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| PC World - 16 May (PC World)You can use any old keyboard to play most PC games. But for better performance, more customization, and maybe even a little more fun, a keyboard designed specifically for games is a great investment.
But actually buying one can be a daunting experience. There are hundreds of options out there with a staggering array of features and price points — and that’s just the ones from the major brands. Which is where this guide comes in. We’ve tested the latest, greatest, and not-so-great gaming keyboards on the market, so you can find the best one for you and your battlestation.
Why you should trust us: PCWorld has been the go-to name for personal computer news and reviews for over 40 years. And as the writer of this roundup, and the reviewer of most of the keyboards on this list, I can assure you our picks have been thoroughly tested by people who are absolutely obsessed with keyboards.
Every single keyboard on this list has been used by an expert, put through its paces for features and reliability, and carefully considered against the alternatives. We’ve tested every facet of the boards, even programming and complete disassembly for those that support it. And there are plenty that don’t make the cut, like the pleasingly yellow but unfortunately pedestrian Ducky One III SF.
For a more in-depth look at how we test keyboards of every kind, check out our dedicated article covering our keyboard review process.
Corsair K65 Plus Wireless – Best gaming keyboard overall
Pros
Solid hardware
Great value for wireless
Tons of customization options
Cons
No wrist rest
slightly awkward default layout
Why I like the K65 Plus Wireless
Corsair has been improving its designs for the last couple of years, incorporating more premium features and customization options. And it all comes together in the vastly redesigned K65 Plus, and does so at a shockingly low price.
This keyboard combines the popular 75% form factor, high-speed, multi-device wireless, high-quality switches, and hot-swappable key sockets, with Corsair’s typically good gaming pedigree. The result is a keyboard that does a lot, for a lot of users, for a relatively low price.
While the K65 skips a couple of exotic features like adjustable actuation or an OLED screen, and it doesn’t include a wrist rest in the box, it nails just about every other facet of design. It’s simply the best gaming keyboard you can get at the moment.
Who should buy the K65 Plus Wireless
Anyone who wants a high-quality keyboard with tons of options for customization, both hardware and software, will be pleased with this design. It also has some excellent bonuses, like PBT keycaps and a dedicated button for turning RGB on (or off, if you want maximum battery life).
The 75% form factor isn’t for everyone — you’ll have to look elsewhere, or wait for Corsair to offer more models, if you want a different format. It’s also considerably less “flashy” than other gaming keyboards, and doesn’t offer the heft and quality of a metal body
Read our full
Corsair K65 Plus Wireless keyboard review
G.Skill KM250 RGB – Best value gaming keyboard
Pros
Incredible value
PBT `pudding` caps
Great layout
Hot-swap switch sockets
Cons
No programming options
Best Prices Today:
$44.99 at Amazon
Why I like the KM250 RGB
It’s been almost a year since this little board took our coveted value pick, and nothing has managed to unseat it yet. With high-quality parts, hot-swap functionality, a smart layout, and fantastic typing and gaming, you just can’t beat it for the price. That price is under $50 at most retailers, an absolute steal even for a non-mechanical keyboard.
The KM250’s Kailh BOX switches, stylish “pudding” keycaps that let the RGB shine through, and excellent sound dampening in its body are particular highlights. In fact, it has almost all of the features that the K65 Plus above has, at a third of the price…with one big exception.
Who should buy the KM250 RGB
Anyone who needs a great keyboard at an even better price will be more than pleased with G.Skill’s offering. It’s also a fantastic place to start if you’re looking to dip a toe into mechanical keyboards, thanks to its mostly standard layout and hot-swap switches. Heck, at this low price, it even makes a great backup keyboard.
The only downside is that there’s no way to program it, either for its own primary layout or for different layouts tied to specific PC games. But that’s a pretty fair tradeoff for the rest of its excellent features and design at this price.
Read our full
G.Skill KM250 RGB Keyboard review
Alienware Pro Wireless – Best gaming keyboard for travel
Pros
Unique curvy body
Great switches
Dual wireless
Cons
Expensive
Janky software
No wrist rest
Best Prices Today:
$269.99 at Dell Canada
Why we like the Alienware Pro Wireless
Dell’s Alienware sub-brand has made gaming keyboards for a long time, but they’ve really stepped it up for this wholly new design. The Pro Wireless incorporates feedback from pro gamers and custom keyboard fans in order to deliver a solid, compact product with great components.
