Power adapters and chargers have similarities in some aspects, but they are not exactly the same concept.

　　similarity

　　-Functional associations: Their main function is to provide power for electronic devices. Whether it is a mobile phone, tablet, or other mobile device, an external power source is needed for charging or maintaining normal operation, and power adapters and chargers can meet this requirement.

　　-The basic principle is similar: both convert the mains power (AC power) into the DC power required by the equipment. Generally speaking, this conversion process includes steps such as voltage reduction, rectification, and filtering to ensure that the output DC voltage is stable and meets the requirements of the equipment.

　　Differences

　　-Differences in design purposes

　　-Power adapter: mainly used to provide stable working power for devices. For example, some laptop power adapters are designed to continuously provide the appropriate voltage and current to ensure the normal operation of the laptop during use, rather than just charging. It needs to meet the power requirements of the device in different working states, such as standby and power supply for running large software.

　　-Charger: Usually designed specifically for rechargeable batteries, its focus is on charging the battery. For example, a mobile phone charger is designed to fully charge the phone battery in a short amount of time, and during the charging process, it will make corresponding adjustments based on the battery's charging status, such as constant current charging, constant voltage charging, and other stages.

　　-Differences in output characteristics

　　-Power adapter: It usually has a relatively stable output voltage and current, and its output power is designed according to the overall power requirements of the device. For example, the output voltage of a laptop power adapter may be 19V, the current is 3.42A, and the power is approximately 65W. This output parameter is designed to meet the power consumption of the laptop in various working states.

　　-Charger: During the charging process, the output characteristics will change with the charging status of the battery. In the initial stage of charging, the charger may perform constant current charging with a large current. When the battery voltage approaches full charge, the charger will switch to constant voltage charging mode, gradually reducing the current to protect the battery from overcharging. This change in output characteristics is to improve charging efficiency and extend battery life.

　　-Different levels of intelligence

　　-Power adapter: Relatively speaking, its level of intelligence is relatively low. It mainly provides stable power and does not have many functions to interact with the powered device.

　　-Charger: Modern chargers often have more intelligent functions. For example, some mobile phone chargers can communicate with the phone and adjust the charging strategy based on the battery information feedback from the phone; Some chargers also have fast charging capabilities, such as Qualcomm's Quick Charge technology and OPPO's VOOC flash charging technology, which require complex interaction and adaptation between the charger and the device.

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