• As a graduate student at Stanford, Alex Yin, 32, had to decide between two internship opportunities
• He chose an internship in Bhutan, even though it was less relevant to his career.
• During his monthlong stint as an IT consultant, he learned how to grow from discomfort.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Alex Yin, 32, an options trader from New Jersey. He graduated from Stanford Graduate School of Business in June. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

As a Stanford Graduate School of Business student, deciding where to intern was tough.

I had two offers under the school's international program, the Global Management Immersion Experience. In order to graduate, fulfilling this program is required — either through the work abroad program or by taking a course on international business.

My first option was to work for a family office in Madrid, analyzing various investments. I had studied finance and statistics undergrad at New York University and had spent seven years in Chicago trading options at a large firm. It seemed like a natural fit and could be useful for anything I wanted to do in the future.

But I also had a second offer — a monthlong internship as an IT consultant at a hazelnut farm in Bhutan.

I had wanted to go to Bhutan ever since I went on vacation to Tibet when I was 17. It was such a magical place, and I wanted to return to a similar environment. I also knew it was a difficult country for visitors to visit as the government limits tourism.

It was a battle between my heart and my head. My heart was screaming, "Go to Bhutan! It doesn't matter what the job or company is. It's a cool opportunity."

Usually, I trust my head, but for this, I just listened to my heart.

I took the second offer

In August 2023, I flew 14 hours from New York to New Delhi and another five hours to Bhutan.

On the night I arrived, I met the CEO of Mountain Hazelnuts — an eccentric and friendly British man. The next morning, he took me to Tiger's Nest, an iconic monastery in Bhutan. It was an intense two-hour hike with steep and muddy trails.

Before the trip, I told myself I wouldn't care how uncomfortable it was and that I could spend a month without complaining. But it was day two, and I was like, "Wow, this is not easy. It's hot. I'm sweaty. There's a lot of poop around me. I'm about to fall." Still, I pushed through, and it was a magical experience at the top.

Later, we took a 16-hour car ride to Lingmethang, a small town in the eastern part of Bhutan, where I would work. I stayed in a three-bedroom home above the corporate office.

My week was divided between days in the office and field visits. As an IT consultant, my job responsibility was to manage a very limited IT budget and improve the security of their backup systems.

There was a point when I realized I'd actually never done any of this stuff before. "Am I qualified for the role?" I wondered to myself.

However, I learned that you can achieve a lot if you spend your time fully focused on solving a problem, even if you haven't had that direct experience before.

After work, I'd go to the village, drink a beer, and eat some momos, a type of dumpling, with my colleagues. They were locals between the ages of 25 and 45, and could all speak English well. I had to adjust to the simplicity, but I really appreciated it after a year at Stanford, where social events were nonstop.

Growing from discomfort

My biggest takeaway was that transitioning from a comfortable to an uncomfortable state isn't easy. But once you're in that uncomfortable state, it's pretty easy to maintain it.

In the village, I didn't have a lot of creature comforts. I had a pretty spartan life. But I was just as happy there, without the technology and distractions I had in Palo Alto. It's such a beautiful place that I didn't feel bored.

At night, I'd fend off mosquitoes, as locals don't kill them. I ran out of mosquito repellent in the first week, which was hard. The food also took a bit of getting used to, as it was mostly vegetarian.

Now, I live in New Jersey and am back in options trading. Although the internship was not entirely relevant to my career, it helped me gain confidence that if I try my best to solve a problem, I can still accomplish something.

I also appreciated how cohesive the company in Bhutan was. Although it wasn't doing well, everyone wanted to contribute their best. They held company barbecues where people would bring their families, dance, and sing into the night. I never heard anyone complaining during my time there.

I have found that this cohesiveness is hard to find in the US, where firms incentivize loyalty with money. I'd like to apply that to my future work places.

I will never regret choosing Bhutan, and I plan to return for a visit at some point.

• Grace Chang occasionally commutes from Washington, DC, to NYC for work.
• She said the four-hour commute is worth it because the job is a good fit for her.
• Remote working arrangements have made it easier for some Americans to become supercommuters.

Grace Chang says the occasional four-hour commute to her job is worth it but could be unsustainable in the long term.

Earlier this year, Chang, 28, felt burned out from her finance job at a hospitality company in Washington, DC. She began exploring new opportunities but struggled to find a role in DC that would allow her to grow and be less demanding.

After expanding her search outside the Beltway, Chang accepted a financial planning and analysis position, which she started in May. The role pays $120,000 annually, but it came with a downside: a commute roughly every other week from DC to New York City. Chang asked that the name of her employer be excluded for privacy reasons.

For her journey, Chang said she wakes up around 4 a.m. on Monday, catches the 5:05 a.m. Amtrak train at Union Station, arrives in New York City around 8:30 a.m., and is at her midtown Manhattan office 30 minutes later. She usually stays in New York until Wednesday or Thursday, and since her company doesn't pay for lodging, she crashes with friends or family who live in or near the city.

"I'm not 100% sure if the job is worth the commute, but it pays the bills and is a good stepping stone for other opportunities in the future," she said.

Chang is among the supercommuters who have embraced long treks to work in recent years: A Stanford University study published in June defined a supercommuter as anyone with a journey of more than 75 miles. The study, which was conducted by Stanford economists Nick Bloom and Alex Finan, found that the share of supercommutes in the 10 largest US cities was 32% higher between November 2023 and February than between the same time period four years earlier.