It’s that compact, curvy body that gives it our nod for the best travel board. In addition to an incredible battery life (turn off the lights to make the most of it), the compact size and shape of the board means it’s practically begging you to throw it in a backpack for gaming on the go.
It doesn’t hurt that the Pro Wireless offers both 2.4GHz and Bluetooth multi-device wireless, with a USB-C dongle that’s both tiny and perfect for the latest gaming laptops or even mobile devices.
Who should buy the Alienware Pro Wireless
If you need portability, wireless options, and battery life over all other features, Alienware’s newest design fits the bill. While its software leaves a lot to be desired, once you get over its foibles it makes the best traveling companion of any gaming keyboard to date, easily fitting into almost any space without sacrificing capability.
Alienware demands a pretty penny for its flagship model, so if you’re looking for a bargain you might want to look elsewhere.
Read our full
Alienware Pro Wireless keyboard review
Razer Huntsman V3 Pro keyboard – Best analog gaming keyboard
Pros
Excellent software customization
Great controls for analog input
Easy layout swapping
Cons
Expensive
Typing is loud and wobbly
Hard wrist rest
Best Prices Today:
$219.99 at Amazon
Why I like the Huntsman V3 Pro
“Analog” keyboards, those which can adjust the actuation point of their keys by software, are a rare and expensive breed. Razer has the best of the lot by a whisker, thanks to its excellent software and some thoughtful design. Pro gamers — or gamers with “pro” esports aspirations — need look no further than the Huntsman series.
This flagship of Razer’s keyboard stable stands a bit above the rest thanks to its complex Gen 2 optically triggered switches and the Synapse software package. But even without software, the onboard LED indicators can let you quickly switch between light and heavy actuation, or program a quick macro.
With otherwise excellent design, not to mention an included wrist rest, the Hunstman V3 Pro is the best in a small field of competition. It’s available in full size, TKL, and “mini” 60% variants.
Who should buy the Huntsman V3 Pro
The Huntsman V3 Pro is for those who want the ultimate in gaming keyboard capability. With extra functions like Rapid Trigger and analog-style movements, the Huntsman can do tricks that lesser designs simply can’t manage. And it has the price tag to prove it.
Those who don’t need these very niche capabilities, who prefer hardware customization over software with hot-swap switch sockets, or who simply want to make do with a more sober budget should look elsewhere.
Read our full
Razer Huntsman V3 Pro TKL keyboard review
Lemokey L3 – Best alternate gaming keyboard
Pros
Typical Keychron build quality
Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless
Lots of extras
Cons
No per-game programming
No adjustable typing angle
Takes forever to disassemble
Best Prices Today:
$214 at Keychron
Why I like the Lemokey L3
You might call the Lemokey L3 a more high-class kind of gaming keyboard, thanks to a design borrowed from parent company Keychron’s Q series. It has all the highlights of those excellent designs, like a heavy all-aluminum body and PBT keycaps, in a more gamer-focused package.
With Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless, plus a few macro buttons on the side with plenty of alternate keycaps, the Lemokey looks a little more at home in a “serious” office setup.
It’s no slouch for gaming thanks to speedy linear switches, though programming is limited to one (very flexible) custom layout. If you want per-game profiles, you have to look elsewhere.
Who should buy the Lemokey L3
The Lemokey L3 is a fantastic value considering everything that it offers, but it’s still a very premium design, and would also double as a pretty good doorstop. Gamers who want a ton of flexibility in terms of hot-swap switches and keycaps, plus wireless capabilities, will be well-served here.
Even so, it’s a pretty pricey keyboard that sacrifices the more game-focused driver software of other boards on this list. If you want dedicated game profiles or a more “flashy” look, you’ll be better served by Corsair or Razer.
Read our full
Keychron Lemokey L3 keyboard review
Dygma Raise – Best split gaming keyboard
Pros
Very comfortable typing experience
Hugely customisable
Great software
Takes pressure off of hands, wrists and shoulders
Cons
Expensive
Sharp inclined positions are not comfortable
Takes time to relearn typing positions
Best Prices Today:
$419 at Dygma
Why I like the Dygma Raise
Gamers who need a split ergonomic layout don’t have a lot of choices available to them. The Dygma Raise is the best of this very limited selection, offering a mix of customization and ergonomic options that will delight those who can afford it.
