Does it damage the phone and is it unsafe? The much-discussed power supply "ripple" isn't actually that scary.

"The original fast charger costs over 300 yuan, while the third - party charger with a screen only costs over 100 yuan. Can I buy it?"

"According to reviews, the ripple of the charger with a screen is higher than that of the original one. Will it damage my phone?"

On the Coolapk forum, similar questions always trigger dozens of replies. Since this year, the biggest trend in the third - party fast - charging market is undoubtedly the "charger with a screen". It is an innovative design that can display the charging power and current in real - time. However, along with its popularity, there is a controversy about "higher ripple". Some geeks have conducted special tests and used oscilloscopes to show that its ripple value is higher than that of the same - brand chargers without a screen, which has made some potential users hesitant.

Image source: Coolapk

Let's start with the core controversy of "ripple" and talk about the innovation logic and industry changes of third - party fast chargers nowadays.

What exactly is ripple? Why is this common parameter in fast chargers suddenly a hot topic?

Before discussing "high or low ripple", we first need to figure out a basic question: What exactly is ripple?

If we compare the direct current output by the charger to a calm river, then ripple is the tiny ripples on the river surface. From a technical principle perspective, household sockets provide 220V alternating current, while digital devices such as mobile phones and tablets require low - voltage direct current. The core function of a charger is to complete the conversion from "alternating current to direct current".

"Ripple" refers to the alternating - current component superimposed on a stable direct - current power supply, manifested as periodic fluctuations in the output voltage or current. When a charger converts alternating current to direct current, due to incomplete filtering, high - frequency switching ripple (with the same frequency as the switching frequency) and low - frequency power - frequency ripple (related to the power grid frequency) will remain. Its form includes harmonics similar to sine waves or narrow pulse waves, usually expressed in peak - to - peak value (mV) or ripple coefficient (ripple voltage/output voltage).

All switching - power - supply chargers have ripple. This is an inherent property determined by physical characteristics, not a quality defect. The magnitude of ripple is related to multiple factors such as the capacity of the filter capacitor, the circuit topology, and the PCB layout. Just like the water filtered by water purifiers of different brands, there will be slight differences in purity, but as long as it meets the standards, it will not affect health.

So, does the industry standard have clear requirements for ripple? The answer is yes.

According to the domestic YD/T 1591 - 2009 communication industry standard, the peak ripple of mobile phone chargers shall not be higher than 200mVp - p. Currently, mainstream manufacturers such as OPPO, vivo, Xiaomi, Honor, and Huawei design their chargers' ripple according to this standard. Take the Anker AnkerPowerPort Atom PD 45W, a popular charger with a screen this year, for example. Some netizens have measured that its maximum peak ripple is 137mVp - p, which is well within the standard.

Since ripple is a common phenomenon that "exists universally and is constrained by standards", why has it suddenly become the focus of controversy for fast chargers with a screen?

This is closely related to the cognitive changes brought about by information transparency. In the past, ordinary users hardly paid attention to the professional parameter of "ripple". Only geeks or industry insiders would detect it through professional equipment such as oscilloscopes. As online content has gradually matured, more and more bloggers have started to evaluate products through "oscilloscope measurements" and "charger disassembly", which has gradually brought professional concepts such as "ripple" and "gallium nitride" into the public eye.

The emergence of fast chargers with a screen just provides an entry point for this kind of attention, allowing users to directly see data such as charging power and current for the first time, which in turn drives discussions about in - depth parameters such as "ripple".

(Image source: Lei Technology filming)

In a sense, the emergence of the ripple controversy is an inevitable result of the third - party fast - charging market evolving from simply meeting functional requirements to upgrading the user experience.

There is no direct equivalence between the "high or low" of the ripple value and "whether it will damage the device". The industry standards have already reserved sufficient safety margins. As long as it meets the standards, even if there are differences in ripple values, it will not affect the safety of the device.

On the other hand, modern devices have "double protection": The compliant ripple is within the tolerance range of the battery, and the built - in voltage - stabilizing filter circuit and battery management system of the device will further suppress the ripple. The long - term impact on battery health is minimal.

So, there's no need to worry about the ripple value of fast chargers with a screen. Just use them with confidence.

What do users really care about behind the ripple controversy?

Although the ripple controversy is hotly discussed in the digital circle, the market sales present a completely different situation.

Data from e - commerce platforms show that the user satisfaction rate of a certain model of fast charger with a screen reaches 99%, far exceeding the industry average. In the keywords of positive reviews, descriptions related to the user experience such as "clear power display", "compatible with multiple devices", and "compact size" account for more than 80%. The only negative review is about the small display area.

There is almost no information about "ripple".

This data contrast reveals a core fact: The charging needs of ordinary users have upgraded from "being able to charge the device fully" to "charging comfortably and seeing clearly", and professional parameters such as ripple are not their core concerns.

Image source: Lei Technology filming

To understand user needs more deeply, we sorted out 50 valid reviews of this model and compared them with the reviews of fast chargers without a screen at the same price. We found three significant trends in user charging needs.