The economists said this uptick was likely tied to increased remote working arrangements. For example, some Americans who moved away from cities during the pandemic — in part for lower housing costs — decided they could tolerate their commute when their employers called them back to the office.

Supercommuting isn't the long-term goal

Chang said her employer doesn't have a specific in-office policy, but her manager wants her to work in person sometimes, particularly during busier periods.

When Chang landed the job, she never seriously considered moving to New York City. She and her husband have lived in the DC area for over a decade, and her husband works locally.

"We have friends and community here and didn't want to uproot so quickly," she said. "After I started making the commute, I just got used to it."

Staying with friends and family has helped Chang save money on accommodations while she's in New York, but her commute still comes with a financial cost. If she buys well in advance of her trip, she said she can generally get a one-way train ticket for less than $100. She said Amtrak offers a 10-ride ticket pass for $790, which amounts to $79 per one-way ticket.

However, Chang said her role would likely have a lower salary if it were based in DC, in part because the city has a lower cost of living than NYC.

In recent weeks, Chang's manager said she could reduce her commute to once a month. She said she'd previously requested a less frequent commute once she was fully trained for her job: She's been in the role for over six months.

While Chang is open to jobs closer to home, she said she's enjoying her current role and is getting the career development she wanted.

"It's definitely not a long-term goal or aspiration to continue to do this, but what has made this doable is having a positive mentality toward commuting," she said. "If I dreaded it every week, I would have quit in the first month."

Do you have a long commute to work? Are you willing to share your story with a reporter? Reach out to [email protected].

2024 is unquestionably the year of Balatro. It came out of nowhere to fill our heads with dreams of flush fives and legendary Jimbos. But I think what put it really over the top was when it launched on iOS and Android earlier this fall. That’s because even though I don’t have the numbers to prove it, Charlie Brooker — as he so often does in his show Black Mirror – made a particularly prescient prediction during an interview with Deadline when he said that after Balatro comes out on phones, “humankind’s activity is going to drop about 25 percent.” That said, I don’t think people were prepared for the mobile version of Balatro to be an almost flawless example of how to properly translate a game from desktop to small screens and foldables.

To start, on both the Apple App Store and Google Play, the mobile version of Balatro costs $10, which is actually $5 less than the desktop edition on Steam or the console ports on Switch, Xbox and PlayStation. But what’s even better is that in a world where seemingly every phone game is crammed full of microtransactions, there are zero intrusive ads or other extra purchases to take away from the game. This includes all the crossover cardbacks (like the ones featuring characters from The Witcher, Cyberpunk 2077 and more) and the big forthcoming update due out at the beginning of next year.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

On top of that, there’s essentially no difference in features between the mobile and desktop/console versions. Granted, that’s due in large part to the game being a relatively simple title (at least in terms of graphics). But even so, you’d be surprised how easy that is to mess up. The game boots up nearly instantly and even when you’re smashing antes while pushing your score deep into scientific notation, the game doesn’t get bogged down.

It gets even better though because developer LocalThunk paid attention to nearly all the little details. Balatro mobile features cloud saves, multiple profiles and tons of languages. The game also supports achievements while making it easy to unlock everything with a single option in case the phone version is more of a secondary platform for you. And I can't forget to shout out the High Contrast Cards option, which is not only a great accessibility feature but a generally useful tool for making it faster and easier to tell hearts and diamonds or spades and clubs apart. 

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

I also appreciate how Playstack tweaked the game’s UI and interface to make it easy to drag and drop objects wherever you want. I can’t speak for everyone, but there’s just something inherently satisfying about using touch controls to move cards around like in Hearthstone and Marvel Snap compared to relying on a keyboard and mouse or a controller, to the point where I prefer the mobile version over the original desktop release.

But perhaps the thing I like the most about Balatro mobile is how well it plays on pretty much any device, but foldable phones most of all. I’d argue that handsets like the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 are the perfect joker-hunting devices. Their large screens feel like a perfect match for the title’s UI without ever feeling cramped, which happens sometimes on older gadgets with less roomy displays. Text is generally easy to read (though sometimes less so on tiny devices) and there’s plenty of open space to push things around without getting in your own way.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

That said, if I had to nitpick, my complaints boil down to two (maybe three) things. The first is that on foldables, Balatro doesn’t take full advantage of the extra vertical screen space. But since there’s already plenty of room, it’s not a huge deal. I also wish the Skip button when opening packs was in a different place, because I’ve accidentally fat-fingered it more times than I’d like to admit, resulting in not picking a joker or Spectral card that I really needed. But perhaps the biggest issue (or not) is that when I’m playing the game outside, when people who aren’t Balatro fans see my screen, they probably think I’m a true dirtbag that just can’t wait till I get home to make a bet. And in many respects they’re right, but since I’m not actually gambling, it’s still the wrong impression.

Regardless, the mobile version of Balatro has basically everything I could want in a phone port. And in a world where more and more portable titles feel like low-effort cash grabs than projects meant to delight and entertain, Balatro is something I’m going to get more than my money’s worth out of for years to come.

Not a single touchdown was scored, but the Los Angeles Rams picked up a crucial NFC West victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night, 12-6. 

