There are a number of significant differences between the PD 2.0 specification and the latest 3.0 specification: Starting with the USB Power Delivery 2.0 fast charging standard, it was presented to the public in August, 2014. This has the USB Type-C interface, being one of the best known and more used around the world, and although it does not have another type of interface, which could be seen as negative, it has very good functions, among which are charging, data transmission, and audio transmission. With the USB PD 2.0, you can get the voltages 5V3A, 9V3A, 12V3A, 15V3A, 20V5A, in addition to its maximum charging power that reaches the 100W. Table 3 Charging times are compared between PD 3.0 and PD 2.0 ready mobile devices. Source: Infineon Another great feature of USB PD is the fact that the power direction is no longer fixed. In the past, if you plugged your phone into the computer, it would charge your phone. But with Power Delivery, the phone you plug in could be responsible for powering your hard drive. INOV works by intelligently detecting the exact amount of voltage required by your device. This is a significant improvement from QC 2.0, which offered four different modes. By detecting the precise voltage your device needs, QC 3.0 provides two significant benefits. First off, it maximizes your charging performance. For instance, if your device requires an unusual voltage like 19 volts, the charger will deliver it. You won’t be left flat by a 12 or 18-volt charge. Secondly, the technology avoids any wastage. You won’t be feeding 20 volts of power to a 19-volt device. Not only does is avoiding waste good for the environment, it’s also good for your device. Excess energy is shed as heat, which can cause damage. By avoiding this, QC 3.0 prevents overheating. Which is Faster?

How fast can a fast-charging phone charge if a fast-charging phone can charge really fast?". CNet. 2 December 2016 . Retrieved 4 December 2016. Aside from the elevation of convenience, this USB 3.2 upgrade also brought about a wave in the technology industry best known as PD (Power Delivery) 3.0. What’s new with PD 3.0? While USB was once used as mainly for data communication with limited charging capabilities, many devices now use a USB primarily for charging. This includes many mobile phones, computers, and plenty of other devices. However, this can lead to some issues as certain devices or cables are not compatible with other types of ports. Compounding that is the fact that there are speed differences between different types of USB. Case in point, Type C is faster than USB 3.0 which in turn is faster than 2.0. This leads to a lot of e-waste as people are constantly buying new cables or devices when USB technology advances further. Figure 1 The diagram shows voltage vs. current charging of lithium-ion battery cells. Source: Infineon First, a more detailed description of the device’s built-in battery characteristics has been added to this new standard. In addition to that, the device software and hardware version identification, and software update functions through PD communication have been added. Finally, and being the third improvement, the number has been added to a certificate and digital signature function.

USB Power Delivery: What you need to know

In addition to passing USB-IF compliance testing and inclusion of its Power Delivery products on the Integrators List, companies wishing to use the certified USB logos must have a current on file USB-IF Trademark License Agreement. USB Power Delivery is covered by the relevant adopters agreements for either USB 2.0, USB 3.0, or USB4 ™ depending on the specification implemented. Recommendations for which adopters agreements are appropriate to execute are listed below: Though not publicly documented, the voltage negotiation between device and charger has been reverse-engineered, and a custom voltage can be manually requested from the charger using a trigger circuit that simulates the negotiation to an end device. [2] [3] Fast charging allows for optimized charging in the early stage of charging; meaning, you get an improved battery capacity after a short period of charging. Companies do not boast of a full fast charge because power transfer in the concluding stage of charging drops. As shown in Figure 1, the first stage of charging a single cell lithium-ion battery is to apply constant current—0.5 to 1.0 Coulomb—until the battery voltage reaches 4.2V per cell. Once the battery voltage reaches 4.2V, the battery enters the second state of charging, called saturation charging, where a constant voltage of 4.2V is maintained while the charging current drops over time to less than 10% of the initial charge rate.

