The most common mistake in a new charger range is picking wattage by price rather than by device. A 20W charger and a 100W charger cost very different amounts to build, but the decision that actually matters is which devices each one can feed — because that decides which customers can be sold to.
The four bands, and who buys them
20W to 45W — the phone band
Phones, earbuds, smart watches, power banks and small accessories. This is the band for retail bundles, operator shelves, hotel comfort kits and marketplace listings, where volume is high and unit price is the deciding factor. A 45W version also covers tablets and handheld consoles.
65W to 100W — the laptop band
Thin-and-light laptops, docking stations and desks that charge a laptop and a phone from one socket. 65W matches the original adapter for most ultrabooks; 100W matches full-size laptops. This is the band where multi-port layouts earn their price premium, because the buyer’s problem is having too many chargers, not too little power.
140W to 240W — the desktop band
Desktop-replacement laptops, docking stations, multi-device desks and test benches. Above 100W, USB-C PD 3.1 Extended Power Range is required, and the cable has to support it — a detail worth printing on the carton, because it is the most common cause of “slow charging” complaints.
Three questions that decide the range
What device is on the front of the packaging? If it is a phone, the band is 20W-45W. If it is a laptop, 65W or higher. The product photograph and the wattage have to agree, or the listing generates returns.
How many devices charge at once? A single-port charger is the cheapest answer and the most reliable. Multi-port layout — 1A1C, 2A2C, 2A3C — is what travel and desk buyers actually want, and the split is managed dynamically by the charger.
Which markets will it be sold in? Plug types and certification decide more of the cost than the wattage does. A single SKU covering several power bands and a modular plug system is the cheapest way to cover several countries.
How the bands fit together as a range
Most brands end up with three SKUs: a 30W-45W phone charger, a 65W or 100W laptop charger, and a 140W multi-port unit for desks. Because they can share one platform and one artwork scheme, the tooling cost per model falls — which is the argument for launching the range together rather than one model at a time. You can see how the three bands are laid out in our GaN charger range.
What to check before committing
Test the charger the way the customer will: an empty phone, then a nearly full one, then an hour of continuous load with something warm on the second port. Check the cable supplied is rated for the output. And confirm the certification documents cover every country the SKU will be listed in — a 100W charger that cannot be sold in two of your five markets is a 60W decision, not a 100W one.