-C Desktop Charger, which just loses the crown with only two 100W USB-C ports, dropping to 65W for the other two. Anker Prime Charger (250W, 6 Ports, GaNPrime) – Best customizable USB-A/USB-C desktop charger Pros Six ports 250W maximum 140W PD Custom output control Best Prices Today: $169.99 at Amazon Dimensions: 4.2 × 1.6 × 3.6 inches (10.6 × 4 × 9.3cm Weight: 1.41lb (640g) Total output: 250W Ports: 1x USB-C (140W PD 3.1), 3x USB-C (100W PD 3.0), 1x USB-A (22.5W) PPS: Yes Colors: Gray Cable included: 1.5m AC power cable If your laptop benefits from 140W charging, this pricier Anker desktop charger will suit you better than the 200W PD 3.0 model reviewed above. It also has some neat features not found on its rivals. First, the power: you get one 140W USB-C port (PD 3.1) and three 100W USB-C (PD 3.0) ports, plus two 22.5W USB-A ports on the side. Maximum power output is 250W so you could fast-charge a 140W laptop and still have over 100W for another laptop and a smaller device. You can customize charging priorities and energy output using the unique twist smart control dial next to the USB-A ports. In Port Priority Mode, you can manually set power priority for one or two ports as you require. There’s also a Dual-Laptop Mode to make sure that the laptops are at the front of the charging queue, and a Low Current Mode to preserve battery life of phones and low-power devices. Or you can leave it in AI Power Mode, where the charger itself works out the best prioritization of output by port. There’s also a large 2.26-inch LCD display that gives you visual feedback on the charging status and speed of each USB-C port, and can even be set as a clock. Read Macworld’s full Anker Prime Charger (250W, 6 ports) review. Acefast Desktop Power Station Z4 PD218W GaN – Display shows power from each port Pros 4 ports 218W maximum 100W PD Manual output change and display Affordable Best Prices Today: $89.99 at Amazon Dimensions: 4 x 3.66 x 1.75in (10.3 x 9.3 x 4.45cm) Weight: 1.44lb (655g) Total output: 218W Ports: 2x USB-C (100W PD 3.0), 1x USB-C (65W PD 3.0), 1x USB-A (18W) PPS: Yes Colors: Gray Cable included: 1.5m AC power cable Another desktop charger that lets you manually change port output with the press of a button is the Acefast Z4. It then shows you which ports are set for which wattage on its TFT HD display. The maximum total output that you can share around devices is 218W. That’s enough for three medium-sized laptops and a smartphone, or two larger laptops plus a phone on the side. There are four options for the four USB ports (three USB-C and one USB-A). Mode A: 100W + 65W + 30W + 18W = 213W max.? Mode B: 65W + 65W + 65W + 18W = 213W max.? Mode C: 100W + 100W + 18W = 218W max.? Mode D (using three ports): 100W + 100W + 18W = 218W max. The desktop charger is reasonably priced, and supports most fast-charging standards. OneAdaptr OneWorld135 – Best 100W USB-C PD travel adapter and wall charger Pros Four ports plus power socket International travel adapter 100W PD 135W total output Dimensions): 3.7 x 2.13 x 2.09in (9.4 x 5.4 x 5.3cm) Weight: 9.63oz (273g) Total output: 135W Ports: 2x USB-C (100W PD 3.0), 1x USB-C (20W), 1x USB-A (18W) Colors: Blacue and White Cable included: No This compact dual-100W USB-C PD port wall charger has a maximum power output of 135W, meaning you can charge a large laptop at 100W and still have power available to fast charge your accessories or even a small laptop at the same time. There is one 18W USB-A port for old-school cable connections, but its special sauce is its 7A AC universal power outlet that fits plugs used in over 200 countries—the same way its extendable US/UK/AU/EU plug prongs fit foreign power sockets. This AC power outlet isn’t found on other portable wall chargers. It’s a great mix of laptop- and device-charging ports plus travel plug adapter in one compact GaN unit that should keep your airplane carry-on luggage light. If you don’t need the 100W of total power, OneAdaptr’s white-colored OneWorld65 is a cheaper version with a 65W maximum and AC power outlet. It features one 65W USB-C PD port, one 20W USB-C PD port, another USB-C charging port and two USB-A charging ports—the non-PD USB-C port and two USB-A ports share 15W of power. Minix Neo P3 100W Turbo 4-Ports Wall Charger – Best budget 100W travel wall charger Pros Four ports Interchangeable travel plugs 100W PD Cons No AU/NZ plug Best Prices Today: $59.90 at Amazon Dimensions: 1 x 2.36 x 2.36in (2.5 x 6 x 6cm) Weight: 7.1oz (200g) Total output: 100W Ports: 2x USB-C (100W PD 3.0), 1x USB-C (20W), 1x USB-A (18W) PPS: No Colors: Black Cable included: No This is a marvellous companion when you’re traveling internationally where other countries have the temerity to use different format plug sockets. Its foldable U.S. prongs can clip onto each of the two included interchangeable plugs for the UK and Europe. The OneAdaptr OneWorld65 or OneWorld100 are neater, compact travel solutions with an extra AC power outlet, but this charger looks more like a standard charger when you’re not travelling. There are two 100W USB-C PD ports, one 20W USB-C, and an 18W QuickCharge 3.0 USB-A port, plenty for most device collections. Chargeasap 280W Zeus USB-C GaN Charger – Most powerful 140W travel wall charger Pros Four ports Interchangeable travel plugs 140W PD 280W maximum Digital display Best Prices Today: $219 at Amazon Dimensions: 3.5 x 2.2 x 1.7in (8.9 x 5.9 x 4.4cm) Weight: 13.4oz (380g) Total output: 280W Ports: 2x USB-C (140W PD 3.1), 1x USB-C (100W PD 3.0) and 1x USB-A (65W) PPS: Yes Colors: White or black Cable included: No This is a heavy yet still compact and portable USB-C laptop charger with two 140W PD 3.1 ports (plus a 100W USB-C and 65W USB-A) and a set of four international plug adapters to make it usable in the U.S., U.K., E.U. and AU/NZ. The other plug heads slip over the integrated U.S. foldable prongs. There’s no spare passthrough AC socket like you get with the OneAdaptr reviewed above but if you want to recharge a couple of large laptops at the same time, this black or white beast will perform to your needs. As is becoming popular on modern chargers and power banks, there’s an OLED display to show the real-time charging speeds of each port. Ugreen 130W USB-C Car Charger – Best 100W in-car laptop charger Pros In-car laptop charger Three ports 100W PD 130W maximum Cable included Best Prices Today: $39.99 at Amazon Dimensions: 3.06 x 0.94 x 1.4in (7.78 x 2.4 x 3.56cm) Weight: 1.59oz (45g) Total output: 130W Ports: 1x USB-C (100W PD 3.0), 1x USB-C (30W PD), 1x USB-A (22.5W) PPS: Yes Colors: Black Cable included: 1.3m 100W USB-C cable You can charge your laptop on the move while in your car, using a dedicated charger that comes with a jack compatible with the car cigarette socket. In time, this seemingly antiquated in-car tool might be better known as the charger socket. We like this car laptop charger