With fully split halves and a tenting kit that can give you extreme angles no standard keyboard can reach, the Raise (get it?) appeals to gamers and mech fans who need extremely specific angles for comfort or health reasons. And its custom software is no slouch, either.
Who should buy the Dygma Raise
If you demand the absolute best in both gaming performance and ergonomic flexibility, there’s no substitute for the Raise. Adding on extras when ordering ups the price, and the capability.
But unless you absolutely need the latter, there are far cheaper options in the gaming category.
Read our full
Dygma Raise review
FAQ
1.
What’s the difference between a gaming keyboard and a regular keyboard?
Of course you can play PC games on any keyboard, assuming they were designed for it and not a controller. What separates a regular keyboard from a “gaming” keyboard is its intent—gaming keyboards are designed for speed and comfort across long play sessions. While “comfort” is subjective, and somewhat limited in making a gadget that conforms to standard typing, speed is readily quantifiable.
There are a couple of specific ways of measuring speed. One is the latency, the time it takes for a key press to translate into an action on your screen. Normally this is the relevant character appearing in a text window, but for a game it’s a sword swing, a foot movement, a grenade toss, a special ability activated. Gaming keyboards have special hardware that can minimize this latency: gold-plated connections on a USB port, for example.
The easiest way to reduce latency is to increase the amount of times the keyboard’s circuit board checks for key presses. This is called the polling rate, expressed in hertz. A standard keyboard has a polling rate of 100 to 200Hz, checking every tenth of a second or so. A gaming keyboard might have a polling rate of 1,000Hz or more—typically so fast that even the fastest human reflexes won’t be able to spot any gap in between a key being pressed and its relevant action on screen.
2.
Are mechanical keyboards good for gaming?
Yes—if it’s the right mechanical keyboard. While any mechanical keyboard can be used for PC gaming, just like any standard keyboard, most gamers prefer a specific kind of switch. Linear switches, with a smooth action from zero pressure to the point where the switch “bottoms out” and can’t be pressed down further, allow for each key to be depressed faster and return to its resting position faster, too. Tactile or Clicky switches, while excellent for typing, are a bit slower and not preferred for gaming.
Cherry MX Red switches are the go-to choice for mechanical keyboards designed for gaming. There are tons of varieties, in a ton of colors that might not correspond to the actual properties of the switch itself. Some have a higher actuation point (the point in the key travel at which the keyboard registers a press), or lighter springs for a softer touch, or even less key travel to shorten the distance between pressing the key and bottoming out by a few millimeters. Some fancy “silent” switches are much quieter than normal ones.
But the important part for most gamers is that Linear switch type for smooth, fast presses. Unless your tastes are very unconventional, you want Linear switches for gaming, not Tactile or Clicky.
3.
Are wireless keyboards good for gaming?
Yes! Even before modern wireless gaming keyboards arrived on the scene about 10 years ago, most keyboards using standard dongles and RF connections were fast enough to beat gamer reflexes. More specialized models make this wireless connection even faster, as quick as one-thousandth of a second—again, far faster than any human being can tell, and essentially identical to the speed of any wired connection.
There is an exception. Many wireless keyboards use Bluetooth, and that’s not ideal for gaming. Bluetooth is just slow enough that a gap between the key press and the action on screen is noticeable, even if you don’t have super-human reflexes. And it’s also on a very crowded wireless spectrum, so Bluetooth accessories are more prone to interference.
Even if your wireless gaming keyboard offers Bluetooth as a multi-device pairing option, you should go with the RF USB connection whenever you have the option.
4.
Do gaming keyboards need RGB lights?
No. But they’re fun, aren’t they?
RGB lights can be programmed to indicate specific key bindings, and some driver programs even include custom decorative patterns for specific games. But since you’ll be looking at your monitor and not your keyboard most of the time, the lights are basically just for show, no matter what they happen to be doing. And if you’re not a fan, you can always turn them off (which can save a huge amount of battery life on wireless keyboards).
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| | | PC World - 16 May (PC World)If you own an older productivity laptop, Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming can be the way you avoid buying a pricey gaming PC. Now, Microsoft says that you’ll be able to enjoy a more PC-like experience with mouse and keyboard support for select titles within Cloud Gaming on a web browser, beginning today.
Microsoft also said that the mouse-and-keyboard experience will also be accessible via the Microsoft Xbox app for Windows later this month.
