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 units — and solely their units — at blistering speeds or Apple sticking with its proprietary Lightning port till it was basically pressured to change to USB-C, it looks like 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 take a look at a Galaxy system or a Pixel at this level. Or, no less than, I assumed we have 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 in a position to match them from chargers we already had. This time, although, no cube. Irrespective 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 to be like. I imply, that’s not a shock — I have already got an residence filled with Google-designed good dwelling 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 street, and I’ve been on board with the up to date Pixel design since day one. Combine in the truth that Google’s chosen dimension 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 operating low on juice. In spite of everything, that’s the one telephone that wants this charger to achieve its peak wired charging velocity.

And but, for all the things I like about Google’s easy, cutesy design, different components drive me up a wall. It’s only a bit too tall for my retailers, that means I’ve to make use of it within the backside socket or flip it the other way up to make use of it within the prime. At the very least after I do the latter at an outlet shared with my Nest Mini, the 2 chargers appear to be 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 could be worse if the port sat on the aspect, forcing your cable to stay even additional out, however the charger itself is already giant sufficient. Possibly if Google added a second port — even when it meant splitting the full charging energy — I’d be somewhat extra open to the dimensions. Oh, and the prongs don’t fold, you simply must lug the charger round and preserve it protected from something it would scratch in your backpack.

I do have to offer Google props for utilizing no less than 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.

After all, how a charger performs is way extra necessary than the way it appears to be like. In spite of everything, that’s what made me seize a brand-new charger for one particular telephone within the first place. On that entrance, no less than, the 45W USB-C energy charger does its job and does it properly. After combating my Pixel 9 Professional XL and several other higher-speed USB PD PPS chargers, I plugged it into this in-house choice, and it shot proper to the 37W speeds I used to be on the lookout for.

Earlier than I can convey that sense of reduction, I ought to in all probability clarify a couple of 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 system, together with the Pixel 8 Professional, with out situation — 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) price, so it stands to motive it ought to deal with a decrease 37W velocity, proper? Incorrect.

Then, I switched to an much more highly effective charger, a 100W Baseus brick that, because of its dimension and weight, is especially used to prop up telephones for glamour photographs. This time, I figured, it must attain full velocity. I used to be fallacious as soon as once more. Regardless of its greater capability, the Baseus charger sat on the similar 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 may try this different chargers weren’t, and the remainder 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 beneath. Nonetheless, it’s sooner for a fast top-up.

There’s extra to charging a telephone 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 nearly every week for. Maybe that’s the most effective factor I may have requested from Google’s new in-house accent — it did what I wanted. I suppose that’s all you want from a charger, but it surely doesn’t sit very properly when you need to spend $30 on a brand new charger on prime of an already $1,100 telephone.

On the intense aspect, regardless that you want Google’s 45W energy charger (or one among only a few others) to fill the Pixel 9 Professional XL at prime speeds, now that you’ve it, you can even use it for the remainder of your units. In spite of everything, it’s nonetheless a 45W USB PD PPS-enabled charger, so it will probably leap proper in and assist your pals, whether or not they have Pixels, Samsung Galaxy units, 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 telephone with proprietary charging.

With my charging headache sorted, I believe I owe Google no less than somewhat thanks for clearly indicating what charging requirements the 45W energy charger helps and the precise voltage and amperage for each. Whereas on the lookout for different options to this charger, I requested a number of colleagues for recommendation, which largely left us wanting on the similar few chargers and making an attempt to determine the variations. At the very 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 all the things from my digital camera to my laptop computer to no matter telephone I used to be testing — but it surely didn’t crush me to depart dwelling 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 needed.

With Google’s 45W energy charger, although, I might in all probability kick myself just a bit bit if I left it behind. Not as a result of it utterly revolutionizes charging your telephone (it doesn’t) however as a result of Google determined to offer its greatest Pixel ever such particular charging necessities that make it nearly inconceivable to surpass 30W in any other case. And truthfully, I don’t love that feeling. I don’t like double-checking my backpack for one particular charger, regardless of how a lot I like that telephone. Whether or not it’s OnePlus, Samsung, or now, Google, it seems like an additional hoop to leap by means of. And but, I do know that I shouldn’t take my frustration out on the charger, or no less than 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 all the things I would like it to. It appears to be like 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 popular folding prongs, however on the finish of the day, it’s a charger. It will get my telephone again to 100% with out situation, and that needs to be sufficient.

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