from Ugreen as it has 100W and 30W USB-C ports that mean you can charge a laptop and fast-charge a phone at the same time. Plus, there’s a USB-A port with decent power potential (22.5W). Remember that when the car’s engine isn’t running, all electrical systems receive power from the battery, which will drain if you charge a laptop overnight—just as it will if you leave the headlights on. Charging your laptop when the car is in motion doesn’t drain the vehicle battery. Baseus PowerCombo 6-in-1 Charging Station 65W – Neatest USB-C power strip Pros Two ports plus retractable USB-C cable Three power outlets 65W PD Cons Not 100W PD Best Prices Today: $59.99 at Amazon Dimensions: 4.5 x 2.6 x 2.6in (11.3 x 6.6 x 6.6cm) Total output: 65W Ports: 1x USB-C (65W PD 3.0), 1x USB-A (60W), 3x power socket PPS: Yes Colors: White, Black Cables included: 1.5m AC power cable, plus 0.8m retractable USB-C cable This compact power extender boasts three 13A AC power sockets and two USB ports (1x 65W USB-C PD and 1x 18W USB-A), but its special feature is a retractable 1.5-meter USB-C cable that also can charge a laptop at 65W. When you’re done with it is suction-pulls back into the charger block, with the connector magnetically clamped to the front. With its 0.8m retractable cable and tiny size this is a real solution to desk-clutter. Available in black and white, it gives you the options for desk aesthetics, too. It can charge six devices at the same time, or you can use those sockets (two three-pronged, one two-pronged) to run your display, dock or lamp. Maximum output on the USB ports is 65W, and for the three power sockets (1,650W). if your laptop has USB-A rather than USB-C, the middle USB port is rated at 60W. Extra points are awarded for the power button on the top and its interaction with a mobile app that lets you set a shut-down timer. For safety, there’s short-circuit protection and auto power cut-off. It’s available only with U.S. or E.U. power sockets and plug. The E.U. version features two rather than three power sockets but is otherwise the same. Ugreen 65W Power Strip DigiNest Cube GaN Extension Lead Pros Four ports Three power outlets 65W PD Cable included Cons Not 100W PD Best Prices Today: $69.99 at Amazon Dimensions: 3 x 3 x 3in (7.6 x 7.6 x 7.6cm) Total output: 65W Ports: 2x USB-C (65W PD 3.0), 2x USB-A (18W), 3x power socket PPS: Yes Colors: Black Cable included: 1.8m AC power cable This cute cube-shaped power extender has three 13A AC power sockets plus four USB ports (2x 65W USB-C PD and 2x 18W USB-A), so can charge seven devices at the same time. Maximum output on the USB ports is 65W, and for the three power sockets (2,990W). It’s available with either U.S., UK, or EU power sockets and plugs. Ugreen also offers a Ugreen 100W USB C DigiNest Pro Charging Station in a less cube-like shape that you’ll prefer if you have a larger laptop. This power strip, with 6ft (1.8m) cable, also includes four USB ports (3x USB-C, 1x USB-A), two of which are PD compatible at 100W, and three 15A AC sockets. Maximum output on the USB ports is 100W, and for the three power plugs (one on the top, and two behind) 1,870W. Ugreen Nexode RG 65W USB C GaN Charger – Cute robot-shaped wall charger Pros Cute Three ports 65W PD Best Prices Today: $49.99 at Amazon Dimensions: 1.57 x 1.7 x 2.65in (4 x 4.3 x 6.7cm) Weight: 5oz (143g) Total output: 65W Ports: 1x USB-C (65W PD 3.0), 1x USB-C (30W PD), 1x USB-A (22.5W) PPS: Yes Colors: Black or Purple Cable included: Optional With chargers getting so small, we’ve even taken to calling some of them “cute”. But this one, from Ugreen, really lives up to that endearment. Shaped like a stubby robot, with an LCD screen for its face and a protective base for its feet, the Nexode RG adds some fun to your desk and still provides decent power for your devices. The display shows different expressions depending on the charging state. The feet do very little except stop it falling over when it’s not stuck in a socket. Due to differing plug types, the U.S. robot is standing while the U.K. robot sits—this has no effect on the charger’s usage! With all three ports (2x USB-C and 1x USB-A) in action, you can charge a small laptop at 45W (or fast-charge your Samsung phone) and have two 7.5W outputs spare. If your laptop requires more power, then you’ll only use the first USB-C port while it’s charging as the maximum output is 65W. What to look for in a USB-C PD charger As mentioned above, the primary requirement is that your laptop includes a USB-C port that can carry power as well as data. Older laptops that came with their own power brick might have data-only USB-C but not power-supporting USB-C. USB-C laptop chargers use a certified technology called USB Power Delivery (USB PD), a specification that enables power delivery along with data over a single cable. All the chargers tested here are certified by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), and are from reliable, trusted brands—you’ll find cheaper, less-well-known brands online but for safety’s sake we recommend you chose a proven brand, such as Anker, Ugreen, Satechi, Belkin, Plugable or Aukey, as well as big brands such as HP, Dell, Google and Samsung that follow the latest safety standards. Chargers can get hot, so you want to trust that yours won’t catch fire or otherwise damage your laptop. That’s why we avoid cheaper brands that we haven’t heard of or tested. USB PD 3.0 supports up to 100W of power to the laptop. USB PD 3.1 can reach 240W, which is useful for larger laptops that require over 100W for charging at full speed while in use, and for fast-charging compatible laptops. PPS support offers more efficient charging Some chargers support the USB-PD Programmable Power Supply (PPS) standard. PPS allows for a finer grain control of voltage. As my colleague Gordon Ung explains, while a standard USB-C charge rate can look like large steps, PPS can look like a curve and is constantly renegotiated every few seconds based on what the device’s battery tells the charger it needs. This can result in cooler charging inside the device as the conversion is offloaded to the charger rather than the device itself. In turn, this can lead to faster charging as well as less stress on the battery during charging, which can result in a longer service life for a battery. PPS requires the charged device to support the standard. While many Android phones and tablets support PPS, Apple devices do not. Non-supported devices will still work with the PPS charger as PPS chargers also support the universal USB PD standard; they just won’t charge as efficiently as PPS devices do. Wattage Once you know that your laptop supports USB PD charging, the most important specification to look for when choosing a laptop charger is the amount of power it can supply to your laptop—measured in watts (W). The wattage you should look for will depend on the