Mouse and keyboard support has existed for years on the Xbox, though only on titles that supported them. On the PC, you’ll need to have either the Google Chrome or the Microsoft Edge browser installed, plus, of course, a mouse and keyboard. Even then, there will only (?) be 26 titles that Microsoft will support with a mouse and keyboard:
ARK Survival Evolved
Atomic Heart
Cities: Skylines – Mayor’s Edition
Cities: Skylines – Remastered
Deep Rock Galactic
Doom 64
Fortnite (browser only)
Gears Tactics
Grounded
Halo Infinite
High on Life
House Flipper
Inkulinati (Game Preview)
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord
Norco
Pentiment
Quake
Quake 2
Sea of Thieves
Slime Rancher 2
Sniper Elite 5
State of Decay 2
Terraria
The Sims 4
Valheim (Game Preview)
Zombie Army 4: Dead War
To begin playing with a mouse and keyboard on Xbox Cloud Gaming, you’ll need to visit the Xbox.com/play site, sign in with your Microsoft account, and select one of the supported games. Microsoft said that when this feature is added to the Xbox app, you’ll see a special icon to denote the new capability. And here’s a nice feature: You can switch back and forth between an Xbox controller and a keyboard simply by pushing the Xbox button on your controller, or tapping a key on your keyboard.
Microsoft also said that it has begun previewing new Compact Mode features (“Jump back in” and “Friends”) to Xbox Insiders and a small cadre of regular players. “Jump back in” will feature the last nine games that you’ve played. Compact mode is designed for the small but growing crop of handheld gaming PCs.
Gaming Laptops, Windows Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | CNet News - 16 May (CNet News)These security features will be available later this year. Read...Newslink ©2024 to CNet News | |
| | | CNet News - 16 May (CNet News)The conference showed off AI features coming to Google Search, and Donald Glover helped debut a new generative video app called Veo. Read...Newslink ©2024 to CNet News | |
| | | CNet News - 16 May (CNet News)Rejoice! Android 15 Beta 2 drops today. Read...Newslink ©2024 to CNet News | |
| | | PC World - 16 May (PC World)Virtual machines, simulated PCs with their own operating systems running within another computer’s software, are super freakin’ cool. (That’s a technical term, I’m a professional technology writer.) But they’re not easy to set up, especially if you’re a newbie. They just got a lot easier, because VMware made its popular Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro VM software free for personal use.
get windows 11 pro for cheap
Windows 11 Pro
Most users who are looking for a free solution to running a virtual copy of Windows, Linux, or any other operating system on a PC typically go with Oracle’s VirtualBox, which is open-source and powerful, but not especially user-friendly. As a professional product with decades of development and support, VMware Workstation is far more accessible.
Workstation Pro can be downloaded here, Fusion Pro here. Workstation is for installation on Windows and Linux, Fusion for Mac, and both can be used to run more or less any modern operating system virtually.
As BleepingComputer notes, this shift in direction follows Broadcomm’s somewhat tumultuous acquisition of VMware last year. VMware’s Workstation Player and Fusion Player software are being discontinued as a result of this change. (The Player programs are the equivalent of Adobe Reader versus Acrobat, they allow you to open VMware virtual machines but not make changes or access all features.)
VMware’s post on the switch to a free model notes that anyone who uses the software for commercial purposes will need to buy a license key and enter it during the setup process. Most professional customers have a licensing deal set up with Broadcomm, but individual commercial users will need to subscribe for $120 a year. Don’t get caught using a free personal license in a commercial environment or you’ll no doubt be handed a big bill in return.
Full disclosure: The writer’s father is an employee of VMware, but was not contacted for this article.
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| | | PC World - 16 May (PC World)The difference between the real world and the AI world is a flight of a dozen stairs.
In my basement office, I listened to what Google presented at Google I/O. I heard executives talk about search, Android, and Project Astra: a future multimodal “universal agent” that can understand audio and video, built around versions of Gemini both large and small. One million tokens is a big deal, right?
I guess. But to whom?
What I heard at Google I/O was a future that…is still in the future, for a price that most people can’t afford, and with features that were developed by Google employees for Google employees. It’s a Google that, more and more, seems to have lost the plot.
Everything’s not here yet
For the most part, what Google presented at Google I/O was science fiction. Instead of showing us what the future is, now, Google showed us what it might bring, tomorrow. It’s a future hidden behind jargon, inside developer previews and experiments within Google.Labs — and even then, those experiments aren’t scheduled to actually begin until sometime in the future. Remember, this is a company with a well-established penchant for development ADD, where products go to die when their developers lose interest. Do I think that Google doesn’t believe in AI? Of course not. But I’m not convinced that anything Google showed Tuesday will make its way into the real world, either.
