Are you buying a laptop after April 28? This one change will make a huge difference

At the end of April, an important change for the consumer electronics market will come into force in the European Union. From April 28, 2026, all new laptops placed on sale in the EU will be required to have a USB-C port for charging. This means another step away from different, dedicated power supplies for individual brands.

The new regulations are primarily intended to simplify the lives of consumers. Thanks to this, users will be able to use one charger for many electronic devices. However, the European Union emphasizes that an equally important goal is to reduce e-waste and reduce the number of unnecessary cables and power supplies produced each year.

USB-C in laptops will become mandatory from April 28

The changes are based on EU Directive 2022/2380, known as the Common Charger Directive. It was she who set the date of April 28, 2026 as the moment from which every new laptop sold in the EU is to be equipped with a USB-C port for energy recharging.

Previously, the common standard already covered phones, tablets and headphones. Laptop manufacturers have been given more time to adapt their designs to the new technical requirements, but the transition period is coming to an end. Thus, USB-C will also become a standard in this category of equipment.

USB-C in laptops does not mean mandatory replacement of old equipment

The new regulations do not cover devices that are already in use or went on sale before April 28. This means that older laptop models can still be legally used and sold on the secondary market together with existing power supplies.

The change applies only to manufacturers and equipment that will appear on the market after the indicated date. For buyers, this means that if they decide to buy a new laptop after the end of April, regardless of the brand, they will have a guarantee of charging via USB-C.

USB-C in laptops except the most powerful devices

However, the regulations provide for an important exception. The new obligation applies to laptops with a charging power of up to 240 W. This means that the most demanding devices, such as advanced gaming laptops or mobile workstations with very high energy consumption, can now use dedicated charging systems.

Such an exception will apply when the USB-C standard will not be able to provide the device with enough energy. However, this does not change the fact that a common port will become a mandatory solution for most new laptops.

USB-C in laptops is not the end of changes in chargers

The EU reform does not stop only at the charging port itself. Further changes are scheduled to come into effect at the end of 2028. Manufacturers will then have to design chargers in such a way that the cable is a detachable element.

This means greater convenience and lower costs for users. If the cable itself is damaged, there is no need to throw away the entire functional power supply. It is intended to be another step towards reducing electronic waste and reducing the number of devices ending up in landfills.