USB PD vs Quick Charge vs PPS: Which Does Your Phone Use?

Three fast-charging protocols cover almost every phone sold in Pakistan. They are not interchangeable — the charger and phone must share one to charge fast.

USB Power Delivery (PD)

The open, universal standard. Runs over USB-C. Scales from earbuds to laptops.

• Who uses it: iPhone (8 and later), Google Pixel, most recent Android, iPads, many laptops.
• On a spec sheet: "USB PD" or "PD 3.0" plus a wattage (20W, 30W, 45W, 65W, 100W).
• Why it won: one protocol for every device class, no licensing lock-in.

PPS (Programmable Power Supply)

An extension of PD, not a separate thing. PD normally jumps between fixed voltages; PPS adjusts voltage in 20mV steps, which runs cooler and lets phones push higher currents safely.

• Who needs it: Samsung Galaxy "Super Fast Charging" (25W) and "Super Fast Charging 2.0" (45W) require PPS specifically. Without it, a Galaxy falls back to ~15W.
• On a spec sheet: "PD PPS" or "PPS 3.3–11V / 5A".

Quick Charge (QC)

Qualcomm's proprietary protocol, mostly on USB-A ports.

• Who uses it: older Snapdragon phones — Xiaomi, Realme, Infinix, Tecno from before USB-C PD became standard.
• On a spec sheet: "QC3.0" (common) or "QC4/4+" (newer, PD-compatible).
• Note: QC will not fast-charge an iPhone — that's PD only.

Match your phone

Some brands (Xiaomi HyperCharge, OPPO/OnePlus SUPERVOOC, Realme Dart) have their own ultra-fast modes that only hit top speed with the brand's own charger. A good PD/PPS charger still charges these phones quickly via the standard fallback — just not at the headline "120W" number.

What to buy

• iPhone or recent Android → a PD charger, USB-C, 20W+. Add PPS if you're on Samsung.
• Older Snapdragon phone → QC 3.0 on USB-A.
• A household with mixed phones → a multi-port charger with PD/PPS on USB-C and QC on USB-A — see our chargers range.

Every charger on the chargers page lists its protocols. Browse chargers in Pakistan — bank transfer with fast nationwide delivery.