(Remember Google’s ultra-realistic videoconferencing tool, Project Starline? It debuted at Google I/O 2021. Google and HP said this week that it will be commercialized next year.)
Downstairs in my office, everything is amazing. Take Project Astra, Google’s new vision for AI assistants. Someone wanders around the office using AI to ask questions about what the AI is seeing. What bandname would the AI give for a golden retriever and his stuffed chew toy? Explain this code to me, and how this database diagram could be improved.
That’s cool, no doubt. But to whom? Google employees, that’s who. Does Google expect that I’m going to point my smartphone camera at a head of broccoli and ask what to do with it? I hope not.
I might see myself wandering about a woodshop, asking Google what a miter saw is good for, for example. But I certainly wouldn’t trust YouTube to teach me how to use it responsibly. My colleague Michael Crider found some middle ground: using video as a search input, then asking Google for context. That’s a bit smarter.
I understand what Google is going for with Astra — improved visual search — and it is going to debut in the Gemini app for Android this fall, via a feature called Live. I’m just not sure how many people will want to use it. Or when it will actually arrive.
Why do the useful things cost so much?
But it doesn’t feel real. It doesn’t feel accessible. Is it useful? I’m not sure. That’s why the most meaningful announcement from Google I/O 2024 feels so refreshing: the integration of Gmail and Google’s Gemini AI, to allow you to question (for example) exactly what went on in an email thread. This is what Google was built upon: making search (and later email) accessible, easy, and simple to use. It makes sense!
This actually felt useful! But it’s also a premium feature, instead of one that Google could use to lure more customers.
This actually felt useful! But it’s also a premium feature, instead of one that Google could use to lure more customers.Google
This actually felt useful! But it’s also a premium feature, instead of one that Google could use to lure more customers.Google
Google
Even then, though, there was very little that signaled to me that Google understood that people use its products — people that can’t sit down to a $200 sushi lunch at the drop of a hat.
The Gmail integration, as cool as it sounds, is locked behind a $20/month AI Premium subscription for Google Workspace. A chunk of the Gemini app presentation was devoted to a trip planner. Google Search showed how restaurants could be organized by patio seating and live music. For that matter, Search is now largely organized around “summaries” that tend to ignore the source of the actual information, i.e. writers like me. This all benefits techies with six-figure salaries and stock options.
Most of AI feels…similar. There are LLM chatbots, like Copilot, Gemini, and ChatGPT. There’s AI art, like Veo, Google’s most advanced video generation model, and Imagen 3, which the company calls its “highest quality text-to-image model yet.” (Those are coming in the future, too, after Google completes its collaborations with people like Donald Glover.)
Google’s slowly assimilating more and more of the web in the name of convenience.
Google’s slowly assimilating more and more of the web in the name of convenience.Google
Google’s slowly assimilating more and more of the web in the name of convenience.Google
Google
But you know what the best thing I saw this week was? Something that felt fresh? Even welcoming? The synthesized AI voices that OpenAI showed off in ChatGPT. I know they’re fake. I know they’re designed to play upon your emotions, to make you think that you’re talking to a person. But it works! It feels human. And it’s a return to the early days of AI, when chatbots from Microsoft and others at least seemed real.
At lunch, I walked upstairs to say hello to my wife, who was working. I asked if she would mind paying $20 per month just to make sense of her email. She just snorted. Last night, I showed my 11-year-old son the OpenAI demos, and he wanted to watch every one.
I remember when Google made my life easier. Now I think it’s forgotten how.
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| | | PC World - 16 May (PC World)I don’t know about you, but with the weather warming up, I love taking my laptop to the yard and working in the sun for a bit. That’s when my Baseus laptop power bank comes in handy, allowing me to keep my computer and phone going without having to scoot closer to the outlet. You can do this, too, because the Baseus Blade 100W is on sale at Amazon for just $63.
Yes, I understand that the price you see on the product page may be different. However, when you apply the promotional code CD3N56TO at checkout, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to see an additional 10 percent discount. This means that the $129.99 power bank is now available for just $62.98. It’s like magic! It’s also the best price this power bank has seen thus far.
