The best chargers to fast charge your Pixel Fold

The Google Pixel Fold has finally been announced, and you can preorder one immediately. While this sparkling new foldable from Google will take some time before it ships, you will need to ensure that you have the right charger for it before it arrives. Here’s what you need to know about charging the Pixel Fold and some of our recommendations on the best Pixel Fold chargers and wireless chargers you should buy.

What you need to know about the Pixel Fold’s charging situation

The Google Pixel Fold supports wired fast charging up to 21W through the USB Power Delivery 3.0 PPS specification. This number is on the lower side, as we see relatively quicker charging speeds on other Google devices like the Pixel 7 Pro (23W). Charging the Pixel Fold’s 4,821mAh battery from 0% to 100% will take over one and a half hours.

Compared to the competition, the Pixel Fold charges slower than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 charges at a maximum of 25W for its smaller 4,410mAh battery. In effect, you reach 100% on this smaller battery in about 85 minutes. Some credit for the quick charging time goes to the faster charging speeds, not just the smaller battery.

Despite its $1,799 price tag, the Pixel Fold does not have a charging adaptor in the box. Users will have to purchase a new one for their phone or make do with an older charger they already own. You’ve already spent so much money on your phone; you might as well spend a bit more on a good charger that lasts a few years.

For the Pixel Fold, you will need a USB Power Delivery PPS-compliant charger, so pay attention to picking the right charger for your device. Since the Pixel Fold comes with a USB-C to USB-C cable in the box, you’ll need a charger with a USB-C port. This will let you use the cable in the box and spare you from buying one separately.

The Pixel Fold’s 21W charging speed is still relatively slow, so you don’t necessarily need a GaN charger. GaN chargers provide higher charging speeds in a smaller form factor but are also more expensive. However, GaN chargers are great for multi-device charging, and most reputed accessory brands will be switching to GaN technology for their top-tier offerings.

The Pixel Fold also supports 7.5W wireless charging, and you’d need to purchase a wireless charger to take advantage of the feature. However, the Pixel Fold does not support reverse wireless charging.

The best chargers for the Pixel Fold

Google 30W USB-C charger

Google’s 30W USB-C charger remains the go-to recommendation for the Pixel Fold if you want to stick to first-party chargers. It supports the USB PD 3.0 PPS standard so that you can charge your other devices as well with it. With a 30W max output, this can easily handle the Pixel Fold.

However, since this is a first-party accessory, its pricing is higher, considering the small feature list you get with it. You can find other third-party chargers that offer better value or more features, like the other ones on this list.

Anker 511 Nano 3 (30W)

The Anker 511 Nano 3 is a tiny charger, but don’t let its size fool you. Thanks to GaN technology, this compact charger can output 30W of power. Further, it supports USB PD PPS charging through its singular USB-C port, complementing the Pixel Fold perfectly.

The Anker 511 Nano 4 comes in five different colors. There is no cable included with the charger. You can either use the cable that you received with the Pixel Fold or buy a color-matched cable separately from Anker.

Anker 713 Nano 2 (45W)

Anker has a solid portfolio of GaN chargers in small and compact form factors. They are among the few making these GaN chargers with a single USB-C port.

If you want to keep the brick size to a minimum, the Anker 713 Nano 2 (45W) is one of the better chargers to get. You can use it to charge your Pixel Fold and other devices, like a MacBook Air or a Dell XPS laptop. It supports 45W USB PD PPS, which lends compatibility with all these devices. Note that there is no cable included with the charger.

Anker also sells the 715 Nano 2 (65W), which retains the same form factor but outputs an even higher 65W of power. However, opting for a multiport charger at that point for simultaneous charging makes sense.

The best multiport chargers for the Pixel Fold

Single-port chargers make sense if you want to stick to a compact size. If you have the budget, you should opt for a multiport charger with much more flexibility and versatility. With the second port, you can charge your smartwatch or earbuds simultaneously as you charge your Pixel Fold, saving you from the hassle of swapping cables all the time.

To choose a good multiport charger, assess how many devices you need to charge regularly and simultaneously, their maximum charging speed, and what ports they need.

Google offers the Pixel Watch as a preorder bonus to Pixel Fold users. The Pixel Watch has a proprietary charging puck with USB-C on one end. So if you are picking a multiport charger for use with the watch, we recommend choosing one with at least two USB-C ports.