The first trend is the awakening of the need for charging transparency. In the past, users could only judge whether the charging was normal through the battery level display on the device screen or the indicator light on the charger, and could not know the actual charging power. The real - time display of power and other data on fast chargers with a screen allows users to directly perceive the charging status.

Some users commented, "I used to doubt that the fast charger didn't reach the advertised power. Now I feel relieved when I see the information on the screen." This pursuit of "information symmetry" is similar to the logic of upgrading the battery percentage display on mobile phones from fuzzy grids to precise numbers.

The second trend is that compatibility with multiple devices has become a necessity. With the increase in the number of digital devices, users have higher and higher requirements for the compatibility of fast chargers: Chargers with both USB - A and USB - C interfaces, compatible with mainstream fast - charging protocols such as Apple PD, Huawei SCP, and Xiaomi QC, and capable of charging devices such as mobile phones, tablets, and headphones simultaneously are the top choices.

The third trend is the increased acceptance of premium for innovative experiences. Although fast chargers with a screen are more expensive than those without a screen at the same power, judging from the discussion and sales data on e - commerce platforms, users are still willing to pay for them. This is consistent with the "experience premium" logic in the consumer electronics field. Fast chargers with a screen have won user recognition through "visible innovation".

Image source: Huawei

The geeks' attention to ripple is essentially a continuation of the "parameter - first" thinking. In the early stage of the development of third - party fast chargers, there were significant differences in core parameters such as power and size. "How much faster is an 18W fast charger than a 10W one" was the most concerned question for users, and parameter competition was the core logic of industry competition.

However, when most brands can achieve fast charging of over 30W and control the size to fit in the palm of the hand, the experience difference caused by parameter differences is becoming weaker and weaker. At this time, "who can provide a better user experience" has become the new focus of competition. The popularity of fast chargers with a screen has seized this key node of industry transformation.

The balance between the screen and ripple: The engineering design logic behind innovation

Of course, admitting that users pay more attention to the experience does not mean avoiding the fact that "the ripple of chargers with a screen is slightly higher".

However, from an engineering design perspective, the emergence of this ripple difference is an inevitable result of the trade - off between functional innovation and size control, rather than a technical shortcoming.

In the compact space of a charger, adding each function means redesigning the circuit layout and making choices about components. Compared with the same - brand chargers without a screen, the models with a screen add components such as a display screen, a driver chip, and a power supply circuit. To achieve a balance between "small size" and "multiple functions", the design team has to adjust the layout of some components, including the position of the filter capacitor.

Image source: Lei Technology filming

The filter capacitor is the core component for suppressing ripple. The larger its capacity and the closer it is to the output end, the better the ripple suppression effect. However, on the PCB board of fast chargers with a screen, the screen driver chip occupies the core position close to the output end, so the filter capacitor has to be slightly offset, which slightly affects the ripple suppression effect.

This layout adjustment will increase the ripple value by about 20 - 30mVp - p, but it is still far below the national standard upper limit of 200mVp - p and is completely within the safe range.

This kind of "innovation - first trade - off" is not uncommon in the consumer electronics industry. Take smartphones for example. The popularity of full - screen phones has forced the front - facing camera to adopt the form of a notch or a punch - hole, sacrificing integrity and aesthetics. The iPhone 17 Pro also has to make a separate opening on the all - metal back cover for the wireless charging function. However, these trade - offs are accepted by the market because the experience improvement brought by the new functions far outweighs the slight loss in parameters.

The ripple trade - off of fast chargers with a screen follows the same logic.

From an industry perspective, the ripple controversy of fast chargers with a screen is actually an inevitable stage in the transformation of the third - party fast - charging industry from "manufacturing" to "creation". In the manufacturing stage, the core competitiveness of the industry is cost control and parameter compliance, competing in who can make products cheaper, more in line with standards, and faster in charging. In the creation stage, the core competitiveness of the industry is user insight and technological innovation, competing in who can better understand users and provide a better experience.

When an industry starts to actively carry out functional innovation and design trade - offs, it means that the industry has entered a higher - level development stage.

Looking back at the development history of the third - party fast - charging industry, from the early days of rampant counterfeiting to today's innovation, the progress of the industry has always revolved around the core of "user needs". The emergence and subsidence of the ripple controversy just confirm that brands no longer blindly pursue extreme parameters but have learned to find the optimal solution between innovation and balance.

For ordinary users, here is a criterion for choosing a fast charger: First, check whether it meets the industry safety standards, which is the bottom line. Second, see if it meets your core needs, such as compatibility with multiple devices and portability. Finally, consider the innovative experience, such as screen display, intelligent device protection, and reversible plugs. If a fast charger can meet these three points at the same time, even if some professional parameters are not "extreme", it is still a good product.

In the future, we may see more innovative fast - charging products that "resist parameter involution": These products may still face new "parameter controversies", but as long as they can truly solve users' pain points and improve the user experience, they will definitely win market recognition.

This article is from the WeChat official account "Lei Technology". Author: Lei Technology AI Hardware Team. Republished by 36Kr with permission.