What makes the Baseus Blade special? So many things. The Blade boasts a 20000mAh battery that supports 100W fast charging, allowing you to recharge a third of your laptop’s battery in just half an hour.
I personally use the Blade 2, which has a 12000mAh battery and 60W charging, and I can’t help but wish I had the first model instead.
The original Baseus Blade also has more ports. It features two USB-C ports that support 100W output and 65W input, so you can plug in pretty much any device you own. There are also two fast-charging USB-A ports for those who like a more traditional approach.
One of the things I enjoy the most about the Blade, however (and I’m sure you will too), is that it’s super slim and light. This power bank looks like it’s been on a diet its entire “life” since it’s only 0.7 inches thick. It will fit in nicely in the same sleeve as your laptop does. It’s also just over one pound, so it won’t weigh you down.
When my phone battery is running low, and I need only to take my purse out and about, the model I have fits nicely and this one would too, since they’re pretty much the same size. In fact, it fits way better than the power bank I purchased specifically for my phone a while back, which is heavier and a lot bulkier.
If you don’t need as much power and would prefer to get the newer Baseus Blade 2, that one’s on sale too for $62.99 (down from $99.99) at Amazon right now as well. But like I said above, I have it and wish I had the first-gen model instead.
Get the Baseus Blade laptop power bank for $62.98 at Amazon
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| | | PC World - 16 May (PC World)Suppose you often go off the beaten path, camping in the wilderness, or you’re just tired of running power cords across your yard for the kids to trip over whenever you want to plug in your phone and laptop while chilling in a lounge chair. Whichever the case, you need a portable power station. Luckily for you, the Bluetti EB3A is over $100 off right now at Amazon, dropping the power station to just $198 — its best price yet.
Don’t be fooled by its compact size; the Bluetti EB3A is a true powerhouse. With a robust 600W AC inverter and a 268Wh battery pack, it’s more than capable of breathing life into your gadgets. If you plug in one of those mini-fridges, it will even keep your… “juice” cold for a few hours.
Plus, it’s so lightweight and compact that you can easily carry it around in one hand, making it the perfect companion for your outdoor adventures.
The coolest part about the Bluetti EB3A is that it features nine outlets, allowing you to charge all sorts of devices. There are two AC outlets, two USB-A, one Type-C port, and even a wireless charger, so you can use the power station as a table for your phone and have it ready for your next doom-scrolling session in no time.
Those who love going off the grid can get the Bluetti EB3A and pair it with a solar panel. In fact, there’s a bundle that’s almost $200 off right now, pairing the EB3A with a 120W solar panel that is super easy to carry anywhere.
Of course, this setup is also excellent for home use, especially when there are power outages, and you need to keep your devices alive until things get fixed. Just find a sunny spot, open the solar panel, plug in your devices in the station, and wait for the power company to work its magic.
With or without the solar panel, the Bluetti EB3A is a fantastic addition to any home. It’s one of those things you don’t realize just how useful it can be until you’re desperate for a reliable power source.
If you want a lot more power, be prepared to shell out a lot more money, too. The Bluetti AC200MAX is $1249 for Prime members, down from its usual $1699. With a large battery capacity of 2048Wh and a strong inverter (2200W), this is a great choice for those who need power to keep large appliances going or folks who own an RV.
Get the Bluetti EB3A portable power station for $198 at Amazon
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| | | PC World - 15 May (PC World)With the iPhone 15 adopting USB-C, you’re probably wondering what’s the “best USB-C charger” to pair with your new phone for the fastest charging.
The good news for iPhone 15 chargers (unlike Samsung Galaxy owners) is you don’t need to take a night-class in chargers to figure it out.
Just buy this charger for the iPhone 15
In fact, I’ll break it down in the easiest possible way for those who want the elevator pitch: Just buy this $15 Anker 511 GAN charger that’s tiny and can charge your phone at its maximum rate.
I’m a big fan of the Anker 511 Nano 3 and have personally purchased at least four of them for personal use and “loans” to family members, who I have realized follow the book rule—you never lend books to people (because you never get them back).
Further reading: Best USB-C cables 2024: Get quality charging and data transfers
The Anker 511 GAN Nano 3 is basically the size of Apple’s original USB-A A1385 5-watt charger but can supply up to 30-watts over USB-C, and it features folding prongs so it won’t poke things in your bag or suffer a bent prong.
