Finest charger for Pixel 9 Professional XL

Quirky charging necessities are nothing new. Whether or not it’s OnePlus and OPPO utilizing SuperVOOC to cost their gadgets — and solely their gadgets — at blistering speeds or Apple sticking with its proprietary Lightning port till it was primarily pressured to modify to USB-C, it looks as if everybody has a trick up their sleeve. Google and Samsung do, too, although we’re used to reaching for a USB PD PPS charger after we check a Galaxy gadget or a Pixel at this level. Or, a minimum of, I believed we had been.

Then, Google launched its Pixel 9 Professional XL, boasting as much as 37W speeds from its brand-new 45W USB-C energy charger. At first, I didn’t assume a lot of it — Google has touted its in-house charging speeds earlier than, however we’ve at all times been capable of match them from chargers we already had. This time, although, no cube. Regardless of which USB PD PPS charger I attempted, all of them topped out at 27W when paired with Google’s top-end Pixel. So, I bit the bullet, picked up the shiny new charger, and right here we’re.

If nothing else, I like how Google’s 45W USB-C energy charger appears. I imply, that’s not a shock — I have already got an condo stuffed with Google-designed sensible house merchandise, so why wouldn’t a charger match proper in? In spite of everything, Google already makes use of white, bubble-like chargers on the finish of its Nest Mini and Nest Hub Max cables, so including one other one to the combination makes my setup look somewhat extra in sync.

It in all probability helps that I like Google’s different designs, too. I nonetheless carry the Pixel Buds Professional (in a white, spherical case) on the highway, and I’ve been on board with the up to date Pixel design since day one. Combine in the truth that Google’s chosen measurement and form for its 45W energy charger stands out from my assortment of black, rectangular chargers, and it’s straightforward to see how this one’s a winner. The distinctive form has one other profit, too: I at all times know which charger to seize when my Pixel 9 Professional XL is working low on juice. In spite of everything, that’s the one cellphone that wants this charger to achieve its peak wired charging velocity.

And but, for every thing I like about Google’s easy, cutesy design, different components drive me up a wall. It’s only a bit too tall for my shops, which means I’ve to make use of it within the backside socket or flip it the wrong way up to make use of it within the prime. At the least once I do the latter at an outlet shared with my Nest Mini, the 2 chargers seem like an exclamation mark, which is enjoyable.

The charger additionally stands out only a bit too far for my liking, measuring about two inches lengthy regardless of solely having one tiny USB-C port on the underside edge. Granted, it will be worse if the port sat on the aspect, forcing your cable to stay even additional out, however the charger itself is already massive sufficient. Possibly if Google added a second port — even when it meant splitting the overall charging energy — I’d be somewhat extra open to the dimensions. Oh, and the prongs don’t fold, you simply need to lug the charger round and maintain it secure from something it’d scratch in your backpack.

I do have to present Google props for utilizing a minimum of 47% recycled plastic in its polycarbonate housing and ditching plastic from its packaging — it’s a pleasant contact, contemplating I had to purchase one other plastic charger.

In fact, how a charger performs is much extra vital than the way it appears. In spite of everything, that’s what made me seize a brand-new charger for one particular cellphone within the first place. On that entrance, a minimum of, the 45W USB-C energy charger does its job and does it effectively. After battling my Pixel 9 Professional XL and a number of other higher-speed USB PD PPS chargers, I plugged it into this in-house possibility, and it shot proper to the 37W speeds I used to be searching for.

Earlier than I can convey that sense of aid, I ought to in all probability clarify just a few of the swings and misses I had whereas making an attempt to cost my Pixel 9 Professional XL. First, I grabbed a 68W Motorola TurboPower charger — which I’ve used on nearly each gadget, together with the Pixel 8 Professional, with out difficulty — and located that it wouldn’t budge from 9V/3A charging, giving me an output of 27W. It instantly struck me as odd since I knew the identical charger would fill Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Extremely at its full 45W (9v/5A) charge, so it stands to cause it ought to deal with a decrease 37W velocity, proper? Mistaken.

