Danny Weber
GaN technology and USB-C have made laptop power adapters smaller, cooler and more universal, changing what users carry with modern laptops.
Anyone who used laptops ten or fifteen years ago probably remembers the huge power adapter. The laptop itself could already be fairly slim, but the bag still had to make room for a heavy rectangular “brick” with a thick cable. It took up space, tangled with other wires, heated up during use and often became the most awkward accessory in the box.
For a long time, this felt unavoidable. A laptop needs energy, especially if it is a workstation, a gaming machine or a large-screen model. So the charger had to be big — that was roughly how both users and manufacturers thought. But in recent years the situation has changed noticeably. Modern chargers have become much smaller and lighter, and some are now closer in size to a smartphone adapter than to an old laptop power brick.
The main reason for this shift is the move to GaN technology, which uses semiconductors based on gallium nitride. That is what helped chargers become more compact, more efficient and easier to carry without a serious loss of power.
GaN stands for Gallium Nitride. It is a semiconductor material increasingly used in chargers instead of traditional silicon. Silicon components were the basis of power adapters for decades, but they have limits: they are less efficient, produce more heat and need more space to operate safely.
Gallium nitride behaves differently. It handles power conversion better, loses less electricity as heat and allows manufacturers to build more compact transformers and internal components. In simple terms, a GaN charger can deliver the same power as an older silicon model while being noticeably smaller.
According to manufacturers’ estimates, switching to GaN can reduce charger size by around 40–50 percent. These adapters can deliver 40 to 150 W or more, enough not only for thin office laptops but also for more serious machines. GaN chargers are already found even with workstations and gaming laptops, which need much more energy than devices used mainly for browsing and documents.
One of the main problems with older power bricks was heat. The more powerful the adapter, the more noticeably it could warm up during use. That was not just unpleasant to touch; it also affected the design. Manufacturers had to leave more room for cooling, use larger cases and build in an extra safety margin.
GaN chargers generate less heat. This brings several advantages at once. First, the body can be made more compact. Second, the device runs more steadily under heavy load. Third, it creates more room for fast-charging technologies, which often need higher power and precise power management.
Another important metric is efficiency. Modern GaN chargers are usually more efficient than classic silicon adapters of comparable power. For users, that means less energy is wasted, the charger gets less hot and does its job better.
At first glance, the difference may not seem huge. But given how many laptops, smartphones, tablets and other devices are plugged in around the world every day, more efficient chargers are not only convenient but also a more sensible solution.
It is becoming harder to find a modern powerful laptop that still depends entirely on an old-style charger with a large adapter. Manufacturers are gradually moving their lineups to more compact and efficient solutions. This is especially visible in premium and professional models.
Modern MacBook Pro models and many higher-end laptops from Lenovo, Dell and other brands already use more compact chargers, including models with GaN components. The logic is clear: users want powerful laptops, but fewer people want to carry a heavy power brick. The thinner and more mobile the laptop becomes, the stranger a huge adapter looks next to it.
The move to USB-C also played a major role. The universal connector changed the usual approach to laptop charging. In the past, almost every manufacturer had its own plug, sometimes with several incompatible versions inside one product line. Now many laptops can be charged via USB-C, which means one powerful adapter can work with several devices at once: a laptop, smartphone, tablet, headphones or power bank.
That is why modern GaN chargers often come with several USB ports. Users can plug in a laptop and a phone at the same time without taking two wall outlets or carrying several adapters.
Despite the rapid spread of GaN, silicon chargers have not disappeared completely. They are still found with more affordable entry-level laptops. The reason is simple: these adapters are cheaper to produce, and every component affects the final price of a budget model.
Some basic laptops simply do not need an extremely powerful charger. If the device does not support fast charging or consumes relatively little power, the manufacturer may keep a simpler adapter. A thin laptop for studying, browsing and working with documents, for example, may ship with a conventional charger because it is enough for everyday tasks.
But that does not mean the user is tied to the bundled charger forever. In many cases, a laptop can be charged with a third-party GaN adapter of the right power. There are already many such accessories on the market, and major charger makers, including Anker and other brands, have actively moved to GaN solutions.
The key is to choose the right wattage and make sure the laptop supports charging through the relevant port. If a device is designed for 65 W, buying a weak 30 W adapter and expecting normal performance is not a good idea. And if the laptop does not support fast charging, a more expensive GaN block will not magically make it faster: it may work, but the speed gain will be modest.
The main drawback of GaN chargers is the price. They are usually more expensive than classic silicon adapters, especially high-power models with several USB-C and USB-A ports. Users value speed, compact size and versatility, so manufacturers can charge more for such accessories.
Still, the gap is gradually shrinking. As GaN charging technology becomes more widespread, it is also becoming more affordable. What recently looked like an expensive accessory for enthusiasts is increasingly turning into a normal part of a modern laptop kit or a logical replacement for the bundled power adapter.
The second point is that not every user really needs one. If a laptop stays at home, rarely leaves the desk and the included adapter already does its job, buying a GaN charger may not be necessary. Its advantages are clearest on trips, in business travel, in coworking spaces and in situations where one charger can replace several.
Compactness is not just a nice line in a product description. A small charger can really change how a laptop is used. It is easier to put in a backpack, takes less space in a travel bag, fits more easily behind furniture and does not get in the way in a wall socket next to other plugs.
This is especially noticeable when working in cafés, airports, trains or meeting rooms. Instead of carrying a heavy power brick and a separate phone charger, users can take one powerful GaN adapter with several ports. It can charge the laptop while they work and top up a phone or tablet at the same time.
Lower heat output also makes these chargers more pleasant to use. They do not become as hot as older adapters, and higher efficiency means energy is used more sensibly. One charger does not create a major environmental breakthrough by itself, but across millions of devices, more economical power use does matter.
Bulky power bricks are unlikely to disappear overnight. They will still appear with budget laptops, older models and some specialised devices. But the direction is already clear: the market is moving toward smaller, more powerful and more universal chargers.
GaN has become for chargers roughly what SSDs became for storage: first an expensive and unusual technology, then an increasingly familiar standard. Users quickly get used to the convenience. After a compact adapter that can charge a laptop, phone and tablet, going back to a heavy brick is not very appealing.
That is why large power adapters really are becoming a relic of the past. They were necessary in the era of older technologies, but modern materials and new power standards make a laptop truly mobile not only through a thin body, but also through everything that travels with it in the bag. GaN chargers show that sometimes an important technology shift happens not inside the laptop itself, but in the small adapter plugged into the wall every day.
© A. Krivonosov