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How to find the wattage your laptop needs

Use the number on the old brick, the laptop spec sheet, or Apple / Dell / HP’s own adapter pages. Then buy a USB-C PD charger at that wattage or higher, with a cable that can carry it.

Three places to look

1. The old charger label. Find “Output” and a wattage (W), or volts and amps. Watts = volts × amps. 20V × 3.25A = 65W. That is the class to shop.
2. The laptop spec page. Apple lists recommended USB-C adapters by model. Dell manuals have a “Power adapter” table. HP prints 45W / 65W / higher on USB-C adapters and in Tech Takes guides.
3. On a Mac, System Information. Hold Option, choose Apple menu → System Information → Power. Wattage is under AC Charger Information. Apple also says to read the certification label on the adapter itself.

Is a higher-watt USB-C PD charger safe?

For USB-C Power Delivery, the laptop asks for power; the charger does not force its full rating into the machine. Manufacturer docs, not forums:

• Apple: If the Mac charges over USB-C, you can use any USB-C power adapter or display that supports USB Power Delivery, “even if it provides higher or lower wattage than the adapter recommended for your Mac.” For the best experience, meet or exceed the recommended wattage. Third-party adapters should meet applicable safety standards. Source: Apple Support HT109509, published 21 May 2026.
• HP: “You can safely use a higher-watt charger; the device draws only what it needs.” This is for USB-C PD, not older barrel-pin packs. A lower-watt adapter will not damage the laptop but may charge slowly or not keep up under load. Source: HP Tech Takes, 6 Apr 2026.
• Dell: Use a USB PD–compliant adapter that meets the minimum power in your model’s manual. A low-watt adapter can warn in BIOS, charge slowly, or fail to hold the battery. Dell also documents that some non-Dell adapters are wattage-capped in BIOS. Match or exceed the manual’s adapter type; do not assume a 100W third-party brick will be used at 100W on every Dell. Source: Dell KB 000226078 (modified 22 Jul 2026) and XPS 13 setup manuals.

A lower-watt PD charger may still charge, slowly. Apple can show “Slow Charger.” That is a performance issue, not a reason to buy under the spec if you can avoid it.

The cable

100W USB-C PD is 20 volts at 5 amps. USB Type-C cables that carry 5A are electronically marked (e-marker). USB-IF’s cable program now requires USB-C to USB-C cables to be labeled 60W or 240W. A 60W (3A) cable will not pass a 100W contract. Anker’s 100W Prime listing: “For optimal 100W charging, use an E-Marker cable.”

Apple’s own 2 m USB-C charge cable is sold as supporting charging of up to 240 watts (shop listing, accessed 3 Sep 2026). Pair a high-watt charger with a cable rated for it. We do not invent electrical safety certifications or dorm fire-code claims.

Manufacturer wattage snapshots

Copied from public spec pages, accessed 3 Sep 2026. Confirm your exact model — configurations differ.

• Laptop MacBook Air (2022 or later), 13-inch Adapter 30W, 35W Dual USB-C, 67W, or 70W USB-C Source Apple Support 109509
• Laptop MacBook Air (M2, 2022) Adapter 30W with 8-core GPU; 35W Dual with 10-core GPU + 512GB; fast-charge capable with 70W Source Apple Support 111867
• Laptop 14-inch MacBook Pro (2021 or later) Adapter 67W, 70W, or 96W USB-C (config-dependent); fast charge with 96W+ Source Apple 109509 and 102378
• Laptop 16-inch MacBook Pro (2021 or later) Adapter 140W USB-C; fast charge with 140W Source Apple 109509 and 102378
• Laptop 13-inch MacBook Pro (2016 or later) Adapter 61W USB-C Source Apple 109509
• Laptop Dell XPS 13 9370 / 9310 Adapter 45W USB Type-C Source Dell setup and specifications
• Laptop Dell XPS 13 9305 Adapter 65W USB Type-C Source Dell setup and specifications
• Laptop Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 / XPS 13 9340 Adapter 60W USB Type-C Source Dell manuals
• Laptop HP Chromebook / thin & light Adapter 45W USB-C Source HP Tech Takes, 6 Apr 2026
• Laptop HP Envy x360, Pavilion 15, EliteBook 840, ProBook 450 class Adapter 65W USB-C Source HP Tech Takes, 6 Apr 2026

65W USB-C PD chargers

100W USB-C PD chargers