Then, I switched to an much more highly effective charger, a 100W Baseus brick that, on account of its measurement and weight, is principally used to prop up telephones for glamour pictures. This time, I figured, it must attain full velocity. I used to be unsuitable as soon as once more. Regardless of its increased capability, the Baseus charger sat on the identical 9V/3A ranking I had simply given up on, working at simply three-quarters of its potential. Double-checking one other USB-C cable with a 5A amperage ranking didn’t assist, both — it was 3A or the freeway.

At this level, I raised the alarm bell to my colleague Rob Triggs, stating simply how confused I used to be that I couldn’t cost my Pixel 9 Professional XL at prime speeds. We settled on the truth that I’d want Google’s fancy 45W energy charger, figuring there should be one thing it might try this different chargers weren’t, and the remaining is historical past. In spite of everything that, the brand new charger saved me two minutes off the time spent charging the Pixel 8 Professional, as seen under. Nevertheless, it’s sooner for a fast top-up.

There’s extra to charging a cellphone than uncooked velocity, as Rob digs into as a part of our breakdown of Google’s complicated charging setup. However, because it seems, that secret energy was the 45W charger’s willingness to push 18 volts (somewhat than 9-11V) into the Pixel 9 Professional XL, giving it the velocity I had waited virtually per week for. Maybe that’s the most effective factor I might have requested from Google’s new in-house accent — it did what I wanted. I assume that’s all you want from a charger, but it surely doesn’t sit very effectively when it’s important to spend $30 on a brand new charger on prime of an already $1,100 cellphone.

On the intense aspect, though you want Google’s 45W energy charger (or one in all only a few others) to fill the Pixel 9 Professional XL at prime speeds, now that you’ve got it, you may also use it for the remainder of your gadgets. In spite of everything, it’s nonetheless a 45W USB PD PPS-enabled charger, so it might probably bounce proper in and assist your folks, whether or not they have Pixels, Samsung Galaxy gadgets, or Motorola’s Razr Plus or Edge Plus. Simply don’t anticipate a lot out of it you probably have a OnePlus 12 or one other cellphone with proprietary charging.

With my charging headache sorted, I feel I owe Google a minimum of somewhat thanks for clearly indicating what charging requirements the 45W energy charger helps and the particular voltage and amperage for each. Whereas searching for different alternate options to this charger, I requested a number of colleagues for recommendation, which principally left us trying on the identical few chargers and making an attempt to determine the variations. At the least with this one, I knew it was prepared for USB PD 3.1 PPS proper off the bat — take notes, everybody else.

I’ve to confess, I’ve by no means felt this strongly a couple of charger earlier than. I imply, I don’t assume I’ve ever felt something about a charger earlier than. Certain, I’ve my favorites — I carried round that 68W TurboPower charger for greater than a yr, trusting it with every thing from my digital camera to my laptop computer to no matter cellphone I used to be testing — but it surely didn’t crush me to depart house with out it for a weekend. I at all times knew I’d discover one other charger and possibly attain many of the speeds I wished.

With Google’s 45W energy charger, although, I’d in all probability kick myself just a bit bit if I left it behind. Not as a result of it fully revolutionizes charging your cellphone (it doesn’t) however as a result of Google determined to present its greatest Pixel ever such particular charging necessities that make it virtually not possible to surpass 30W in any other case. And actually, I don’t love that feeling. I don’t like double-checking my backpack for one particular charger, irrespective of how a lot I like that cellphone. Whether or not it’s OnePlus, Samsung, or now, Google, it appears like an additional hoop to leap by. And but, I do know that I shouldn’t take my frustration out on the charger, or a minimum of I ought to take into consideration a wi-fi charger as a substitute.

In spite of everything, Google’s 45W energy charger does just about every thing I would like it to. It appears good, delivers stable speeds to extra than simply the Pixel 9 Professional XL, and tells you what charging requirements it helps before you purchase it. Sure, it stands out somewhat too removed from the wall, and sure, I may need most well-liked folding prongs, however on the finish of the day, it’s a charger. It will get my cellphone again to 100% with out difficulty, and that must be sufficient.

In one other world, it in all probability could be. I in all probability couldn’t be happier with such a easy, simple possibility, particularly when different chargers that hit the voltage necessities for the Pixel 9 Professional XL are usually double the worth. On this world, although, it appears like one other reminder that we’ll in all probability by no means have one handy charging answer that works throughout each gadget. At the least not if it means Google, Samsung, or anybody else can squeeze just a few extra {dollars} out of me.