maximum power draw of your laptop—that is, the draw when you are using a bunch of apps at the same time or pushing the graphics functions, not when you’re just browsing the web or sending emails. This level of maximum power is what the manufacturer considers when it decides on the wattage of the charger it includes with the laptop. When idle or doing mundane jobs that draw only a small amount of power from the charger, laptops can recharge fully on a lower-wattage charger—so a 45W charger can top up an idle 65W laptop but much slower than a 65W charger. That said, when buying a new USB-C charger, buy at least the same wattage as the charger that shipped with your laptop. Smaller laptops may require just a 30W or 45W charger, while medium laptops usually need 65W, and 100W is required for larger 15-inch and larger notebooks. Don’t worry if your laptop requires just 45W and you fancy that 100W charger—using a higher-power charger won’t harm your lower-powered laptop as it will regulate the power from the charger. Using a higher-wattage charger than your laptop requires is recommended when choosing a charger with multiple ports, as the stated wattage is the maximum output, and charging other devices at the same time will start lowering the power going to the laptop. For more charging questions answered, see our laptop charging FAQ at the end of this article. A charger with multiple ports can charge several gadgets at the same time, although remember that your laptop will be the hungriest for power and the charger will have a maximum output A charger with multiple ports can charge several gadgets at the same time, although remember that your laptop will be the hungriest for power and the charger will have a maximum outputUgreen A charger with multiple ports can charge several gadgets at the same time, although remember that your laptop will be the hungriest for power and the charger will have a maximum outputUgreen Ugreen Multiple ports for more devices Standard laptop chargers have just one USB-C port or connector, but many third-party USB-C chargers boast multiple ports—sometimes both USB-C and older USB-A. These are useful if you want to charge more than just your laptop—with multiple ports on your charger, you can power up your phone, tablet, or headphones at the same time as your laptop. If you want to use more than one charging port, consider your maximum requirement—say, 65W for the laptop and another 15W for a phone and maybe 5W for a smartwatch or headphones. A charger with a higher wattage can distribute the excess power to other connected devices at the same time as you power your laptop. Multi-port chargers will have a variety of charging options between ports and devices. Go for GaN Look for chargers built with modern Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology that runs cooler than older silicon tech, meaning that devices built with it can charge devices faster and with less heat dissipation than traditional chargers and are noticeably smaller, too. Newer GaN 2 can operate at even higher voltages and temperatures. Dimensions given in our reviews are for the U.S. models, which are also pictured for each product, but UK models are mostly also available. Due to their sturdy three-pin Type G plug, UK models are usually wider than their U.S. Type A and B plug counterparts. Fast charging  Modern laptops support fast charging, where the battery can be pumped up to at least 50 percent capacity—sometimes greater—in around 30 minutes. A laptop with fast-charging support is easier to keep close to a full charge. If the battery is fully drained, fast charging helps you get back to work fast, and you can quickly top up the battery when required—even just a few minutes of charging can save you when you don’t have much time near a power socket. Anker Anker Anker Choose the right charging cable Some USB-C laptop chargers ship with a cable, but most don’t. Make sure the cable you use supports power delivery, as some are for data-transfer only. The wisest choices for USB PD cables are based on the latest Thunderbolt 4 or USB4 standards, which are both backwards compatible with Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C, and supports both charging and up to 40Gbps data transfer. But Thunderbolt/USB4 is more expensive and often available in shorter lengths than USB-C cables. Look for a USB-C PD or Thunderbolt cable. If you want to charge at over 100W, this should support USB PD 3.1. Not all cables are marked as supporting 240W so make sure you check the PD rating before your purchase. Plugable sells 240W-supporting PD 3.1 charging cables that it labels Extended Power Range (EPR) in USB4 EPR or Thunderbolt 4 EPR—both are backwards compatible with USB-C. Anker’s 765 USB-C to USB-C Cable also supports PD 3.1. The maximum length for power cables is 2m. Anything longer, and less power will reach the connected device. Find more of the best USB-C cables in our roundup. Ugreen Ugreen Ugreen Wall charger or desktop charger A wall charger features plug prongs and connects directly into the wall power socket. Straight-to-socket wall chargers are small and portable—most will fit in your pocket. They might not have as many ports as a desktop charger but can still have several ports to choose from. If you carry your charger around with you a lot, look for a wall charger that has foldable plug prongs, which makes it more comfortable and smaller. These are more common with U.S. Type A plugs than UK Type G plugs. A desktop charger is separated from the socket by a power cable (usually detachable), with the charger instead sitting on your desk. Desktop chargers always feature multiple ports, and sometimes a separate power supply that will hide under the desk. They are great for keeping your device-charging organized and in one neat package but are usually less portable than wall chargers. There are also handy power strips with USB PD ports as well as extra sockets—useful in a home or office environment with few power sockets. Another laptop-charging solution is to use a docking station or hub. These boast even more ports than a desktop charger, such as HDMI/DisplayPort, ethernet, and card readers. Check out our recommended best Thunderbolt and USB-C DisplayLink docks and best USB-C hubs. FAQ 1. Can I charge my laptop with USB-C? Probably. If your laptop supports USB PD (Power Delivery), you can charge it using a USB-C PD charger. It has to be USB PD for charging, as some USB-C ports are data only. If your laptop came with a USB-C port on its power adapter, then the answer is almost certainly yes, but you might want to check the product documentation or ask the manufacturer for clarification. 2. Can I charge my laptop with any USB-C charger? Probably. A few years back, some laptop manufacturers, such as HP, were fussy about which USB PD chargers would work with its products. But today, compatibility is mainly universal. 