The Rams moved to 8-6, while the 49ers fell to 6-8. 

Both quarterbacks, Matthew Stafford for the Rams and Brock Purdy of the 49ers, had fantastic Week 14 performances, leading many to believe that this game would be an offensive onslaught. 

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Instead, with some first-half rain not helping matters, both offenses were out of sync, and big defensive plays were being made to stymie some of the game’s best weapons with the ball in their hands. 

The first half only saw six total points put on the board, with the 49ers’ Jake Moody nailing a 53-yard field goal on the team’s second offensive possession, and Josh Karty finally getting the Rams on the board with 1:05 left in the half to make it a 3-3 game.

All the other drives ended in punts – 11 to be exact – as the Levi’s Stadium crowd began to murmur about the lack of scoring. 

CAN PLAYMAKING WR PUKA NACUA KEEP THE RAMS IN THE PLAYOFF RACE?

When the second half began, back-to-back field goals made it 6-6, though the Rams were able to be the first team in the red zone with the ball as far as the 49ers’ four-yard line. But nonetheless, no one found pay dirt. 

The Rams’ were able to get their first lead of the game after forcing a three-and-out, and Puka Nacua, who had two scores and over 170 yards last game, broke out for a 51-yard catch to immediately get back in 49ers' territory. 

However, Los Angeles was unable to convert from two yards out for a first down, and Karty came on again to make his third field goal of the game. 

Purdy and the 49ers’ offense were dying to respond, and the signal caller took a shot deep downfield to Jauan Jennings, another receiver who scored twice in Week 14. However, veteran Darious Williams was the recipient of the pass for an interception. 

With head coach Kyle Shanahan not believing his eyes about how his offense was playing, Stafford and head coach Sean McVay were looking to be methodical to churn the clock and hoped they could close out the game. 

That is exactly what happened, as Stafford dissected a great 49ers defense, picking up key first downs in the pass game, while Kyren Williams chewed up yardage as well. 

Karty nailed his fourth field goal with just 20 seconds left to force the 49ers to score a touchdown for the win. With not enough time left to make that happen, the Rams moved themselves into great playoff chances, while the 49ers’ hopes got even slimmer than they already were. 

Looking at the box score, it was not too pretty as Stafford went 16-for-27 for 160 yards, but Nacua accounted for 97 of those on seven receptions. A shocker, though, was Cooper Kupp not catching a single pass on three targets. 

Williams also tallied 108 yards on the ground on 29 carries to lead the way on those scoring drives. 

For the 49ers, Purdy was 14-for-31 for 142 yards with his interception, and George Kittle was his top receiver, securing four catches for 61 yards. 

It is also worth noting that Deebo Samuel Sr., who posted that he wants to get the ball more after not producing his usual amount this season, had a shaky performance in this one. He finished with just three catches for 16 yards and three yards on two carries. 

Also, perhaps the game’s only touchdown would’ve come when Purdy hit Samuel right in between the numbers on a slant route with tons of open field to work with in Rams territory. However, Samuel dropped it and boos showered the field along with the rain, as 49ers fans knew what was said by their star entering this matchup. 

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A slew of scoring came between the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, but it was the home team, led by the combination of Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua, that came away victorious. 

It was a massive win for the Rams, as they’re now 7-6 in a tight NFC West race after the 44-42 win. Meanwhile, the Bills, now 10-3, hurt their chances at the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC. 

The most points in an NFL game all season came from these two high-octane offenses, and it began immediately on the opening drives for both of those teams. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Stafford and the Rams went 12 plays and 70 yards when Kyren Williams rushed in from three yards out to start the scoring. 

Then Josh Allen, who was phenomenal despite the loss, responded with a nine-play drive that went 70 yards as he ultimately snuck his way into the end zone from one yard out to make it 7-7. 

Los Angeles, though, created a gap with a perfectly executed special teams play that ultimately helped the victory. After a field goal made it 10-7 in favor of the Rams, the defense forced the Bills to punt, but that ball never made it in the air as it was blocked and Hunter Long recovered the ball for the scoop-and-score touchdown. 

MADDEN COVER CURSE: CURSE RETURNS WITH VENGEANCE ON CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY

At 17-7, the Rams never trailed again in this game. Allen tried his best to keep scoring, but Stafford was always coming right back. 

And a lot of that had to do with Nacua, who had a game-high 162 yards on 12 receptions with a touchdown both on the ground and through the air. 

There was also Cooper Kupp accounting for 92 of Stafford’s 320 yards and his second passing touchdown of the game. 

In the fourth quarter, Allen was pulling out all the stops to try to win the game, and he managed to lead three scoring drives, including one with a minute left to play. 

However, a failed quarterback sneak resulted in Bills head coach Sean McDermott using the first of three timeouts for the half, which was crucial because it meant an onside kick had to be performed instead of kicking it deep and giving the defense a chance to make stops.

The onside kick from Tyler Bass was recovered by Ronnie Rivers, and the Rams held on for the victory. 

Looking more into the box score, there wasn’t much else Allen could’ve done. He scored three times on the ground while leading the Bills with 82 rushing yards on 10 carries, while going 22-for-37 through the air for 342 yards with three passing scores. 

