Much more than just power: discover USB-C charging technologies
Power alone isn’t enough to find the charger or power bank that best suits your device. When choosing a USB-C charger, there’s more to consider than the wattage shown on the packaging. Technologies such as Power Delivery, PPS and AVS also play a key role, determining how the charger and device manage power.
Understanding the differences is useful for one very practical reason: a 100W charger will not necessarily charge a laptop better than a 45W one. To make the most of the capabilities of a charger or power bank, the device, charger, charging protocol and cable must all be compatible.
Here is a simple explanation of the main differences between USB-C charging technologies, designed to help you find the charging solution that best suits your device.
Power Delivery: the foundation of fast USB-C charging
Power Delivery, often simply referred to as PD, is the standard for fast charging via USB-C. It is a technology that allows the charger and the device to communicate with each other to determine how much power should be transferred.
Rather than simply sending power through the cable, the two devices carry out an actual negotiation: the charger communicates which power levels it can provide, while the device requests the one that best suits its needs. This technology works with fixed power steps: for example, a charger equipped with PD technology may deliver 15W, 27W or 30W, but it cannot make a more precise adjustment between these levels.
This means that the same accessory can be used to power a wide range of devices, from smartphones and tablets to laptops and other devices that require significantly more power.
The limitation of this technology, however, lies precisely in the fact that power is supplied in fixed steps. Our devices do not have the same power requirements throughout the entire charging process: towards the end of charging, for example once a smartphone reaches 80%, it may require less voltage or current. This is where PPS technology comes into play.
PPS: Power Delivery becomes truly dynamic
PPS stands for Programmable Power Supply and can be considered an extension or evolution of Power Delivery technology.
PPS enables much finer and more precise adjustments than the fixed power steps offered by standard Power Delivery. Instead of determining the required power level only at the beginning of the charging process, the device and charger can continue communicating and dynamically adapt the power supply according to current conditions.
This more precise power management brings practical benefits to your devices. PPS can help preserve battery health: reducing power during the final stages of charging helps lower the risk of overheating and, as a result, can help limit battery wear over time.
One limitation of PPS technology is that it is not designed to manage power levels above 100W. This means that in chargers supporting PPS with a total output higher than 100W, Programmable Power Supply can regulate power delivery only up to 100W. Above that level, PPS is no longer used.
AVS: dynamic power delivery even at high power levels
AVS stands for Adjustable Voltage Supply. Like PPS, AVS allows the device to communicate continuously with the charger and request a progressively adjustable power supply.
Its basic operating principle is similar to PPS, but the two technologies are designed for different needs. PPS is particularly suited to dynamically managing the charging of devices such as smartphones and tablets. AVS, on the other hand, was developed to manage power levels above 100W and is therefore intended for devices that require higher charging power.
In other words, PPS and AVS apply a similar principle — avoiding reliance solely on a limited number of fixed power steps — but operate in different power ranges.
In addition, while PPS mainly takes the battery’s charging requirements into account, AVS can respond to the power needs of the device as a whole, contributing to more comprehensive power management and protection.
The difference can be summarized as follows: PD determines how much power can be transferred. PPS allows that power to be adjusted with high precision on compatible devices. AVS brings a similar concept to higher-power USB-C charging.
How to choose the right charging accessory
Maximum power output remains important, but it should not be the only factor to consider.
For a smartphone or laptop, a 45W or 65W charger equipped with USB PD and PPS may be a better choice than a much more powerful charger that does not support the protocol required by the device. More specifically, PPS is particularly relevant for Android devices.
A charger supporting AVS is instead the most suitable choice when moving into the higher power range, from over 100W up to 240W. This makes it ideal for high-end laptops and other devices that may require higher power levels. AVS technology is also particularly relevant for the latest-generation Apple devices, specifically starting from the iPhone 17 series.
The practical benefits of these technologies are clear: fewer different chargers, greater compatibility across devices and power management that is better suited to the actual needs of the connected product.
So, when buying a new USB-C charger, the right question is not only:
“How many watts does it deliver?” but also: “Which technologies does it support?”
An important point to clarify is that PPS and AVS do not replace Power Delivery: they work within it. A charger can therefore support PD technology without supporting PPS and/or AVS, but not the other way around.
Having an accessory that supports all three technologies can offer an important advantage: the same charger can behave differently, activating the compatible and most suitable technology depending on the connected device.
PPS vs PD vs AVS: the differences at a glance
|
Technology |
How it works |
Where it is most useful |
Main benefit |
|
Power Delivery |
The charger and device negotiate the power, selecting from fixed charging profiles |
Smartphones, tablets, laptops and many other USB-C devices |
Broad compatibility and safe management of very different power levels |
|
PPS |
The charging profile can be dynamically adjusted with very fine increments |
Smartphones and tablets, especially Android devices, with compatible fast charging up to 100W |
More precise and efficient charging, battery protection and temperature management |
|
AVS |
Allows the charging profile to be adjusted up to 240W |
Laptops and high-power USB-C devices, high-end smartphones (iPhone 17 and later) |
More flexible management of high power levels and protection of all internal components |