Does it make sense to buy a more expensive smartphone charger?

You may have noticed that the prices of chargers on the market vary almost tenfold. It may seem like just another gimmick of big corporations, because chargers are supposed to be the same, but the relationship between price and how your phone holds a charge is a little more complicated. While more expensive accessories usually have a better effect on battery life, that doesn't mean you should always choose the more expensive option.

SlashGear explains whether it's worth paying more.

How batteries and chargers work

Most modern smartphones are equipped with lithium-ion batteries, which consist of an anode and a cathode with a separate electrolyte layer. The lithium ions move in one direction when the phone is in use and in the opposite direction when it is charging. Too much or abrupt energy supply can shorten the battery's "life" and even lead to overheating or fire. That's why high-quality chargers that can adjust the current to the needs of the battery are important.

More expensive chargers usually feature technologies such as USB Power Delivery. It establishes a "digital contact" between the phone and the charger to determine exactly how much power is safe to transfer. Companies like Oppo also develop proprietary ultra-fast charging solutions, but they can only work with "native" adapters. If you see a no-name charger at a discounted price, there is a risk that they have cut corners on components and security technologies.

The smartphone market is currently occupied mainly by Apple and Samsung devices. For example, according to ChargerLab tests, even the top-of-the-line iPhone 16 Pro Max does not actually use more than 35W of power, and the most common Apple adapter has only 20W. Samsung's flagships, such as the Galaxy S25 Ultra series, have a limit of 45W.

So, not all cheap chargers are equally harmful, but most problematic devices are sold in the lower price segment. It's best to choose trusted brands with clear specifications rather than chasing the most expensive ones. The main thing is to take into account the real capabilities of your smartphone and not subject the battery to dangerous experiments.

As a reminder, the Infinix company unveiled the solar charging smartphone at the MWC 2025 exhibition.

Earlier, it was known that Xiaomi users found the secret feature for the battery in HyperOS.