Khalil Shakir was once again his top target with 106 yards on five catches, including a 51-yard catch-and-run that went for six points. Amari Cooper also had 95 yards on six catches, while Mack Hollins and Ty Johnson collected touchdowns through the air. 

For the Rams, Williams would find the end zone twice on the ground and lead the team with 87 rushing yards on 29 carries. 

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• Robert Redford has listed his Tiburon, California, home for $4.15 million.
• The actor, 88, and his wife want to spend more time in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
• The couple has recently offloaded a wine-country estate in California and two Utah properties.

Robert Redford and his wife have put their secluded home outside San Francisco on the market for $4.15 million.

The actor, who starred in films "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" and "The Way We Were," was born in California and still owns property there but said in an email that he wants to spend more time in other parts of the West.

The roughly 2,824-square-foot home is located in Tiburon, California, a town across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. The median listing price for homes in Tiburon is $3.3 million, according to Realtor.com.

Redford and his wife, artist Sibylle Szaggars Redford, bought the home in 2020 for $3.1 million, public records show. The couple also own another home in California, Sundance, Utah, and Santa Fe, New Mexico — where they primarily live.

"Sadly, we are not able to spend as much time in Tiburon as we would like, as we are now spending more time in Santa Fe, New Mexico," the Redfords said in an email. Santa Fe is home to Szaggars Redford's fine art gallery and an arts and conservation nonprofit the couple runs called The Way of the Rain.

Redford, who has said over the years that he values privacy, added that the Tiburon house appealed to him in part because of its location "on a quiet, unpaved cul-de-sac, which does not experience a lot of traffic."

In 2014, he told the Hollywood Reporter that he wanted to leave the congestion of his hometown of LA.

"I wanted to be away from Los Angeles because I felt it was going to the dogs," he said. "I was just getting more and more anxious about wanting out."

The couple has offloaded several properties over the last five years.

In 2019, they sold a Napa Valley home on 10 acres of wine-country land for $7 million. They still have another property in California, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Redford, who cofounded the Sundance Film Institute in Utah, has also sold two properties in the state: the 2,600-acre Sundance Mountain Resort and Horse Whisper Ranch. Szaggars Redford listed a separate cabin in Utah for $3.99 million earlier this year. Redford still owns a ranch near the resort.

The four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom home is nine miles from the Golden Gate Bridge.

The wood-shingled home was built in 1968.

The Redfords, who bought the house for $3.1 million in 2020, have put it on the market for $4.15 million.

The Redfords remodeled the interior of the home to give it a more coastal feel.

According to Compass, the brokerage representing the Redfords, the home's furniture and artwork are not included in the listing price but can be negotiated.

The house has 2,824 square feet inside and more than 1,000 square feet of outdoor decking.

The home has views of San Francisco Bay, Angel Island, Raccoon Straits, and the East Bay.

The home's lush surroundings make it feel like an oasis.

The home is surrounded by redwood trees, according to listing agent Steven Mavromihalis, and the gardens are perfect for lavender, jasmine, and succulents.

The split-level home is located on a quiet cul-de-sac off an unpaved dirt road.

The cottage is a short walking distance to the beach, hiking trails, restaurants, and three yacht clubs.

Even though it feels secluded, the house is not too far from San Francisco.

Tiburon has a population of under 10,000 residents, but the property is only a 40-minute car ride — or a 30-minute ferry ride — away from San Francisco.

To fill a car with gas, you generally just need a credit card or cash. To charge an EV at a DC fast charging station, you need any number of things to work—a credit card reader, an app for that charger's network, a touchscreen that's working—and they're all a little different.

That situation could change next year if a new "universal Plug and Charge" initiative from SAE International, backed by a number of EV carmakers and chargers, moves ahead and gains ground. Launching in early 2025, the network could make charging an EV actually easier than gassing up: plug in, let the car and charger figure out the payment details over a cloud connection, and go.

Some car and charging network combinations already offer such a system through a patchwork of individual deals, as listed at Inside EVs. Teslas have always offered a plug-and-charge experience, given the tight integration between their Superchargers and vehicles. Now Tesla will join the plug-and-charge movement proper, allowing Teslas to have a roughly similar experience at other stations.

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• Larry Ellison plans to invest up to $165 million into research at the University of Oxford.
• The investment aims to transform research into products, focusing on key global challenges.
• The Ellison Institute of Technology is opening a campus in Oxford in 2027.

Larry Ellison is betting big on research and development in the UK by investing at least $127 million through his technology institute to help turn scientific discoveries at the University of Oxford into products.

The Ellison Institute of Technology, set up by the Oracle cofounder in 2015, plans to invest £130 million ($165 million) overall to fund joint research projects at the university in areas ranging from health to clean energy.

Ellison said in a press release that the joint venture's mission is to "have a global impact by fundamentally reimagining the way science and technology translate into end-to-end solutions for humanity's most challenging problems."

"This long-term, strategic partnership with the University of Oxford is at the heart of delivering on that goal," he added. "By collaborating on transformational, world-class research programs harnessing new technology and compute capability we will together deliver positive impact on society at scale."

The Oracle cofounder, now the world's fourth richest person, founded The Ellison Institute of Technology as a research and development center for healthcare.

The center announced plans to build a campus in Oxford in 2023, which is set to open in 2027. The $1.27 billion development will include labs, supercomputing facilities, and cancer research clinics.