3. Can I use a charger with a higher wattage than my laptop? Yes. Power regulation means that it is safe to charge a 45W laptop with a 100W charger, for example. Laptops are designed to draw up to only a certain level of power when running at full speed. 4. Can a higher-wattage charger power-up a laptop faster? Possibly. A more powerful charger—with a higher wattage than the charger that shipped with your laptop—might charge your laptop a little faster, but this is certainly not guaranteed. 5. Can I use a charger with a lower wattage than my laptop? Yes, but you should try not to. You can charge a 100W laptop with a 65W charger, for example, but it’s not advisable as the laptop battery could drain faster than it is being charged, especially if in use at the time. Charging an idle laptop should mean that its battery will be fully charged with a lower-wattage charger, but it will take much longer than with the correctly rated charger. As a one-off it should be fine, but we do not recommend it in the long term. Using a lower-rated charger could result in overheating, which is never a good thing with electronics. 6. Will my laptop charge faster if not in use? Yes. When your laptop is idle or you are using only light apps such as email, it will be draining only a small amount of power from its battery, so it will charge faster. If you are using performance-hungry apps at the same time as charging, the charger will take longer to catch up as the laptop’s battery is constantly draining while in use.   7. Can I charge my phone using a laptop charger? Yes, you can use a laptop charger to charge your phone. Some chargers feature more than one port, and the lower wattage ports are perfect for phone charging—but you can also charge a phone with a 140W charging port if you want to, although it’s safer for the phone if you use a lower-wattage port. 8. Can I use any cable to charge a laptop? No. You must use a USB-C cable that supports power delivery. Some USB-C cables can’t carry as much power as others. A USB PD 3.0 cable can carry 100W of power. A USB PD 3.1 cable can carry 240W of power. 9. Can I use a UBC-C cable to charge a Thunderbolt or USB4 laptop? Yes. Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, and USB4 are backwards compatible with USB-C for data and charging. Thunderbolt and USB4 also have higher data-transfer bandwidth—up to 40Gbps—than USB-C, which is rated between 5Gbps and 20Gbps. 10. Can I use a Thunderbolt cable with a USB-C charger? Yes. Thunderbolt is backwards compatible with USB-C so a Thunderbolt cable can be used with a USB-C laptop or USB-C charger. You still need to ensure that the Thunderbolt cable can handle the right amount of power you require. All Thunderbolt 3 or 4 and USB4 cables can handle 100W of power, but some support up to 240W. 11. Should I charge my laptop to 100%? Only if you need to. If you are going on a road trip and need all the juice your laptop battery can supply, then by all means charge it to 100 percent before heading out. But it’s easier on the battery if you keep it charged between 40 and 80 percent—no lower and no higher if you can. Batteries charged to the full 100 percent might have only 300-500 discharge cycles, but batteries charged only up to 80 percent could get to nearly 4x that number of recharging cycles. 12. Should I fully drain my laptop battery to 0%? No. As with our advice not to fully charge a lithium-ion laptop battery too often, it’s better for long-term battery life if you keep it charged between 40 and 80 percent. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating ProsThin and light for an 18-inch laptopVibrant 18-inch Mini-LED displayExcellent sound systemWired connectivity includes Thunderbolt 4, 2.5Gbps EthernetConsDesign, fit-and-finish needs workCPU, GPU performance doesn’t match competitorsBattery life is short, though better than some alternativesLow value for moneyOur VerdictMSI’s Stealth 18 AI Studio A1V has a beautiful display and lots of connectivity, but high pricing paired with mediocre performance (for its size, at least) leaves it behind the pack. Big laptops are back in style, and the largest have glorious 18-inch, 16:10 aspect ratio displays that feel barely smaller than a typical desktop monitor. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is one such laptop, and it attempts to stand out by shaving a few pounds and reducing its profile to under an inch thick. These efforts do result in a lighter, more portable 18-inch powerhouse, but the laptop’s design, build quality, and overall performance fail to justify its high price. Further reading: Best laptops for video editing 2024: Work faster with these expert picks MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio: Specs and features The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio A1V boosts hardware typical of a top-tier laptop including an Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU, a 4K display, 64GB of RAM, and a 2TB solid state drive. It also has excellent network connectivity with support for 2.5Gbps Ethernet and Wi-Fi 7. CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 185H Memory: 64GB LPDDR5 Graphics/GPU: Nvidia RTX 4090 with up to 150 watt TGP NPU: Intel AI Boost Display: 3840×2400 16:10 aspect ratio Mini-LED IPS 120Hz  Storage: 2TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 solid state storage Webcam: 1080p 30fps camera with HDR and IR 3D camera for Windows Hello Connectivity: 1x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, SDcard reader, x HDMI 2.1, 1x 2.5Gbps Ethernet (RJ45) Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 Biometrics: Windows Hello facial recognition, fingerprint reader  Battery capacity: 99 watt-hours Dimensions: 15.74 x 11.4 x 0.94 inches Weight: 6.37 pounds MSRP: $4,199.99 However, one specification stands out as a potential issue: the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H processor. Most larger laptops sold above $4,000 have an Intel Core i9-14900HX, which offers more processor cores and can draw more power.  The model I received to review has an MSRP of roughly $4,200, which is extremely expensive. MSI offers a less expensive model with an RTX 4080, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB solid state drive for $3,300. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is passable, but the alternatives deliver far more value for your money. MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio: Design and build quality IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith A laptop as expensive as the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio sets a high standard for itself. Not only must the hardware be top-notch, but the exterior must appear attractive and luxurious. Unfortunately, the Stealth 18 AI Studio fails to meet this standard. MSI’s Stealth lineup tries to offer professionals and gamers a slimmer, lighter alternative to workstation and gaming laptops. To achieve this, MSI opts for a magnesium-aluminum alloy chassis, which keeps the laptop’s weight under 6.4 pounds. But while magnesium-aluminum delivers durability and low weight, it’s not rigid and feels like plastic when touched. As a result, the Stealth 18 AI Studio would seem mediocre even with a $2,000 price tag. At $4,200—not far off a Razer Blade 18—it’s hard to understand what MSI was thinking. Build quality did not impress. Handling the Stealth caused a variety of creaks, groans, and snaps as various panels flexed and shifted. The most unfortunate of these repeatedly occurred when I removed my right hand from the palm rest. Apparently, the weight of my hand was enough to slightly deform the panel, causing it to snap back into place when I lifted my hand.  That’s disappointing for a laptop that costs north of $4,000. But the laptop’s problems begin even before you touch it. Compared to alternatives like the Razer Blade 18 or Dell XPS 16, the Stealth looks generic and unappealing. A couple of RGB-LED accents are its only attempt to add flair, and they don’t do enough to make the laptop stand out. It’s a shame, because it’s not as if MSI can’t execute on design. The MSI Titan 18 HX, which I reviewed earlier in 2024, is a gorgeous laptop that looks distinct and feels sturdy. Unfortunately, MSI’s effort to make the Stealth thinner and lighter results in a compromised design. MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio: Keyboard, trackpad IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio’s keyboard is better than its overall design, but it’s still mediocre for the price.  Upon opening the laptop, you’ll find a spacious keyboard with a number pad. Nearly all keys are full-sized, including the numpad keys, which is unusual even for an 18-inch laptop. Only a few keys, like the right-side shift key, are noticeably reduced in size. The keyboard is immediately comfortable and intuitive to type on. Key feel is acceptable. Each key has respectable travel and bottoms out with a definitive action. However, there’s nothing about the experience that’s worthy of the laptop’s high price tag. It’s not a mechanical keyboard and lacks unique knobs, dials, or macro keys. It does have customizable RGB backlighting, but that feature is common among laptops that cost a couple of thousand dollars less.  The touchpad continues the trend of adequate features that don’t live up to the price. It’s smooth and responsive, but it measures about five and a quarter inches wide by three and a half inches deep, which isn’t large for an 18-inch laptop. Many competitors like the Razer Blade 18, Dell XPS 16, and Apple’s MacBook Pro 16, offer much larger touchpads. The touchpad also doesn’t support haptics, which is a common feature at this price point, though also missing from competitors like the Razer Blade 18. MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio: Display, audio IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith One feature that does feel worthy of the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio’s high price is the display. The Stealth has an 18-inch, 16:10 aspect ratio display with a resolution of 3840×2400. It also has a Mini-LED backlight, a technology also found on laptops like the Apple MacBook Pro 16 and Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i, promises excellent color performance and high brightness alongside contrast that rivals, if not equals, OLED. MSI’s display delivers on that promise. It’s exceptionally bright when turned up to full brightness and offers a great experience in HDR content. The panel also has a matte finish instead of a glossy one, so it better handles glare from windows or lamps positioned behind you. Color performance is excellent too, with spot-on color accuracy and a wide color gamut suitable for creative work. This helps the display look vibrant and saturated in your favorite movies or games. Contrast can match OLED to provide a great sense of immersion and depth, but with a caveat. Mini-LED displays break up the backlight into LED lighting zones, which turn on and off individually, much like the pixels on an OLED display. Because of this, the display can achieve a perfect minimum brightness of zero nits. However, the backlight zones are much larger than individual pixels, which can cause a problem known as blooming when a bright object is shown on a dark background or vice versa. For example, if you’re watching a dark scene in a movie with subtitles on, you may notice a glow or halo around the subtitles.  The Stealth’s speakers are another highlight. MSI pairs upwards-firing speakers with internal woofers to deliver balanced, voluminous sound that doesn’t change depending on the surface the laptop is set on. Audio quality is good enough that many less critical listeners will see no need to connect external speakers, and the laptop can fill a small room with music during your 9-to-5.  MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio: Webcam, microphone, biometrics The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio ships with a typical 1080p webcam capable of capturing video at up to 30 frames per second. Most modern laptops sold above $1,000 ship with a similar webcam, so the Stealth has no advantage here. Still, it’s a respectable camera with decent sharpness and color reproduction. The same can be said of the microphone array, which captures clear, crisp audio with minimal background noise. MSI doesn’t skip the biometrics. It supports Windows Hello with both a fingerprint reader and facial recognition. The fingerprint reader is not in the power button, as is true of many laptops, but instead beside the touchpad. I prefer this, since it means there’s no chance of accidentally putting the laptop to sleep while trying to log in.  MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio: Connectivity IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith MSI distributes ports across three sides of the Stealth 18 AI Studio A1V. The right flank houses the Thunderbolt 4 and USB-C port, while the left flank has two USB-A ports. Around back is HDMI 2.1, 2.5Gbps Ethernet, and a rectangular port for the 280 watt power adapter. An SD card reader and 3.5mm combo audio jack round out the options. This is a solid range of connectivity, though it may depend on your perspective. If you’re considering the Stealth 18 AI Studio against thin and light performance laptops, like a Razer Blade or Dell XPS, the Stealth’s connectivity is great. But if you’re considering gaming laptops, like a Gigabyte Aorus or Acer Predator Helios Neo, the Stealth’s ports are par for the course.  