How to choose the right charger for your Pixel 8

Andrew Romero | Oct 24 2023 - 9:45 am PT

The Pixel 8 and 8 Pro both charge faster than the previous generation of devices from Google, but that doesn’t mean you need the most expensive and biggest charger on the market. In this quick guide, we’ll go through what the Pixel 8 needs to charge and what charger to buy.

In the past few years, device manufacturers have started shying away from including charging bricks with each phone. Some have credited this move as a planet-saving measure, though we know part of it is cost-saving.

This can be viewed as a good and bad thing. On the one hand, every included charger was only able to accommodate one device, and if you want a brick that can handle multiple, the odds are high that you’d just set the included charging brick aside. On the other hand, included chargers were always rated for the correct wattage, and the guessing game of which charger to buy was completely mitigated.

No matter how you look at it, you still need a charger, and the fact is that Google’s Pixel 8 and 8 Pro don’t come with one in the box, leaving it up to you to find one.

What charger does the Pixel 8/8 Pro need?

According to Google, the Pixel 8 is rated for 27W of charging power, while the Pixel 8 Pro is slightly higher at 30W. That isn’t anywhere near the highest we’ve seen in recent years, but it gets the job done. Specifically, the job gets done in just over an hour for both phones with the right charger.

What does that 30W certification mean? Essentially, it boils down to how much power the battery in each device can accept at one instant in time. A constant flow of 30W is what the Pixel 8 Pro can handle. In the case of the Pixel 8, a 30W charger would supply just over what the phone can handle, which doesn’t hurt.

To get the most out of the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro, you’ll need a 30W USB charger. Do keep in mind that if you want to charge your Pixel and another device, like the Pixel Watch 2, you’ll need to find a charger that accomadtes the total rated wattage for both device. For instance, the Pixel 8 pro charges at 30W while the Pixel Watch 2 is rated for an absolute minimum of 5W, but you’ll want upwards of 20 or 30. Together, you’ll need a brick that can handle 60W or more. If you add a tablet in there, go for something at or over 100W for safety.

You can absolutely charge the Pixel 8 or any phone at under 30W, but it won’t be as “fast” as Google claims. Charging the phone with a single-port brick over 30W won’t get it to charge any faster, either.

To add, you don’t need to buy Google’s official charger to get the right charging speeds from your Pixel 8. Every charger is a little different even if they’re rated for the same wattage, however, we have a list of reliable cahrgers that get the most out of your Pixel 8 or 8 Pro.