The EIT will inject millions into joint research projects with the University of Oxford to dedicate to what Professor Irene Tracey, the university's vice-chancellor, described in a press release as "humanity's most pressing challenges."

The joint center's research will focus on EIT's four "Humane Endeavours": health and medical science, sustainable agriculture, clean energy, and government innovation in the age of AI.

Professor Sir John Bell, the president of EIT Oxford, said in a statement that the alliance "comes at an exciting time in the technological revolution."

"By combining world-class research with long-term capital investment and state-of-the-art facilities, we will tackle some of society's biggest challenges," he said. "Whether it's advancing new approaches for healthcare or solving the issues of food security, we will make progress using the brightest and most creative human minds available."

Bell told the FT the investment would also help secure the intellectual property rights of innovations that come out of the center and its researchers — something the science minister, Lord Patrick Vallance, told the outlet the UK had been falling behind on.

The deal also includes £30 million ($38 million) to provide scholarships to more than 100 undergraduate and postgraduate students, with the first intake starting in October 2025.

Ellison owns 40% of the business software company Oracle, and his net worth has more than doubled over the past two years to $181 billion.

He is in the process of purchasing Paramount for his son, David.

Fast chargers are basically a must-have nowadays. With so many of our devices demanding more power — think phones, tablets, laptops and even wearables — a standard charger just doesn’t cut it anymore. Fast chargers come in all shapes, sizes and types, each designed to get your device back to full battery as quickly and efficiently as possible. But not all fast chargers are created equal. Depending on your device and charging needs, you’ll find different standards and technologies that can make a huge difference in charging speed and compatibility.

One popular type is the power delivery (PD) wall charger (Power Delivery), which has become the go-to for many people using USB-C-enabled devices. It offers a universal standard, meaning you can use the same USB-C wall charger to power up your smartphone, tablet and even some laptops. Another advancement in fast-charging tech is the Gallium Nitride (GaN) wall charger. Unlike older adapters, GaN chargers are more compact and efficient, handling higher power levels without overheating. This makes them perfect for anyone wanting a small but mighty charger they can toss in their bag.

For Apple users, MagSafe fast charging has also become a big trend, providing a seamless way to snap your iPhone onto a magnetic charger and enjoy speedy, wireless charging. And if you have an older iPhone and you’re looking for the quickest charge possible, pairing a USB-C to lightning cable with a compatible fast charger can work wonders.

Ultimately, finding the right fast charger is about matching your devices with the correct power and standard. Whether you’re looking for a super-fast charge for your phone, need to juice up your laptop on the go or want something versatile for multiple devices, there’s a fast charger out there that fits the billl.
Editor's Note (June 2024): While we’re still waiting for more new chargers to come out so we can do a full update to our guide, some appealing options have hit the market recently. At the end of March, Pluggable announced a super slim two-port 40W USB-C adapter that seems like a great travel companion for keeping a phone and a tablet topped up simultaneously. One neat feature is its smart power allocation tech, which allows the charger to dynamically shift how much juice each device gets to best maximize efficiency.

Meanwhile, for those looking for something beefier, UGreen released an entire new line of devices with enticing specs. The most notable of these is a 160-watt GaN charger, featuring four ports (three USB-C and one USB-A) that can split power output between multiple devices at once or charge one laptop at up to 140 watts. This gives UGreen’s brick a ton of flexibility while still being able to refill even a beefy 16-inch MacBook Pro at top speed. Alternatively, Satechi’s latest 145w charger offers similar (though slightly lower) power output and comes with an assortment of international plug adapters, which could be a real luxury for frequent travelers. But perhaps most importantly, both of these devices cost $40 to $50 less than our current favorite high-wattage charger (Razer’s 130W GaN adapter), so we’re looking forward to testing these out in more depth soon.

Best fast chargers for 2024

When it comes to charging small devices, 30 watts is by far the most popular as it covers most cell phones along with some larger devices like the Nintendo Switch. In our testing, all of the 30-watt chargers performed equally well, with each one able to get the iPhone to around 80 percent battery charge in less than an hour while also completely refilling the Galaxy phone in 60 minutes. However, as you can see, these smaller, low-wattage bricks struggled to refill both the XPS 13 and especially the MacBook Pro. Yes, you can do it, but it's rather sluggish (the XPS 13 even surfaced a slow charger notification), and because I tested each device while idle, there’s a good chance these chargers may not be able to keep these laptops topped up while under load.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

However, the one thing that sticks out is the performance of Apple’s 20-watt brick, whose lower output caused it to lag behind — every other adapter provided faster charging. While it was able to keep up with rival devices when refilling the iPhone, its wattage is so low it couldn’t even trickle charge the XPS 13. Dell’s power management did not even recognize that a charger was plugged in. That means this adapter is much less useful if you need to quick charge more power-hungry gadgets in a pinch. And I should mention I didn’t bother testing the old 15-watt Apple power cubes, which can’t even support the iPhone’s full 20-watt charging speeds. Anyone still using one of those really ought to upgrade to a fast wall charger.

