What is PD?

Power Delivery (PD)

USB-C output ports with Power Delivery (PD) can supply up to 100 watts of power. This is an important feature, as older generation USB ports could supply just 2.5 watts on average, enough for a phone but definitely not enough for a laptop which requires at least 60 watts. This is why for the list of power banks we only selected ones that have the PD feature.

However, this is not to say that all PD ports supply 100W. There can be different values of power output, but the most common ones are:

18W – this is enough for all types of smartphones and tablets, including devices such as the Nintendo Switch.

30W – 45W – from these levels, you can start charging more power-intensive items such as laptops, just that they will take longer to charge than usual

60W+ – starting with 60W most laptops will charge without an issue, not to mention tablets, cameras or phones.

Wrap-up

It’s pretty clear that the USB-C ports are here to stay and that they are very likely to become the next standard in terms of connectivity. As more and more devices will come with this type of ports, then it makes sense to make sure any power bank you buy also has USB-C compatibility.

But besides plain old compatibility, one of the biggest advantages of USB C power banks is their increased speed, where PD technology plays a key role. The maximum loading speeds of traditional ports, don’t even come close to the ones provided by USB-C with PD.