The 30-watt Anker 511 Nano 3 is best paired with the larger iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 Pro Max, but if you have the smaller iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15, you can save $5 and just get the 20-watt Anker 511 Nano Pro instead (just note the Nano Pro doesn’t have folding prongs).
I trust ChargerLAB
Before we go too far, I should disclose that I have not been able to actually test Apple’s iPhone 15-series using the Anker 511 Nano 3 or any charger as I’m a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra user and don’t have access to an iPhone 15-series phone.
The thing is, I didn’t have to go through the painful process of charging and discharging the phone multiple times to make my recommendation, as I was able to simply watch ChargerLAB’s videos that did the work for me here. Yes, I peaked at someone else’s homework in class, but I fully trust ChargerLAB as the company actually makes several items including the Power-Z KM003C tester that I use when evaluating USB-C hardware.
ChargerLAB conducted tests of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the iPhone 15 Plus, the iPhone 15 Pro and also the iPhone 15. ChargerLAB’s results shows the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro both max out at about 20 watts. The iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Plus, with their roughly 35 percent larger batteries, will typically charge at about 26 watts from empty.
ChargerLAB’s tests show the iPhone 15 Pro Max tops out at just 26 watts and charges on the 9 volt rail at just under 3 amps.
ChargerLAB’s tests show the iPhone 15 Pro Max tops out at just 26 watts and charges on the 9 volt rail at just under 3 amps.
ChargerLAB
ChargerLAB’s tests show the iPhone 15 Pro Max tops out at just 26 watts and charges on the 9 volt rail at just under 3 amps.
ChargerLAB
ChargerLAB
Nerd Talk
In nerd talk, the iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Plus will usually charge on the “9 volt rail” at about 3 amps while the smaller iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 will use the same 9 volt rail but draw about 2 amps. All four phones will initially start to charge at 9 volts, and eventually drop to 5 volts to trickle charge the battery to preserve its health.
This is normal behavior I’ve observed in testing the charging behavior of my daughter’s iPhone 14, which charges around 20 watts on the 9 volt rail at about 2 amps before dropping to 5 volts at the end. For the most part, it doesn’t look like Apple changed much of the charge circuits between the iPhone 14-series and the iPhone 15-series despite the iPhone 14 using Apple’s Lightning vs. the iPhone 15’s USB-C.
From looking at my daughter’s iPhone 14, I can see it charges using the 9 volt rail at just over 2 amps which means a 20 watt charger will work just fine.
From looking at my daughter’s iPhone 14, I can see it charges using the 9 volt rail at just over 2 amps which means a 20 watt charger will work just fine.
Gordon Mah Ung
From looking at my daughter’s iPhone 14, I can see it charges using the 9 volt rail at just over 2 amps which means a 20 watt charger will work just fine.
Gordon Mah Ung
Gordon Mah Ung
Just buy any USB-PD charger
If your eyes are glazing over by now, the key take away from this is that it’s not complicated at all for iPhone 15 owners.
While I’m recommending the Anker 511 Nano 3 for most because I love its size, weight and cost, Apple’s straight-forward use of the USB Power Delivery standard means just about any quality USB Power Delivery charger that can deliver 9 volts at 3 amps—or from 20 watts to 30 watts will give you the fastest charging on any iPhone 15.That means a Dell, HP, Lenovo or Apple laptop charger should work fine. Find a good deal on a Ugreen, Nekteck, or Satechi USB Power Delivery charger in the range of 20 watts to 30 watts or more? They should give you excellent fast charging. Want a multi-port charger instead? Go for it—you’ll be OK.
Pretty much any USB Power Delivery charger that can hit 20 watts to 30 watts will give you the fastest USB-C charging on an iPhone 15.
Pretty much any USB Power Delivery charger that can hit 20 watts to 30 watts will give you the fastest USB-C charging on an iPhone 15. Gordon Mah Ung
Pretty much any USB Power Delivery charger that can hit 20 watts to 30 watts will give you the fastest USB-C charging on an iPhone 15. Gordon Mah Ung
Gordon Mah Ung
Sure, the iPhone’s charging is a slower compared to Samsung’s Galaxy series, which can push 45 watts. But at least you don’t have to break your brain not only looking for a 45-watt charger, but one that also supports advanced PPS charging greater than 4 amps as well as a 5 amp charger cable to pair with it.
So either go with the recommended Anker options or just pick a trusted brand you like and don’t stress about it iPhone 15 owners.
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