If all you want is a power brick to keep small devices powered up, our choice for best charger is clear: the Anker Nano. Not only did it deliver the best speeds in its class, but it's also the smallest, which makes it super easy for it to disappear in a bag. The one we tested, the Anker 711 charger, is an older model at this point, but you should get the same performance from the latest version, the 30W Nano 3. However, it’s worth noting that both models support Type-C charging only, and do not feature a USB-A port.

Here’s where things start to get interesting because while a number of these chargers have similar power outputs (aside from the Samsung 45-watt brick, of course), the actual results were a bit more varied. Both the Nekteck and the Belkin only managed to get the Galaxy phone to around 80 percent battery after an hour, compared to the Anker, Samsung and Satechi chargers which all hit 100. This suggests that both chargers aren’t properly communicating with Samsung's phone in order to take advantage of its super-fast charging speeds, which I was able to confirm by using a USB-C volt meter. Meanwhile, as expected, Samsung’s 45-watt charger did great when connected to the Galaxy handset, but its lower output meant it could not keep up with the 60 and 65-watt bricks.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Somewhat surprisingly, every charger in this category performed well when hooked up to the XPS 13, with each adapter finishing within one percent of each other (around 58 percent) after an hour. However, when it comes to the thirsty MacBook Pro, every extra watt makes a difference, with the Anker 735 and Samsung Triple Port Charger edging out the competition, even though they’re still much slower than Apple’s included brick. It’s also telling that on the Belkin 60W, its fastest charging port actually denotes charging speeds of between 50 and 60 watts, which is why it couldn’t quite keep up with the other 60-watt chargers I tested.

As for picking a winner, Nekteck’s 60-watt brick is the cheapest while also being one of the few options that come with an included charging cable. However, with only a single charging port and sub-optimal compatibility with the Samsung phone, it’s hard to fully recommend. For my money, I’d go with the Anker 735 as it's smaller, slightly faster and the same price as Samsung’s 65W Triple Port charger, while still offering a total of three USB ports (two USB-C and one USB-A port). Plus, its foldable prongs make it perfect for traveling.

For anyone considering a high-power USB-C fast charger, here’s where it’s important to pay attention to the fine print. While all of these bricks are listed at or above 100 watts, the primary charging ports on the Satechi and Belkin are actually capped at 90 or 96 watts. And that’s before you consider multi-device charging, which splits the total output across the other ports with the ratio varying depending on the specific model. This is where hubs or dual-port chargers can come in handy, as they allow you to charge multiple devices more efficiently.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

During testing, all four had no issue topping up the smartphones, the Switch and the XPS 13, though once again Belkin’s adapter couldn’t fully recharge the Galaxy phone despite having more than enough wattage. On the flip side, while Razer’s USB C charger has a higher max output than either the Belkin or the Satechi, there wasn’t much difference in charging speeds when connected to the MacBook Pro. And this isn’t due to a lack of higher wattage cables, as both USB-C ports on the Razer brick are capped at a combined 100 watts.

Meanwhile, as one of the rare 140-watt power adapters on the market, Apple’s brick is super quick and did an expectedly great job of refilling the MacBook Pro. However, I should mention that it's the only power brick in this segment that comes with a single port, which kind of feels like a missed opportunity for the Apple ecosystem. For those who need extra flexibility, wireless charging options are worth considering, though they might not offer the same speed as wired connectors.

So for anyone that wants a charger that can top up an ultraportable laptop quickly while still having juice to spare, I prefer Razer’s 130-watt GaN adapter. It’s the best charger in this category, as well as the smallest and most expensive at $180. On top of that, it comes with two international wall adapters (for UK and EU outlets) and a braided 100-watt USB-C cable, all of which you don’t get from any others in this category. If you need a reliable power bank or fast charger on the go, this could be a good investment.

Wrap-up

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Obviously, there are a lot more than just 14 super fast chargers on the market, and sadly I don’t have the time to test them all. These days, discharging a phone from 100 percent battery to dead can take upwards of 15 hours, so depending on the device, I can only test one USB phone charger per day. Just gathering all this data took the better part of two months. And unfortunately, while I was running this test, Anker came out with a new generation of power adapters that I haven't had the chance to evaluate just yet. 

That said there are still some important takeaways. First, in order to ensure optimal charging speeds, you should pay attention to the charging standards of your device and the fast charger; make sure your charger can supply the proper amount of power. Manufacturers typically list a device’s max charging speeds, while power adapters clearly label their USB types and outputs. And when in doubt, you can look at the fine text on the charger itself, though you might have to do some math. Just remember, watts equals volts times amps. Furthermore, in the case of adapters with multiple ports, you’ll check to see how its total wattage is split when connected to multiple devices.

Then there are other factors like size and weight you’ll want to consider, with newer gallium nitride adapters (GaN) often featuring more compact designs and better power efficiency. And if you’re ever truly in doubt, you can simply opt for a fast charger made by the same company as your Android phone, iPhone, laptop or other gadgets, something that’s especially true for devices like the OnePlus 10T that feature speedy proprietary charging protocols.

How we tested fast chargers

The methodology for my fast charging experiment is intended to be as straightforward as possible. I drained each device to 10 percent battery, plugged in a power brick and then recorded the amount of charge added every 10 minutes for an hour. Each adapter was plugged directly into a standard 120-volt outlet (without the use of a power strip or any extension cords), and when possible I used the cable that either came included with the battery charger or one made by the same manufacturer as the device. If that wasn’t an option, I used certified 100-watt USB-C cables made by Anker, Apple and others.

