Pixel 9 Pro XL Needs Special Charger For 37W Fast Charging

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL now offers 37 W charging speed (photo: x @its_shevi)

JAKARTA - The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL now offers a much faster charging speed compared to its predecessor, reaching 37W, an increase from 27W in the previous generation. However, to achieve this speed, you need a compatible PPS USB Power Delivery charger. More than that, the charger must also support the specific stress requirements used by the Pixel 9 Pro XL.

According to a discussion on Reddit, the Pixel 9 Pro XL achieves fast charging by increasing charging voltage rather than adding to the current. In tests conducted by a user, this device can reach up to 18V. Although voltage and current are two sides of the same power currency, high voltage conversion back to battery levels around 4V typically reduces efficiency and produces more heat, so this technique is usually used for higher power and larger batteries, such as on laptops.

However, the problem is that not all chargers on the market meet this requirement, because the use of high voltage for USB Power Delivery PPS is still rare on smartphones. For example, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra chooses to use voltages below 10V with currents up to 5A. In other words, even if you have a charger that can generate 40W or more, it may not be able to provide the desired 37W Pixel 9 Pro XL power in the way needed.

Google isn't the only one who uses high voltage for fast charging. ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra and ROG Phone 8 Pro, for example, can reach up to 65W with USB PD PPS, but charging becomes slower on adapters that only support 10V. Laptops also often ask for 20V to increase power up to 100W or more, but this is mostly done through regular USB PD specifications.

Although further testing is still needed to ensure what is needed by the Pixel 9 Pro XL in order to be able to charge at full speed, several third-party chargers are already on the market which should be able to function properly, provided they support the appropriate voltage.

For example, the latest 45W charger from Samsung and Anker 45W Nano II claims to reach 20V/2.25A through PPS. However, if you need a new charger for your Pixel 9 Pro XL, using the official Google 45W charger is the safest option.