What are the main differences between PPS/PIQ 3.0/PD/QC/IQ chargers?

1. QC - Qualcomm Quick Charge

Quick Charge is a Qualcomm technology on many Android devices. It is designed to draw much more power compare to the previous standard protocols without sacrificing the battery's lifespan. Compatible devices charge from 0 to 80% in 35 minutes with a Quick Charge-enabled charger.

Quick Charge 3.0 is found on Android devices with Snapdragon processors and it provides a charging speed of up to 4 times faster than the normal 1A charging standard. It is also backward-compatible with Quick Charge 1.0 and 2.0.

Common devices that currently support QC technology: Samsung S6 to S10 series, Samsung Note 4 to Note 9, LG G4-LG V50 series.

2. PD - Power Delivery

Power Delivery (PD) is a specification for handling higher power and allows a range of devices to charge quickly over a USB connection. It functions by facilitating communication between two devices to negotiate a power contract so they can determine how much power can be pulled from the charger. The USB-PD fast charging protocol is output through the Type-C interface; therefore, devices also must have USB-C interface in order to support PD fast charging.

Announced in 2021, the USB PD Revision 3.1 specification is a major update to enable delivering up to 240W of power over a full-featured USB Type-C cable and connector. Prior to this update, USB PD was limited to 100W using a solution based on 20V using USB Type-C cables rated at 5A.

Common devices that currently support PD technology: Google Pixel to pixel 4 series, iPhone 8 or later, iPad Pro 10.5 inch 2017 or later, iPad Air 2019 or later, iPad Mini 2019 or later, MacBook 2016, MacBook 2017, MacBook Pro 13 inch 2016 or later, MacBook Air 2018 or later

3. PPS - Programmable Power Supply

• Programmable Power Supply (PPS) is a standard that refers to the advanced charging technology for USB-C devices. It can modify voltage and current in real-time by feeding maximum power based on a device's charging status.

The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), a nonprofit group that supports the marketing and promotion of the Universal Serial Bus (USB), added PPS Fast Charging to the USB PD 3.0 standard in 2017. This allows data to be exchanged every 10 seconds, making a dynamic adjustment to the output voltage and current based on the condition of the receiving device's specifications.

Common devices that currently support PPS technology: Samsung Note 10 series, Samsung S20/ S21/ S21 series.

• Differences between PPS, PD, and QC

PPS' main advantage over other standards is its capability to lower conversion loss during charging. This means that less heat is generated, which lengthens the device battery's lifespan. To check the charging technology that a specific device supports, please refer to the following website: https://www.gsmarena.com

4. PIQ, PIQ 2.0, PIQ 3.0 - Anker's proprietary charging technology

PIQ 1.0 (abbreviation for Power IQ 1.0), PIQ 2.0 (abbreviation for Power IQ 2.0), and PIQ 3.0 (abbreviation for Power IQ 3.0) are Anker’s proprietary fast-charging technology, which Intelligently identifies your device to deliver the fastest possible charge.

• Power IQ 1.0: Supports 5V/2.4A max
• Power IQ 2.0: Compatible with QC 3.0 + Power IQ 1.0
• Power IQ 3.0: Compatible with QC 3.0 + PD 3.0 + Power IQ 1.0

Their main difference is shown as the following:

 If you have any further questions, please contact MyAnker Customer Support for assistance.