Because the charging rate for devices varies depending on how much juice you have, I wanted to measure how well each adapter was able to match each gadget’s optimal charging speed. Generally, charging is slower between zero and 20 percent before speeds ramp up until the battery hits 80 percent, at which point things slow down again to protect and preserve the health and longevity of the power cell. For charging stations with multiple ports, I always selected the port with the highest power output while also not having multiple devices connected.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

As for the devices themselves, I selected an Apple iPhone 13, a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, a Nintendo Switch (a launch model from 2017), a 2021 Dell XPS 13 and a 16-inch M1 Max MacBook Pro. This assortment was chosen to cover a wide range of specs and power draws from 20 watts (iPhone 13) all the way up to 140 watts (M1 Max MBP). Also, every system was tested while idle (i.e. no additional apps or games running) in order to ensure consistent results.

One important thing to note is that while the USB Implementers Forum has approved support for USB Power Delivery (USB-PD) charging at up to 240 watts, adapters that actually support that power output don’t exist yet. Additionally, while there are a handful of cables that can handle more than 100 watts of juice, they are somewhat rare or hard to get.

What is GaN?

When looking for chargers, you may notice that some are marked as GaN, which stands for gallium nitride. This is an important distinction because, compared to older adapters that use silicon switches, GaN-based devices support increased power efficiency and output, allowing manufacturers to create more compact chargers that run cooler and support higher wattages. Depending on the specific power output, GaN chargers can be 30 to 50 percent smaller and lighter than silicon-based alternatives. That might not sound like much, but when they’re sitting in a bag alongside a laptop, phone and any other accessories you might have, cutting down on excess bulk and weight can go a long way.

Fast chargers we tested

With so many different chargers of varying power outputs to test, I broke things down into three categories. There are the 30-watt and under chargers, which are primarily designed for smartphones and other small mobile devices. Then we move up to 45 to 65-watt chargers (give or take a watt or two) that can handle things like phones along with a number of thin and light laptops. Finally, we have chargers that output 100 watts or more, which are good for pretty much anything besides the biggest and most power-hungry gaming laptops. Many of these higher wattage adapters also feature multiple ports, so can you top up additional devices at full speed. However, because not every power brick supports multi-device charging, I didn’t include that as a testing metric.

You can see a full list of the chargers we tested below:

• Apple 20W charger

• Anker 711 Nano II 30W charger

• Google 30W USB-C power charger

• Satechi 30W USB-C PD GaN wall charger

• Samsung 45W USB-C Fast Charging wall charger

• Belkin 60W USB-C PD GaN wall charger

• Nekteck 60W USB-C GaN charger

• Anker 735 Nano II 65W charger

• Samsung 65W Trio adapter

• Satechi 66W USB-C 3-Port GaN wall charger

• Satechi 100W USB-PD wall charger

• Belkin 108W 4-Port GaN charger

• Razer USB-C 130W GaN charger

• Apple 140W USB-C power adapter

• President-elect Trump plans to levy 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico, he said Monday.
• These tariffs could include vehicles imported into the US.
• There are dozens of Mexican and Canadian-made models sold in the US.

President-elect Donald Trump on Monday announced plans to enact 25% tariffs on goods made in Canada and Mexico when he takes office in January.

Mexico is the largest trade partner for the US, accounting for nearly 16% of total trade over the first three quarters of this year. Canada isn't far behind as the country's second-largest trading pattern, accounting for about 14.5% of trade.

Tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada are especially problematic for the US automotive industry.

Mexico alone exports more than 2.3 million cars a year to the US, according to Commerce Department data.

Foreign and domestic carmakers like Ford, GM, and Nissan have invested decades of time and billions of dollars to establish a well-oiled, cross-border manufacturing and supply chain operation to make vehicles destined for US dealerships.

A 25% tariff would not automatically mean a matching price increase, though it would leave automakers — already struggling with shrinking profit margins — with little room to eat the cost without increasing the sticker price of their vehicles.

Large retailers like Walmart and Best Buy have already said consumer prices are likely to rise if businesses pass on cost increases to consumers.

Parts for cars, trucks, and SUVs sold in the US can cross the border several times during their production process, thanks to friendly conditions fueled by various regional trade agreements over the years.

Representatives from Ford, Honda, and the American Automakers Policy Council, a lobbying group representing Detroit's Big 3, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Nissan, Stellantis, General Motors, and Toyota declined to comment.

This comes at a bad time for US consumers who have seen the average cost of a new car skyrocket more than $10,000 since 2019 to more than $48,000. Many automakers, meanwhile, are planning layoffs and plant closures amid a slowdown in EV demand.

Information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that several dozen vehicles made in Canada and Mexico are currently sold in the US.