This feature helps to reduce the amount of energy that’ll go to waste during charging. While charging your device, you might notice it heating up, this is the energy that goes to waste, and it can reduce your battery life span. The INOV feature ensures that lesser energy is lost, which means less heat. When it comes to tech, the general consensus is that smaller is better. This RAVPower charger with PPS fast charging is small in stature but big in performance. It was specifically designed for the iPhone 12 series and offers a total output of 20W. PPS: Another outcome of the USB-IF’s efforts to create an international standard that uses the USB Type-C interconnect is the concept of PPSs. There are two usage models: Powering devices in use with a fixed source and charging of battery-powered devices. The fixed-voltage features were in place with PD 2.0; PD 3.0 introduces PPS, which attempts to make battery charging more efficient. Over time, this seemingly-simple component has paved the way for immeasurable convenience and set the foundations for most, if not all forms of data transfers. From hard disk drives and flash drives to charging cables and port connections, this modern marvel of a tool has indeed changed the way humanity uses technology and benefits from it.Power direction is no longer fixed. This enables the product with the power (Host or Peripheral) to provide the power. efficiently. Get One of These Two RAVPower PPS Fast Chargers 1. PD Pioneer 20W Wall Adapter (RP-PC150) Figure 2 A typical battery charging comprises an MCU and a battery charging IC. Source: Infineon Comparing PD 2.0 and PD 3.0 PD 2.0 On the other hand, Apple and Google Pixel phones are a bit different. Both of them use PD 3.0 only. As with Android devices, though, your performance will depend on your device. For example, older Apple devices like the iPhone 7 don’t support any kind of fast charging. But with the iPhone 8 and newer, you get full PD compatibility. Be aware that you won’t get any benefit whatsoever from a QC 3.0 charger. Apple phones simply aren’t compatible with the technology. The USB Power Delivery (USB PD) Specification extends the USB functionality by allowing for more flexible power delivery and data transmission over a single cable. Its goal is to work with and expand upon the current USB ecosystem.

So, which is faster, PD 3.0 or QC 3.0? In a nutshell, it depends on your device. To begin with, there’s a difference between Android and Apple products. With Android, you’re dealing with an open standard, so your mileage may vary. Most newer Android phones support PD charging, and more than half also support QC 3.0. This includes newer Samsung models. Keep in mind, though, that this will depend on your phone’s manufacturer. If you’re using a cheaper phone like an LG Stylo, you’re still limited to Micro USB charging. This won’t allow for either PD 3.0 or QC 3.0.

Consumer convenience and the ecological argument

The Power Delivery 3.1, released in 2021, is a significant update that enables the delivery of up to 240W of power over a fully functional USB-C cable and connector.

Intelligent and flexible system level management of power via optional hub communication with the PC. If the source finds that it’s attached to a USB Type-C cable, it sends a Source_Capabilities message; a series of 32-bit power delivery objects (PDOs) specify each fixed voltage and maximum allowable current it can deliver. Another point of interest regarding Power Delivery is that it allows for power to flow both ways, with no set direction based on circuit or connection. For example, if you were to connect two phones that support Power Delivery with a USB-C charging cable, one phone could charge the other and vice versa. Sources say that it's best to use USB PD 2.0 for simple devices that don't necessarily need extra or in depth information presented. One should use USB PD 3.0 if the new features are required in your device's application. Thanks to the advent of the latest Type-C charging technology, modern users can now enjoy the immense benefits of USB 3.2 alongside a significantly-improved Power Delivery 3.0. While the benefits of this new technology are plenty, the three upgrades mentioned above show just how effective and innovative it truly is!In conclusion, this new standard for USB charging could change the world of technology as we know it. With Power Delivery, a range of devices can share their charges with one another and power each other without hassle. Power Delivery is simply a much easier and a streamlined way to go about charging all of your devices. PD is short for “power delivery”. The technology is capable of delivering up to 100 watts of power, far more than any smartphone requires. However, this high wattage has some significant advantages. For instance, it can be used to power laptops. Apple’s new MacBooks all use it, and can even be used while they’re charging. This means you’re getting much better performance than you’d expect from a standard USB cable. The PD 3.0 specification includes specific requirements for available voltage rails for a given power rating. Any adapter above 7.5W will include only 5V delivered. Greater than 15W will utilize both 5V and 9V. Other voltages can be offered for negotiation, but cannot exceed the highest required voltage rail in the adapter. Once a device is connected, it negotiates with the adapter for the best combination of voltage rails to achieve maximum efficiency while charging.