News + Trends
EU significantly expands USB-C obligation
by Florian Bodoky
How to find the right power supply for your notebook
28/4/2026
Translation: machine translated
Since 28 April 2026, notebooks have been sold in the EU without a power supply unit. The selection of suitable chargers is large, but quickly narrowed down by the required power of the laptop.
The EU not only decouples the sale of notebooks and power supply units, but also stipulates USB-C as a connection type for laptops. In addition, manufacturers must provide key data to help select a suitable charger. The regulation does not apply in Switzerland, but in future manufacturers will also refrain from including a charger with models with a Swiss keyboard.
A pictogram sets the framework
In its regulation, the EU stipulates that manufacturers must display a pictogram for the charging power on the notebook packaging. This indicates the minimum and maximum power in watts. These are the figures that are important when choosing the right power supply unit. If the laptop supports the fast charging standard «USB Power Delivery», the note «USB-PD» completes the pictogram.
Source: Lenovo
The pictogram on the packaging is not always the only hint. Lenovo's pictorial note can also be found on the quick start guide and Acer includes a note containing this information. Like Dell, they point out that the requirements for the charger are listed in the operating instructions. Online shops should also have the relevant information in the product information on their offers.
Source: Dell
45 watt minimum and more than one connection?
As a rough rule of thumb: 45 watts is the minimum for a notebook power supply. With less power, the battery level can drop during use despite the power supply. 60 or 65 watts is the better choice and is suitable for almost all laptops.
If you opt for a power supply with more than one connection, you will need more power. I tend to go for at least 100 watts. This is the total power that is shared when several devices are plugged in. It is important to check whether one connection can output more power than others and then use this for the laptop. It is also possible that the device plugged in first will receive more charging power than the stragglers.
The division into notebook power supplies and USB power supplies is now obsolete. USB power supply units have long been used for more than just charging smartphones. The main difference is that the USB chargers are usually plugged directly into the socket and you still need a USB-C cable that can transport the corresponding power. With notebook chargers, a cable runs to the actual power supply unit and from there, depending on the model, a fixed or replaceable cable runs to the laptop. This will change in two years: From 2028, all power supply units in the EU must have a USB-C connection and may no longer have a fixed cable.
In the meantime, I have left the classic notebook power supply units behind and have no problems with USB chargers and laptops. If you don't want to feed our filter yourself, here are a few recommendations:
When 45 watts is enough
On the safe side with 65 watts
Charge other devices at the same time
Header image: Jan Johannsen
Jan Johannsen
Senior Editor
Jan.Johannsen@galaxus.deAs a primary school pupil, I used to sit in a friend's living room with many of my classmates to play the Super NES. Now I get my hands on the latest technology and test it for you. In recent years at Curved, Computer Bild and Netzwelt, now at Digitec and Galaxus.
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