Electronics sometimes will make people confuse. They have so many terms, cords, and objects, it can be hard to figure out what each one does and which one you should be using. Chargers and adapters fall into the category of being mixed up a lot, so what are the actual differences between them?
1. Adapter?
1.1 What is an Adapter
What is an Adapter? An adapter (some people or some regions call them “adaptor”) is a device that converts the properties of one electrical device or system to the properties of other incompatible devices or systems. Some modify power or signal properties, while others simply adjust the physical form of one connector to another.
There are two main types of adapters that we use now aday. They are: AC adapters and DC adapters. You can see what kind of adapter you need for your electronics by looking at the back of the device, or you can look at the power box to make sure the adapter that you bought is suitable for your electronic device.
So what AC adapter and DC adapter are?
AC Adapter
An AC Adapters is the adapter that alternating current. This means that it uses the current in the opposite direction. The current changes from positive to negative in a time interval. These types of adapters are usually given an input interval to know their voltage. If you want to change the voltage of the AC current, then the AC adapter is your best choice.
DC Adapter
DC adapters are different in that their current only flows in one direction. The differences between AC adapters and DC adapters is they have a constant flow and there is no change in the polarity of the current. A DC adapter converts AC energy current to DC current. The DC adapter is also rated based on its maximum output.
1.2 Do you know how many type of adapter AC plug?
We normally know that a power supply (an adapter or a charger) has two port, they are: AC port and DC port. But do you know how many type of AC plug are there?
- EU Plug
EU Plug adaptor is type C, which is the plug which has two round pins. All of Europe operates on the same 2 round pronged outlets except for the UK and Ireland that operates on its own unique 3 flat rectangle pronged outlets. If you are travelling through the UK or Ireland (including London) you will need a UK and Ireland power point adapter
- US Plug
An US plug charger or adapter is flat and has holes on the plug
- KR Plug
KR Plug is the polular plug use in Korea, KR plug is the same with EU plug, also are those round.
- AU Plug
AU Plug is used in Australia, the associated plug type is I, which is the plug that has three flat pins in a triangular pattern
- BIS Plug
BIS certification is the Bureau of Indian Standards (The Bureau of Indian Standards), the ISI certification and certification body, referred to as BIS, which is specifically responsible for product certification. According to the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986 (The BIS Act, 1986), the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is specifically responsible for product certification, and it is also the only product certification body in India.
- CN Plug
CN Plug is used in China, Vietnam and some other Asia. The plug is flat and have no hole on it
2. Charger
Charger is a common product in our morden life, many of us use multiple chargers every day. Chargers take AC mains current and convert it to DC current that can be used in most electronic devices. They are typically used to charge batteries or electronic devices such as phones, handheld gaming devices, or headsets. One of the downsides of using a charger is that not all chargers work with different devices.
When used with an adapter, the charger will draw the current provided by the adapter. It will then take that energy and convert it to the voltage required by the specific device so that the battery can start charging. Basically, the power cord that charges your computer is not the one you need to charge your smartphone or the one that you charge your computer is not the one you charge for your handheld gaming devices. Infact, although we call them charger, but not all chargers are the same. It can sometimes be difficult to find third-party chargers that work with your electronics, but one of Mentech charger can do this, that special charger is our PD charger 65W with the GaN technology. Some chargers do not need to be plugged into a wall outlet. Power banks, wireless chargers, and car chargers use their own power source, in which case the adapter will be useless. Most chargers that don’t connect directly to a wall outlet have a different output than a connected charger.
3. What’s differences between Charger and Adapter
Like many electronic accessories, chargers and adapters can be easily confused. They appear to be doing the same thing, but they perform different actions that often complement each other.
Although they seem to serve the same purpose, but not mant people know that adapters and chargers are two different electronic accessories that sometimes work together. Adapters are things used to charge chargers, which are used to charge electronics such as cell phones or laptops.
| Adapter | Charger |
| Chargers a charger | Charges a battery |
| Adapts and converts voltages | Pulls electric current out of an adapter |
| Has no internal electronics | Converts AC to DC power |
| Provides a power supply | Not all charger work the same |
Although adapters and chargers seem to do almost the same thing, they each have their own limitations. Adapters can sometimes be used as chargers, but a charger will never give you the same energy output as an adapter. For some electronic devices like laptops, charging cables and adapters are pretty much the same thing.
Adapters will supply current to devices such as laptops. For example, if you find that your computer is not getting power from the battery, you should still be able to use the device as long as the adapter is plugged in. The charger works with a rechargeable battery, which means that if you have a problem with your battery, you won’t be able to use the device once the current battery life is exhausted.