Which 45W charger is best for the Galaxy Note 10+?

Open standards aren't always easy standards

When Samsung said the Note 10+ was going to charge via USB Power Delivery, I was so happy, I could sing. PD chargers are everywhere these days, and I have them scattered about my apartment and gear bags so that it's easy to get a quick top-off. But then came the word that PD wasn't enough, and that Samsung had a number of requirements beyond Power Delivery:

• A 45W USB-C Power Delivery 3.0 charger that supports:
  • PPS (Programmable Power Supply) — this is a subsection of Power Delivery 3.0, and there are few chargers out there to support it so far.
  • 10V/4.5A charging speed
  • PDO (Power Delivery Objects) — this negotiates the voltage/speed between the charger and the phone. It's what makes the difference between your S20 Ultra getting the more standard 10V/3A and 10V/4.5A from a charger.
• An e-marked USB-C to USB-C cable

PPS is a standard that's predicated on Power Delivery 3.0, but it's still pretty new and is hardly used by anyone yet. Worse still, there are many chargers out there that say they're "Power Delivery 3.0(PPS QC2.0)," but aren't actually PPS. Even name brand products had PPS listed in their spec sheets without it actually being in the product, which was a huge problem when the Note 10+ first launched.

Where are all the third-party options?

Six months ago, Samsung's unique 45W charging profile was only supported by the Note 10+, and now it's only supported by two — the Note 10+ and the new Galaxy S20 Ultra. The hope was that third-party accessory makers like Anker and Aukey would start making PD chargers compatible with Samsung's 45W profile, but no reliable options have arrived so far, at least not for wall chargers.

We've seen a few 45W power banks and car chargers arise from third parties, but for wall chargers, your best bet by far is still the official Samsung charger. Not only is it sure to work with the Note 10+, but it comes with an e-marked cable, and this little bundle has come down in price since it debuted last year.

Power banks is an area where Samsung hasn't released a 45W model yet — though Samsung is debuting a 25W power bank alongside the Galaxy S20 launch — but third parties have made a few so far. ELECJET makes two: a 10,000mAh model on Indiegogo for over $100, and a 20,000mAh model available on Amazon for $60. The bigger capacity and lower price make the latter a bit more compelling.