Should I use a linear charger or a switch charger?
    Linear and switching chargers are used in a wide range of applications: hearing AIDS, smartwatches, sensor nodes, mobile phones, laptops... There are too many! Whenever you use a rechargeable battery, you need a charger. However, given the pros and cons associated with the different charging topologies available, you may need to consider more factors when choosing a charger.
    Each approach has its pros and cons. The linear charger is small in size, easy to use and low in cost. They are suitable for noise sensitive applications without any switching; However, when the charging current is large, the power consumption is high. Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a linear charger.
    Switching chargers are known for their high efficiency and minimize power consumption across a wide range of input adapter voltages. However, compared with linear chargers, additional inductors and capacitors consume more board space, increasing BOM costs and design complexity. Figure 2 shows the diagram of the switch charger. Table 1 compares the functions of the two charger types.

Figure 1: Linear charger diagram

Figure 2: Switch charger diagram

Table 1: Comparison of characteristics of linear chargers and switch chargers