Here's a closer look at these models, which range from pickups to luxury SUVs and EVs:

BMW Group

• BMW 2-Series Coupe/Convertible (Mexico)
• BMW M2 Coupe (Mexico)
• BMW 3-Series Sedan (Mexico)

Ford

• Ford Bronco Sport (Mexico)
• Ford Maverick (Mexico)
• Ford Mustang Mach-E (Mexico)

General Motors

• Chevrolet Blazer (Mexico)
• Chevrolet Blazer EV (Mexico)
• Chevrolet Equinox (Mexico)
• Chevrolet Equinox EV (Mexico)
• GMC Terrain (Mexico)

Honda

• Honda CR-V Hybrid (Canada)
• Honda Civic Sedan (Canada)
• Honda HR-V (Mexico)
• Honda Prologue (Mexico)

Kia

• Kia Forte (Mexico)

Mercedes-Benz

• Mercedes-Benz GLB (Mexico)

Nissan Motors Corporation

• Infiniti QX50 (Mexico)
• Infiniti QX55 (Mexico)
• Nissan Sentra (Mexico)
• Nissan Kicks (Mexico)
• Nissan Versa (Mexico)

Stellantis

• Ram 2500-5500 (Mexico)
• Ram ProMaster (Mexico)
• Jeep Compass (Mexico)
• Chrysler Pacifica (Canada)

Toyota

• Toyota Tacoma (Mexico)
• Toyota RAV4/RAV4 Hybrid (Canada)
• Lexus NX (Canada)
• Lexus RX (Canada)

Volkswagen Group

• Audi Q5/SQ5
• VW Jetta (Mexico)
• VW Taos (Mexico)
• VW Tiguan(Mexico)

• Car companies are scrambling to adjust to a rapidly changing EV market.
• Restructuring efforts include massive job cuts in some cases.
• Cost-cutting measures come as automotive execs double down on expensive EV commitments.

A protracted transition to electric vehicles is taking its toll on global car companies, many of which still have yet to profit from battery-powered vehicles.

Demand for EVs, particularly in the critical US market, has slowed considerably this year as green car shoppers get more frugal and practical. This presents a problem for car companies that need mass adoption to deliver profits for these expensive vehicles.

Automotive executives have been scrambling to adjust to this new EV market, pulling back on some EV production and speeding up the development of more popular hybrid cars. As 2024 draws to a close, many manufacturers opt for more drastic cost-cutting options as they continue investing heavily in EV technology.

Major car companies like Detroit's GM, Ford, and Stellantis have begun slashing jobs as they cut costs and reshape their business models for this next stage of the EV transition.

Here are all car companies with job cuts planned or already underway in 2024.

General Motors lays off about 2,000 employees

Detroit car giant General Motors laid off about 2,000 workers in two rounds of layoffs in August and November. GM cited cost cutting and changing market conditions in both instances.

The majority of the 1,000 jobs cut in November were white-collar, but the United Auto Workers union reported that about 50 of its members were also affected. According to reports, most affected workers were stationed at GM's global technical center in suburban Detroit, where most design and engineering work occurs.

Prior to the November job cuts, GM also trimmed another 1,000 salaried positions in software and services, according to reports.

GM aims to trim $2 billion in costs as it adjusts its EV strategy and manages slowing sales in the US and China.

Ford to cut 4,000 jobs in Europe amid EV slowdown

Ford said in November that it plans to slash 4,000 positions from its European workforce by the end of 2027. Ford said the Germany and UK divisions are likely to be the hardest hit, as these regions suffer "significant losses."

In addition to these job cuts, Ford also announced curtailed production at a factory in Cologne in the first quarter of 2025.

The cuts to Ford's European business come as companies in the region grapple with intense competition from Chinese EV maker BYD.

In the US, Ford also recently announced an extended pause in F-150 Lightning production, which will affect the roughly 730 hourly workers at that Metro Detroit plant until 2025.

Volkswagen plans historic job cuts in Germany

German automotive giant Volkswagen announced big restructuring actions in October, which could include closing factories and cutting tens of thousands of jobs.

The planned cuts, which still face the scrutiny of German unions, were announced after VW issued its second profit warning in three months. Volkswagen faces similar issues to its rivals, with slowing EV sales in China and stiffer competition from BYD in Europe.

VW's planned restructuring would include closing three German factories for the first time in the company's history, as well as cutting salaries by 10% and freezing wages for two years.

Jeep-maker Stellantis slashes jobs amid tough year

Stellantis, the company that owns brands like Chrysler and Jeep, has had a particularly tough year.

As it struggles with oversupply, it has initiated plans to cut nearly 4,000 factory jobs in the US. Meanwhile, the company laid off 400 white-collar workers in the spring and has offered broad buyouts to salaried workers.

The factory cuts have become a lightning rod for the UAW, accusing Stellantis of violating its contract by removing product commitments from an Illinois factory that built the discontinued Jeep Cherokee.

The UAW has threatened to strike over the alleged violation. Stellantis maintains that its actions fall within its contractual right to change plans based on market conditions. The car company has filed a lawsuit against the UAW in reaction to strike authorization votes.

Tesla reduces global workforce by more than 10%

In an April memo obtained by Business Insider, Tesla CEO Elon Musk told his employees that the company would eliminate "more than 10%" of its staff.

The cuts came after Tesla reported declining sales in the first quarter of the year. After initially weathering a slowdown in EV demand, Tesla is finally feeling the pinch of a more competitive EV market in the US.

Nissan plans to cut 9,000 jobs

Japanese car company Nissan announced in November that it would cut 9,000 jobs and reduce manufacturing output amid poor performance in the critical Chinese and US car markets.

The move came as Nissan reduced its operating profit forecast for the year by 70%.