The iPhone 18 Pro needs a charger with AVS, otherwise it won’t charge at full speed. Apple’s own charger costs about $49, and plenty of you understandably don’t want to pay that. So I kept looking and found a much cheaper one: the UGREEN Nexode Air with 65 watts. The result surprised me.
- Advanced AVS Fast Charging for iPhone 18 Pro Series: Supports multiple fast-charging protocols, including the latest AVS protocol for dynamic power adjustment. Charge your iPhone 18 Pro Max to approximately 50% in just 15 minutes, making it an ideal charging companion for iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max
- Ultra-Compact and Effortlessly Portable: Measuring just 1.22×1.30×1.59 inches, this charger features an ultra-compact design with foldable prongs for convenient travel. It fits into your pocket without feeling bulky, making it ideal for everyday carry. Whether you're commuting, traveling, or on a business trip, it ensures you can conveniently charge your devices anytime, anywhere
- GaN Technology – Small Yet Safe: UGREEN's tiny cube charger features the latest-generation GaN chip, making charging safer than ever. Thermal Guard technology prevents overheating, so you can enjoy fast charging with complete peace of mind. Plus, 8 active and passive protections (over-temperature, short-circuit, over-voltage, etc.) ensure worry‑free use
- Sleek finish and practical: This charger features a sleek, minimalist design with a starry silver-gray matte finish. The USB-C port panel is covered in translucent frosted glass, while the lower section is precision-engraved with 24 fine ridges—enhancing grip and adding a touch of sophistication. It’s more than a power adapter; it’s a desktop ornament that elevates your space
- One for all: This single charger powers nearly all your devices — from iPhone 12 through 17, Galaxy S23 to S26, Galaxy A and Z series, Pixel 7 to 10, to iPad Air/Pro, AirPods, MacBook Air/Neo/Pro, Steam Deck, and countless other USB-C gadgets. One power source. All covered
What AVS Actually Does
Chargers used to deliver voltage in fixed steps. The iPhone often needed a voltage in between, so it had to step the higher one down internally. That creates heat, and the warmer the iPhone gets, the sooner it throttles charging.
With AVS the iPhone tells the charger exactly what voltage it needs right now. It has to step down less, stays cooler and can hold high power for longer. Samsung has been doing something similar with PPS for years.
The Test Setup
To keep the comparison fair I used exactly the same conditions as in my test with Apple’s charger: iPhone 18 Pro Max at 0 percent, the original 3-amp cable from the iPhone box, the same room at about 22 degrees, a USB meter in between and a 15-minute timer.
For reference: Apple’s charger reached 47 percent in this room. Down in the cool basement at 16 to 17 degrees it managed 51 percent.
What the UGREEN Nexode Air Measured
✓ A steady 54 watts, that’s 18 volts at 3 amps
✓ Above 50 watts for the first 10 minutes
✓ 49 percent on the display after 15 minutes
✓ About 37.5 degrees on the iPhone, measured with my own thermometer
For context: 54 watts is exactly what Apple’s charger delivers too. The iPhone 18 Pro Max won’t take more than that anyway, which I checked in a separate test. And while Apple’s charger dropped to around 34 watts toward the end, the UGREEN was still at about 39 watts in the final minute. That’s exactly where the two percentage points come from.
One note on cables: you don’t need a 5-amp cable. Three amps flowed through the cable the whole time, because that’s all the iPhone draws. The original cable from the box is plenty.
The Part I Can’t Explain
Here’s where I have to be honest. On the UGREEN my meter displays PD 3.0. Apple, on the other hand, says a charger needs at least PD 3.1 for AVS to work. Yet the same meter also shows AVS, and a constant 54 watts arrive at the phone.
I don’t know why. It’s possible the meter labels the protocol version differently than you’d expect. It’s also possible Apple’s requirement is written more strictly than it technically needs to be. I can’t prove either. If you know your stuff, leave it in the comments under the video, because a lot of people want to know right now.
One more oddity happened mid-test: the AVS indicator vanished for a moment, as if the charger had briefly rebooted. After that it carried on normally.
Price and What Else It Does
At the time of testing the UGREEN Nexode Air was about $26 in a Prime deal, and it normally sits around $38. Apple’s charger is about $49. On top of that the UGREEN offers 65 watts, so it’ll charge a laptop or tablet too, and according to the maker it supports PPS, meaning fast charging for Samsung phones as well.
One annoyance remains: the packaging mentions neither AVS nor the PD version. That’s exactly why chargers like this have to be measured instead of trusted. Which chargers failed for me is in my other charging videos.
Verdict
In my test the UGREEN Nexode Air 65W charges the iPhone 18 Pro Max faster than Apple’s own charger, and it costs considerably less. So if you’re still wondering whether to spend the money on the original: after this measurement, you don’t have to.
One caveat belongs with every charging test: these are numbers from a setup with an empty battery and a stopwatch. In everyday life you plug the phone in at night and it’s full in the morning, and you won’t notice either charger. It only matters when you’ve got 15 minutes somewhere on the go.
To find out how fast your own charger fills your iPhone, try my free Charge Check.
More iPhone 18 Pro Tests
For protecting the new iPhone, see my comparison of the best iPhone 18 Pro cases and my iPhone 18 Pro screen protector test. If you’re waiting for the foldable iPhone, check my tests of iPhone Duo cases and iPhone Duo screen protectors.