The LTC4282’s dual current paths are also used to decouple MOSFET SOA requirements from on-resistance. Large SOA is important for stressful conditions such as startup inrush, current limiting, and input voltage step. Low on-resistance reduces voltage drop and power loss during normal operation when the MOSFET gate is completely turned on. But these are competing requirements as MOSFET SOA typically worsens as on resistance improves. The LTC4282 allows using one path with a MOSFET capable of handling stressful conditions and the other path with MOSFETs having low on resistance. This is called a staged-start configuration. In general, the stress-handling path is turned on and the R_DS(ON) path is kept off during start-up, current limit, and input voltage steps. The R_DS(ON) path is turned on during normal operation to bypass the stress path, providing a low on-resistance for the load current to reduce voltage drop and power loss. Depending on the amount of MOSFET stress at start-up, there are two types of staged start configurations—low stress and high stress.