Certain tech purchases are easier to make than others — it’s not hard to get excited about a shiny new phone or a blazing-fast gaming laptop. Chargers, on the other hand, are much less exciting. However, power and charging accessories are the kind of tech you don’t want to cheap out on. To get the most out of your flagship Android phone, newest iPhone, or laptop, you’ll need a reliable fast charger that supports the same charging standards as your device.
There are so many modern USB-C charging standards that it can be tricky to keep track of them all. The one you might know about is USB Power Delivery (PD), which enables fast charging speeds on a variety of products, from headphones and phones to laptops. The newest Google Pixel and iPhone models are popularizing two emerging charging standards, known as Adjustable Voltage Supply (AVS) and Programmable Power Supply (PPS). This is what they do, and why your new phone probably requires them.
AVS adjusts your charging speeds on the fly
It always delivers the most power a supported device can accept
Typically, USB-C power adapters have a maximum charging speed that rarely reflects the actual figures you’d see in the real world. If you’ve plugged your phone into a supposedly fast charger and witnessed slower charging speeds than expected, this is probably why. A variety of factors — including device temperature, battery charge state, battery health, and device usage — can affect charging speeds.
Power adapters were previously limited to pre-set wattage and voltage tiers. As such, if your phone can only accept 13V of power at a given point, it might fall back from 15V to 9V. The limits essentially resulted in your devices and power adapters leaving potential charging speed on the table. With Adjustable Voltage Supply (AVS), these restrictions are effectively removed, and chargers can fluctuate between 9V and 20V in 100mV increments.
Using a charger with AVS ensures your phone receives a voltage as close to its best-case level as possible. If your phone is asking for 14.5V, for example, an AVS-equipped charger can deliver that exact voltage, helping it receive the highest power delivery possible. An older charger might’ve immediately stepped down to 9V, resulting in slower speeds. With a supported phone and AVS power adapter, you can always be sure your device is receiving the appropriate amount of power throughout every step of a charge cycle.
PPS is a must to unlock the fastest speeds
If you want to fast-charge a Pixel 10 Pro XL, you need this feature
While the USB PD 3.2 specification requires AVS support on new chargers with speeds between 27W and 100W, the Programmable Power Supply (PPS) spec is optional. PPS is an even more granular iteration of AVS that allows a supported device to ask for real-time changes to voltage and current, allowing for faster speeds. Compared to AVS’ support of 100mV increments, PPS uses 20mV and 50mA steps.
PPS is widely supported on flagship phones from Google, Samsung, and a few other Android brands. However, not all PPS-compatible chargers are created equal. Some phones, like the latest Google Pixel 10 Pro XL, require a charger with support for at least 20V PPS profiles. To get the fastest speeds, check whether your next charger supports PPS and ensure its voltage range meets the demands of your device.
Which charger should you buy with these features?
I tested one from Google, but it’s not perfect
Like with any emerging standard, the benefits will reach early adopters using the latest phones and accessories first. Still, it doesn’t hurt to upgrade early, as a power adapter supporting USB PD 3.2, AVS, and PPS will charge both today’s devices with future-proofing for upcoming ones. For now, the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL requires a high-voltage PPS mode to reach its maximum 45W charging speed.
Additionally, the entire iPhone 17 series can charge up to 50% in 20 minutes, and the iPhone Air can charge up to 50% in 30 minutes using the AVS-supported Apple 40W Dynamic Power Adapter. In addition to AVS, the Apple charger supports Dynamic Power Source (DPS), which allows it to pull 60W maximum charging speeds out of a relatively small power adapter.
I tested Google’s Pixel Flex Dual Port 67W USB-C Fast Charger, which includes USB PD 3.2, AVS, and PPS. This means it can charge both the Pixel 10 Pro XL and iPhone 17/Air at their maximum speeds. In fact, the Google charger is one of the few that can power up multiple Pixels at max speeds simultaneously. By comparison, the Apple charger has USB PD 3.2, AVS, and DPS, but lacks the PPS needed for the Pixel 10 Pro XL.
I’ve spent over a month with the Pixel charger, and its excellent support for a variety of next-generation charging standards makes it a versatile option for everyone. There’s just one catch — it is designed to always prioritize Google phones, chargers, tablets, and earbuds over other products. As a result, if you plug a Pixel 10 Pro XL and a laptop into the dual charger at the same time, your phone might get all the power adapter’s charging speed. It’s a significant oversight that I hope Google makes optional with a future revision.
Google’s option is just one of a few chargers that pack wide support for USB PD 3.2, AVS, and PPS, making it suitable for fast charging the newest devices, including the Pixel 10 Pro XL, iPhone 17 series, and iPhone Air.
- Output
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2x USB-C
- Output Power
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67W
- Color
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Snow (White)
- Smart Features
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USB PD: 3.2 PPS PD: 5V/3A, 9V/3A, 15V/4A, 20V/3.35A max 67W PPS: Up to 11V/3A, 16V/4A, 21V/3.35A max 67W AVS: 9-15V/4A, 15-20V/3.35A max 67W
The Pixel Flex Dual 67W charger is a fast USB-C power adapter that can fast charge two high-end Pixel phones simultaneously. It also includes USB PD 3.2, PPS, and AVS support, allowing it to charge modern devices like the iPhone 17 or Pixel 10 Pro XL quickly.
