Written by Elaine
Edited on
14 April 2026
·
08:10
What's a GaN charger?
A GaN charger is a laptop charger that uses gallium nitride instead of silicone. This makes these chargers smaller and lighter, while they provide a lot of power. That's useful if you have a powerful laptop and often take your charger with you. In this article, we explain what GaN is, what the advantages are, and when you should choose GaN.
What's GaN?
Every charger has small electronic parts that convert power to the correct voltage for your laptop. In standard chargers, these parts are made of silicon. In a GaN charger, these components are made of gallium nitride. GaN switches faster and handles high voltages better. As a result, the charger is smaller and loses less heat.
The advantages of a GaN charger
Because the parts are smaller and more energy-efficient, the entire charger is smaller. That way, it can fit in your laptop bag or backpack more easily. This is useful if you're on the go often or work at hot desks. The casing also doesn't get as hot while it charges. Less heat loss means the charger charges better and faster.
When do you choose a GaN charger?
A GaN charger often provides a lot of power. This makes it suitable for powerful laptops, such as business or gaming laptops. Because the chargers are small and light, you can easily take them with you to the office or friends. Many GaN chargers have multiple USB ports, so you can charge your phone and tablet at the same time.
Article by Elaine
Laptop charger expert.