Wireless connectivity is strong, as well, with support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. These are the latest versions of each wireless standard, so the laptop’s wireless connectivity is as future-proof as any laptop sold in 2024 can be. MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio: Performance The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio A1V’s pricing is most obviously justified by the hardware. It packs an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H processor, Nvidia RTX 4090, 64GB of LPDDR5 memory, and a 2TB PCIe 4.0 solid state drive. This is powerful hardware, but the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H is an unusual choice for a laptop in this size and price category: many opt instead for the Intel Core i9-14900HX. IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith PCMark 10, a benchmark meant to represent a wide variety of common productivity tasks, puts the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio A1V off to a bad start. Although its score of 6,536 isn’t bad, it’s not up to the standard set by competitive laptops, some of which can exceed a score of 8,000 in this benchmark.  IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith Next up is Cinebench R20, a short-duration, heavily multithreaded benchmark. It once again placed the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio A1V behind the competition with a reasonable but unimpressive score of 6,897. The reasons for this aren’t too hard to guess. The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H has a respectable 16 cores, but that’s far less than the Intel Core i9-14900HX, which has a total of 24 cores. The Core i9-14900HX can consume more power, too, further boosting performance. IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith The Stealth again falls behind in Handbrake, a heavily multi-threaded, long duration benchmark which encodes a two hour long, 1080p movie from MP4 to MKV. However, the Stealth notches a win over the Asus ProArt P16, which had an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370. That isn’t a major surprise, as we’ve noticed Intel processors tend to outperform AMD processors in these benchmark.  Clearly, the Stealth’s decision to use the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H has consequences. That doesn’t come as a shock, because the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H occupies a lower tier in Intel’s product performance stack than does the Intel Core i9-14900HX. With fewer cores and a lower design power, the Core Ultra 9 185H isn’t designed to keep up with its more power-hungry sibling. However, this is yet another area where the Stealth doesn’t live up to its price. The GPU could be a different story. The Stealth we tested had an Nvidia RTX 4090 with a maximum graphics power of 150 watts. That could, in theory, give the Stealth enough graphics grunt to wrangle with the competition. IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith Unfortunately, 3DMark Time Spy puts that theory to the test and finds the Stealth wanting. While a 3DMark Time Spy score of 15,737 is strong, it’s not able to compete with many other laptops that equip Nvidia RTX 4090 graphics.  IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith Shadow of the Tomb Raider, though now an older game, remains representative of games from the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One console generation. Unsurprisingly, the Stealth handled this game with ease and achieved a frame rate average above 150 frames per second. But, once again, the Stealth’s performance falls behind other laptops with Nvidia RTX 4090 graphics. IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith Metro Exodus is more of a cross-gen title, though in this benchmark we run it without ray tracing on. Even so, the game’s Extreme preset is incredibly demanding, and so the mighty RTX 4090 turns in a mere 70 frames per second. Enjoyable, to be sure, but once again behind similar laptops.  I wrapped up testing with Cyberpunk 2077, which remains among the most visually attractive and feature-rich PC games available. The Stealth averaged 96 frames per second at 1080p resolution and the Ultra preset with all forms of resolution scaling and frame generation turned off. That’s great, but the Razer Blade 16 with RTX 4090 was a bit quicker with an average of 100 frames per second. For an even more demanding test I switched to Cyberpunk 2077’s Ray-traced Overdrive preset. Here the Stealth averaged just 32 frames per second. That’s actually a good result for the game at this preset on laptop hardware, but the Razer Blade 16 was again quicker, as it averaged 38 frames per second. All of the results above were reached with the Stealth in Balanced profile (this is true, also, for the competitive laptops we tested), which is the default. I also tested the laptop in the Extreme Performance preset, which boosted performance by five to 10 percent. That might be important in some tasks, but in general, the Extreme Performance profile did not change the narrative on the Stealth’s performance.  Fan noise was at times an issue. I noticed that the laptop has a tendency to cycle between two fan speeds when at idle or in less demanding apps, which was annoying. In more demanding apps, and especially with Extreme Performance mode on, the laptop’s fans became a constant companion. That’s also true of the Stealth’s competitors, but it’s worth keeping in mind if you think silence is golden. Oh, and what about AI? Despite its name, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio A1V doesn’t offer any unique AI features, and it lacks a high-performance NPU like that found on more recent AMD Ryzen AI and Qualcomm Snapdragon X chips.  MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio: Battery life The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio A1V is listed with a 99.9 watt-hour battery. Windows, however, reported the watt-hours at roughly 97 watt hours. It’s a large battery, but the Stealth ultimately fails to improve on the awful battery life that large, powerful Windows laptops are known for. IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith Our standard battery test, which loops a 4K file of the short film Tears of Steel, sucked the Stealth dry in about five hours. That is better than some alternatives, like the Razer Blade 16 and Alienware m18 R2, but it’s still not a great result. With that said, I’ll give the Stealth this much: its battery life is at least usable. I took the Stealth on a couple two-hour long trips to the coffee shop and found that, while writing and browsing the web, the battery would last just as long as the video test suggests, which meant I still had well over half a full charge left by the time I wrapped up my work.  MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio: Conclusion MSI’s Stealth 18 AI Studio A1V has its virtues. It’s a large laptop with a big, vibrant Mini-LED display, decent keyboard, and lots of connectivity. The Stealth is also thinner and lighter than most 18-inch laptops. However, the Stealth’s retail price of $4,200 feels excessive. It’s more expensive than a similarly equipped Alienware m18 R2, and only a couple hundred less than a similar Razer Blade 18. Both alternatives are far more attractive and beat the Stealth in performance. That leaves MSI’s 18-incher in a tough spot. It’s passable, but the alternatives deliver far more value for your money. Read...

