explainers
PPS vs AVS: The Fast Charging Standards Compared
Quick answer: PPS vs AVS is a story about who fine-tunes the voltage. PPS (Programmable Power Supply, USB PD 3.0) and SPR AVS (Adjustable Voltage Supply in the Standard Power Range, USB PD 3.2) both let a charger adjust its output voltage instead of jumping between fixed levels. PPS adjusts in finer 20mV steps and is used by Samsung and most Android fast charging; SPR AVS adjusts in 100mV steps and is used by the iPhone 17 family. A charger needs to support both protocols to fast-charge both ecosystems.
The problem both of them solve
A plain USB PD charger offers fixed voltage steps: 5V, 9V, 15V, 20V. Your device almost never wants exactly one of those, so it converts the remainder internally, and conversion wastes energy as heat, inside the device you are holding. Hot phones throttle charging to protect the battery, so the last 40% of a charge drags.
Both PPS and AVS move that decision earlier: the device asks for the voltage it actually wants, the charger supplies it, and the heat lands in the charger's heatsink instead of your phone's battery.
The PPS vs AVS difference is who does the regulating, and how finely.
PPS vs AVS at a glance
| PPS | SPR AVS | |
|---|---|---|
| Introduced | USB PD 3.0 (2017) | USB PD 3.2 (2023) |
| Voltage steps | 20mV | 100mV |
| Current steps | 50mA | none (voltage only) |
| Range | 3.3–21V | 9–20V (within SPR power tiers, up to 100W) |
| Regulation side | device-side, closed loop | charger-side |
| Typical use | direct battery charging in Android phones | general voltage regulation, iPhone 17 wired charging |
Two differences deserve plain-language explanation.
Finer steps are not automatically better. PPS's 20mV granularity exists because Samsung-style charging regulates the battery directly: the phone tracks its own charging curve and asks for precisely what the battery wants, in real time. AVS's 100mV steps are coarser on purpose: the phone manages its battery with its own internal regulation and uses AVS as a cleaner power source. Different engineering choices, both valid.
Range differs at the bottom. PPS goes down to 3.3V; AVS starts at 9V. For direct-battery-charging designs the low range matters (a deeply discharged lithium cell starts around 3V). For AVS designs the phone handles the low-voltage phase internally and only calls on AVS once there is headroom.
Who uses which, right now
- PPS: Samsung Galaxy (their fastest wired rates), Google Pixel, most Android flagships, gaming handhelds like the Steam Deck.
- SPR AVS: the iPhone 17 family, with Apple's 40W Dynamic Power Adapter as the reference charger. Android adoption has not happened yet as of this article. The protocol background is in SPR AVS explained.
Neither protocol is backwards-compatible magic: an iPhone ignores PPS, a Galaxy ignores AVS. Both fall back to standard fixed-voltage PD, which still charges, just not at the fastest rate the device supports.
What this means when you buy a charger
If you charge one ecosystem: match the protocol. iPhone household → PD 3.2 with AVS (today that effectively means Apple's adapter, until third-party units are independently verified; see our charger guide). Android household → PD 3.0 with PPS, which nearly every quality GaN charger has.
If you charge both: look for "PPS + AVS" or "PD 3.2" alongside PPS on the spec sheet. Dual-protocol chargers exist, carry a small premium, and end the PPS vs AVS debate in one purchase. Certification in the USB-IF product list is the check that the claim is real.
If you mostly care about laptops: neither protocol matters much for you. Laptops charge from fixed PDOs at higher wattages, and any 65W+ PD charger handles them.
The convergence question
PD 3.2 pushes the ecosystem toward AVS in the 27–100W band, which raises the obvious question: does PPS die? Probably not soon. Samsung's charging stack is built around PPS and works; certification requirements will push new designs to add AVS rather than drop PPS. The likely future is dual-protocol chargers as the default, which would make the PPS vs AVS distinction a footnote; dual-protocol is also the safest thing to buy today.
We will date-stamp updates here as Android makers announce AVS support.
FAQ
Can a PPS charger fast-charge an iPhone 17?
No, it charges it at standard PD speed. The iPhone negotiates fixed-voltage PD or SPR AVS; it has never used PPS. What an iPhone actually draws is covered in the iPhone 17 charging guide.
PPS vs AVS: which is better?
Neither is strictly better. PPS gives the device finer control; AVS is simpler and cheaper for manufacturers. For users the PPS vs AVS choice matters less than having either one: both mean cooler fast charging versus fixed-voltage PD.
Do I need a new cable for either standard?
No. Both run over any certified USB-C to USB-C cable rated for the wattage in use.
Why did Apple skip PPS?
Apple's charging architecture regulates the battery internally, so it does not need PPS's device-side closed loop. AVS gives Apple the heat benefit (conversion in the charger) without the complexity. As a PD 3.2 mandatory zone feature, it is where the USB ecosystem is heading. That is our analysis, not an Apple statement. The practical PPS vs AVS takeaway for buyers: a dual-protocol charger covers both camps in one purchase.
Last updated: August 22, 2026. We re-check specs and picks on this page as new hardware ships.