On the other hand, if you are using the Pixel Buds A with the Pixel Fold, you’d get a USB-A to USB-C cable for charging the earbuds. In this case, you can choose a multiport charger with one USB-A and one USB-C port unless you are okay with swapping or buying a different cable.

We recommend buying a multiport charger with at least one high-powered USB-C port and at least one USB-A for maximum versatility.

Iniu 45W USB PD charger

For Pixel Fold users looking to simultaneously charge at least a Pixel Watch or a pair of earbuds with the foldable, we recommend they upgrade to this Iniu 45W GaN charger. The top USB-C port goes up to 45W, while the bottom USB-A port goes up to 18W when used individually. When used simultaneously, you get 30W plus 12W, which remains perfect for charging the Pixel Fold alongside other accessories.

Note that there is no USB cable included with the charger.

If you want to save money, you can get the 30W version of this charger, which caps out at 15W plus 15W when both ports are used simultaneously.

Tecknet 45W USB PD Dual Port charger

This Tecknet GaN charger is perfect if you also picked up the Pixel Watch alongside your Pixel Fold preorder but want something that can charge up your MacBook Air. It has two USB-C ports that can be used simultaneously for 20W plus 25W charging. The bottom USB-C port maxes out at 45W when used individually, which is more than enough for the Pixel Fold’s 21W requirement and just right for thin and light laptops like the MacBook Air.

Note that there is no USB cable included with the adaptor. Unlike other chargers, the Tecknet 45W USB PD charger has the primary port on the bottom, so keep that in mind when using the product. Even if you use the top port, you get 20W charging for your Pixel Fold, which is just marginally lower than the maximum 21W that the Pixel Fold can accept.

Keep in mind that there is no cable included with the charger.

Anker 735 Nano 2 (65W)

The Anker 735 Nano 2 65W charger is a great option if you want even more power. This GaN charger maxes out at 65W when either USB-C port is used alone and at 22.5W for the USB-A port. Simultaneously using all three ports, the charger maxes out at 64W (40W+12W+12W). The middle USB-C port drops to 12W when any other port is used simultaneously.

You don’t really need all this power if you only plan to charge your Pixel Fold. However, this charger is an excellent addition to your kit if you have a powerful 65W MacBook Pro or a bunch of accessories that need frequent simultaneous charging. Anker is also a dependable brand, which becomes paramount when dealing with more power. Unsurprisingly, this comes at a higher cost, and there is no included cable either.

The best wireless chargers for the Pixel Fold

The Pixel Fold supports 7.5W wireless charging. However, outside of the first-party Pixel Stand 2nd Gen, we do not recommend standing-type wireless chargers.

The Pixel Fold has a significant camera hump, making it difficult to align the phone’s wireless charging coil to a standing-type wireless charging.

Consequently, our recommendations for third-party wireless chargers for the Pixel Fold will remain limited to charging pads. You will have an easier time aligning the phone perfectly on such chargers. Further, keep the Pixel Fold folded when placing it on either type of charger, as the unfolded state increases your chances of misalignment.

Google Pixel Stand (2nd Gen, 23W)

The Google Pixel Stand supports up to 23W wireless charging, making it somewhat overkill for the Pixel Fold’s meager 7.5W wireless charging. Nonetheless, Google sells the Pixel Stand as its sole wireless charging accessory. So this remains your only option if you’re looking for a first-party accessory.

The Pixel Stand’s back support is also relatively short, letting it comfortably handle the Pixel Fold’s camera bump. This makes it one of the few stand-type wireless chargers to support the Pixel Fold.

The Pixel Stand comes bundled with the 30W Google USB-C charger and a USB-C to USB-C cable. So if you want to pick up a charging brick, a cable, and a wireless charging stand for your Pixel Fold, the Pixel Stand is a good option as it gets you all three.

Amazon Basics 15W Qi wireless charging pad

The Amazon Basics 15W Qi wireless charging pad is an accessory that does the job without fuss. It will quickly charge the Pixel Fold to its maximum 7.5W wireless charging speeds. Unlike other wireless chargers in this category, this comes with a USB-C port and includes a USB-A to USB-C cable.

Note that the LED may be too bright if you’re considering keeping it on the nightstand for overnight charging. You may also need to be a little careful in aligning the Pixel Fold properly onto the charging pad. Both the phone and the charging pad should indicate that charging is underway.

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