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Most PC gamers know that a laptop with a discrete GPU from AMD or (most likely) Nvidia is a must-have for playing modern PC games on a portable machine. Yet, despite that, many people find themselves forced to accept an integrated graphics processor (IGP) bundled as part of an Intel, AMD, or Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. GPUs are expensive, tend to run hot, and require a lot of juice, and these problems can make a laptop with a GPU undesirable or unaffordable. So, if you want to game on a laptop with integrated graphics, which should type you buy? To find out we tested five laptops toe-to-toe in eight benchmarks, six of which are popular real-world games you’ve heard of and might even play eagerly. The results show why you need to choose an IGP carefully: it can mean the difference between playing your favorite PC game at a smooth, fluid 60 FPS, or suffering through an unplayable sideshow. The laptops we tested, and how we tested them We tested five laptops, all with different integrated graphics solutions. They include: Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 7th-gen with Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite and Qualcomm Adreno integrated graphics Dell Inspiron 14 Plus with Intel Core Series 7 155H and Intel Arc integrated graphics (with eight Intel Xe cores) Acer Swift Edge 16 with AMD Ryzen 7 8840U and AMD Radeon 780M integrated graphics (RDNA 3, 12 compute units) Asus Zenbook S 16 with AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 and AMD Radeon 880M integrated graphics (RDNA 3.5, 12 compute units) Asus ProArt P16 with AMD Ryzen AI 9 370HX and AMD Radeon 890M integrated graphics (RDNA 3.5, 16 compute units) We selected these laptops because we feel they are popular, mainstream models representative of common configurations. With that said, it’s important to note performance can vary between laptops with the same IGP, depending on the particulars of how a laptop is configured by its manufacturer. Our laptop reviews can provide insight into how laptops other than those tested here perform.  All tests we conducted on external power with the default performance profile and fan mode.  The Asus ProArt P16 also has an Nvidia discrete GPU. It was disabled for our tests.  Finally, keep in mind that very few games available on Windows have an Arm version available, including the games we used for testing. Because of this, the Qualcomm chip (which uses the Arm instruction set) ran games developed for x86 processors through Microsoft’s PRISM emulation. The only exception to this is 3DMark Night Raid, which does offer an Arm-native version. PC game developers currently make little effort to develop games for Windows on Arm, and this is unlikely to change until Steam, GOG, and The Epic Games Store add support for Arm-native PC games. The games  We tested integrated laptops with two synthetic benchmarks from popular benchmarking tool 3DMark alongside a roster of popular PC games. The games were selected to represent a variety of genres that stress a laptop in different ways. We also wanted to test games you’re likely to play, so we stuck to games that are currently popular on Steam. 3DMark Time Spy and Night Raid 3DMark Night Raid and Time Spy are wonderful synthetic benchmarks from UL Solutions. Night Raid is a less demanding benchmark, but notable because it has an Arm native version available on Windows. Time Spy is a more demanding benchmark, though several times removed from the most demanding benchmarks available in 3DMark, and does not have an Arm native version. IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith These results immediately suggest we’ve got a close competition on our hands. The 3DMark Time Spy results are a near thing, and the Night Raid results are even more competitive. On the whole, though, it’s a fight between Intel Arc and AMD Radeon 890M for the top slot. While Arc was quickest in Time Spy, the Radeon 890M took a substantial win in Night Raid. I also want to call out the Qualcomm Adreno’s Night Raid score of 26,553, which is the second-best result from this pack. That indicates Adreno can deliver competitive performance when running an Arm native app. Unfortunately, this is the only Arm native test we ran. Adreno of course performs more poorly under emulation, as shown by the Adreno’s score of just 1,909 in Time Spy. Sid Meier’s Civilization VI Civilization VI is an older game, but it remains extremely popular. It’s also a good fit for integrated graphics, as the game’s visuals don’t overtax integrated GPUs and don’t demand a lot of video memory. IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith Because of that, every integrated GPU except for Qualcomm’s Adreno was able to exceed 60 frames per second, and most were able to deliver that level of performance consistently.  AMD’s Radeon integrated graphics sprint away from Intel Arc, however. The Radeon 780M’s lead over Intel Arc is small, but the newer Radeon 880M springs ahead to a result just shy of 90 frames per second. AMD’s top-of-the-line Radeon 890M is quicker still and manages to exceed an average of 120 frames per second. These improvements are meaningful. They could allow smoother gameplay on high-refresh displays or, alternatively, provide headroom to turn up a few detail settings. DOTA 2 Valve’s DOTA 2 definitely fits in the ranks of “biggest games no one seems to talk about any more,” but make no mistake: it’s still massive, with hundreds of thousands of simultaneous players every day. It’s also light on hardware, which perhaps contributes to its ongoing popularity. IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith AMD Radeon and Intel Arc deliver even performance here. While the Radeon 880M and 890M score a win over Intel Arc, it’s not a major victory. And that win is somewhat counterbalanced by AMD Radeon 780M falling behind Arc. Importantly, all of these options prove capable of playing the game well in excess of 60 frames per second. Qualcomm Adreno unfortunately falls behind once again. DOTA 2 is playable, which is impressive given the game is running through emulation, but it’s roughly half as quick as the AMD Radeon and Intel Arc options.  