How do you choose the right charger for your laptop?

You want to be sure that the new charger is actually suitable for charging your laptop. Make sure to keep the following properties in mind.

• Which connector fits in your laptop?
• How much voltage do you need?
• What's the maximum current of your laptop?
• How much Watts is your charger?

Unfortunately, almost all laptops have their own type of connector. Make sure to check which type of connector fits in your laptop. Universal chargers often include different types of connectors, but not always the one you need.

• Do you still have the original charger? Compare the connector to that of the original connector to make sure you have the right connector.
• Don't you still have the original charger? Look up the model number of your laptop. This is often indicated at the bottom of your laptop. Search this number on the internet. You'll often find the type of connector in one of the search results.

Calmly breathe in and out, it's all about voltage here. A charger knows 2 types of voltage, the input voltage and the output voltage. Both are expressed in volts (V).

• The input voltage goes from the socket to the charger. In Europe, this is 230V. Almost all chargers work with an input voltage between 100 and 240V.
• The output voltage is the voltage that the laptop receives from the charger. A laptop is designed to work with a certain voltage. When the voltage is too high or too low, it can damage the device. That's why it's important that the replacement charger has the same output voltage as the original charger.

In addition to voltage, there's also the current, which is expressed in ampere (A). This is the amount of power that the laptop needs to function. The amount of power delivered by the replacement charger can be higher than the current of your original charger. The laptop will only use what it needs. A charger with a lower current won't work. The laptop won't receive enough power to work.

You'll often see the wattage (W) in the product title of a replacement charger. This number isn't always indicated on the original charger. The wattage is the power of the charger. This number may be higher than the original charger, but not lower. You can easily calculate the power of your charger.

Ready for some physics?

• The voltage (in Volts, V) times the current (in ampere, A) is equal to the power (in Watts, W)
• V x A = W
• Let's say the output voltage is 19.5V and the current 4.7A.
• 19.5 x 4.7 = 91.65
• Considering the rounding differences, you should choose a charger of 90W in this case.