Final Fantasy XIV Square Enix’s popular MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV received a graphics update in a patch related to the new expansion, Dawntrail. The update doesn’t drastically increase its hardware requirements, but it’s significant enough to once again make Final Fantasy XIV a challenge to run on integrated graphics at the High (Laptop) setting. IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith The field is surprisingly even here. The AMD Radeon 890M, 880M, and Intel Arc solutions all deliver playable performance, although the minimum framerates dip into the mid-20s. In my opinion, players looking to dive into the more difficult content, like raids, would want to change to the Low detail preset for smoother gameplay. AMD’s Radeon 780M falls a bit behind, however. Qualcomm Adreno is behind the pack, but this is in some ways a good result. Again, the game is running under emulation here, and despite the almost painfully low minimum framerate I would call it “barely playable.” However, Adreno is noticeably behind the competition, and I wouldn’t recommend it for this game. Total War: Warhammer III Total War: Warhammer III is a grand strategy game like Civilization VI, but it’s newer and rather demanding on laptop hardware even with graphics detail kept to the Low preset. The game proves too much for some integrated graphics solutions. IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith The Qualcomm Adreno and AMD Radeon 780M fail to deliver a playable experience in this game, as both deliver roughly 24 frames per second. I suppose that might be tolerable in a strategy title like Warhammer III, but the choppiness is pronounced. Intel Arc was only marginally better; though it hit 30 frames per second on average, the minimum framerate was a disappointing 19 frames per second.However, the AMD Radeon 880M and 890M solutions score wins, as both exceed 30 frames per second on average and deliver an adequate minimum framerate. It’s not the best experience, to be sure, but it’ll do.  The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition is an interesting title. Though over 10 years old, the game’s beautiful visuals can still challenge integrated graphics at 1080p and the game’s High detail preset (Ultra is still generally too much for IGPs).  IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith This game is a win for Intel Arc, which manages to slightly defeat even the AMD Radeon 890M. It’s also a big loss for Qualcomm Adreno, which suffers from rather serious framerate drops. The same is true of the AMD Radeon 780M, at least in the Acer Swift Edge 16, though the issue is less severe.  Cyberpunk 2077 Cyberpunk 2077 is now several years old, but it remains among the most demanding games for modern PCs and, despite a rocky launch, has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity thanks to numerous patches and a successful expansion.  IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith This game does us a favor and delivers a nice, readable graph. Qualcomm’s Adreno is obviously at the rear of the pack, as the game’s average of nearly 21 frames per second is nowhere near playable. Intel Arc and AMD Radeon 780M trade blows north of 30 frames per second, but Arc takes the win between them. AMD’s Radeon 880M roars in and provides a major improvement over the 780M. While the latter is just sorta-kinda playable with these settings, the 880M requires no caveats. AMD’s Radeon 890M, meanwhile, blows away the pack with an excellent average in excess of 60 frames per second. That’s not just playable. It’s truly enjoyable. And it’s the 890M’s most significant performance victory among all the benchmarks and games tested.  Conclusion: AMD and Intel fight toe-to-toe while Qualcomm struggles under emulation The results present a few takeaways anyone shopping for a laptop with integrated graphics should know before making a purchase. It’s clear that AMD’s Radeon 890M is the victor, as it delivers a significant performance increase over the Radeon 880M and the best Intel Arc solutions. In some games, such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Civilization VI, the performance increase was large enough to deliver a boost to fluidity that’s immediately noticeable outside of a benchmark. It’s just a shame the Radeon 890M is only found in the AMD Ryzen AI 9 370HX and AMD Ryzen AI 9 375HX. I expect many laptops with these chips will also have a more performant discrete GPU, which makes the IGP’s performance less relevant. With that said, the Ryzen AI 9 370HX and 375HX could become popular options for mini-desktops. The less powerful, but more common, AMD Radeon 880M is another great solution, but Intel Arc is nearly as good. AMD and Intel fought to an exact tie in these tests: each won four out of the eight tests we ran. If you’re looking for a tie-breaker, I would point out that two of Arc’s four wins were in 3DMark synthetic tests, which arguably hold a bit less weight than real-world game tests. Shoppers should also keep in mind that not all versions of Intel Arc are the same, and some less powerful Intel Core Ultra processors have fewer cores or lower graphics core clock speeds. However, Intel strikes back with availability, at least for now: the Radeon 880M is available only on AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 365 in a handful of machines, while Intel Arc graphics is available in hundreds of mid-range laptops. It’s clear Qualcomm’s Adreno is in a tough spot, as nearly all Windows games lack an Arm native version and must run under emulation, which saps performance. Adreno has a lot of potential, and I’m actually a bit surprised by how well it does in some games. Performance in Final Fantasy XIV and Total War: Warhammer III, for example, was not that far off the AMD Radeon 780M. But whatever the reasons, the reality is Adreno can’t match AMD Radeon and Intel Arc in real-world scenarios. That won’t change until PC game developers decide to support Windows on Arm. On the whole, integrated graphics performance is in a good spot in 2024. A capable IGP, like the AMD Radeon 880M or Intel Arc with eight Xe cores, can play many modern games at 1080p resolution, 30 to 60 frames per second, and low to high detail. Even games like Cyberpunk are playable (if not fluid) thanks to upscaling technologies like AMD’s FSR and Intel’s XeSS.  There’s still reason to be wary, however. Some IGPs available in modern laptops, including older generations of AMD Radeon integrated graphics and Qualcomm’s Adreno, are unlikely to provide a good experience. Fortunately, the most recent AMD Radeon and Intel Arc IGPs aren’t difficult to find and available at affordable prices: the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus with Intel Arc is just $1,000 with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, and Asus’ Vivobook S delivers the Radeon 880M for $1,200 alongside 24GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. Read...

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