wco81

I agree that a USB-A port adds utility. When I travel, I have a dual USB-A charger handy to charge my iPhone and iPad on planes.

I have one 30-watt USB-C charger, which came with an Anker power bank. Very useful for recharging a big power bank but now I have a USB-C to Lightning cable so I can use USB-C to charge faster.

USB-C will soon be on phones and tablets. I also have a multi-port USB-A charger for all the other things but I can keep that in my check-in as my immediate charging needs are with the phone and iPad.

CatJo

This with foldable plugs has only one USB-C, but it's very compact for the ability to output a full 60W PD if the second USB-A port is not being used (drops to 45W in that case). I've not come across a dual USB C charger of sufficient wattage with a foldable plug.

freecia

Baseus 2C1A - Not 60W + 18W + 12W all at once, but right combination of C, A, fold out prongs.
https://www.chargerlab.com/baseus-65...ardown-review/

wco81

Foldable plugs makes for compact charger but I have the hardest time with them for plane outlets.

The Anker one I have won't fit snugly and maintain electrical contact in a lot of plane seat outlets. I often use a plug adapter, which maintains electrical contact.

But it makes the adapter, charger and charger cables stick out so it's prone to being knocked out of the outlet entirely.


Alternative is to have a plugged cord part but then it adds bulk to the charger, to have a power cord to deal with.

freecia

What about a short grounded rotating extension cord?
I usually pack a small extension cord if I expect to use the charger in a loose socket or desk https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=5299 grounded to hold in loose outlets.
If I don't need grounded (preferred) https://www.elecom.co.jp/products/T-ADR1BK.html
Other plug configs - c7/8 "mickey mouse" short cord with a desk charger & apple plug adapters

paperwastage

I pack a short extension cord for my long travels

But don't Carry it around for daily commute/goign to different offices

That's why I wouldnt mind too much about the extra cord for the desktop 2usbC+usbA i linked above

@

wco81

Those are thick power cables.

Short but I'm not sure the bulk of them is any less than something like this:


Obviously with all the ports it has, it's bigger than a wall charger. However, the cable is thin though longer than those fat short extension cords.


This seems like a real good deal with a $20 coupon:



I wonder if CES might bring more GaN chargers.

Or especially if the next iPhone goes USB-C, you can probably expect a slew of small USB-C chargers.

LordHamster

I ordered this: The other day. I'm eager to see how it works out. Currently I'm using a single Gan based 45W charger for everything, which leaves me looking for USB ports in the hotel room for my headphones etc. This little guy should do all in one. 45W is enough to slow-charge my Macbook pro 15 inch while it is in use.

The fact it has a cable is also a bonus for those horrible recessed conference room chargers.

richarddd

Please recommend a very small lightweight USB-C charger in the 45-60W range that should work on airplanes (not fall out) and hotel rooms to charge a laptop (Thinkpad X1), phones, and, with a USB-C to micro-USB or lightning cable, earphones or a small power bank.

chx1975

https://www.themu.co.uk/products/mu-one-international I tested it on airplanes, works fine. Not sure what problems others had...

der_saeufer

Unless the charger is really heavy, not falling out of airplane outlets is more a function of the outlet than the charger. Essentially all airplane outlets fit US and European plugs, and most will fit UK plugs as well. On US domestic flights, I find that no matter how worn-out the outlet is, the contacts for European plugs are still pretty intact so I use that. On intra-European flights, I find the opposite to be true. Occasionally one has to resort to using a UK plug, but that adapter is nearly the size of my charger.

If you don't need to charge the laptop quickly while using it, I really like the Anker Atom PD1 31W charger, currently $25 with coupon It's barely bigger than a stock phone charger. I have a Dell XPS 13 and it complains but then proceeds to charge just as quickly as with the stock charger, even while using the laptop. Your X1 will probably slow down a bit.

If you need more power, the cheap option is the 60W Aukey model referenced upthread, $30 with the coupon: and the nice option is the Mu One in the post above mine.

There are also a couple cheap 45W chargers that are smaller than that Aukey but bigger than a Mu or the Atom, e.g. this Ravpower:

richarddd

Just to confirm, for charging my laptop, it appears that I'd need a cable rated for the charger's power, such as for a 60W charger? Would a cable that came with an 18W phone charger work with the 30W charger?

Can I safely charge small earphones, powerbanks, etc. with these chargers using a USB-C to micro-USB cable such as ? Or Airpods with a USB-C to lightning?

deniah

The problem with almost all of these chargers is that the brick plugs directly into the wall. That makes it prone to falling out, especially with the weaker USA contacts.

My solution to go from brick into wall with a power cable (figure 8), so it is lightweight at point of connection, and I can swap power cable on the country.


The charger of choice is Monoprice PDS75-4UT01, which has 60W USB-C, and additional 12W shared betwen 3 USB-A.
It's been working perfectly for 2 years, charging Thinkpad X1, alongside other accessories simultaneously.

Monoprice no longer sells it, but the identically looking product and model name shows it as 3rd party on Amazon -- albeit with worse ratings.

richarddd

Good point. I suppose the alternative is to use a short extension cord. I usually travel with a tiny power strip, so I could use that if the charger falls out of the airplane socket.

der_saeufer

In theory, any compliant USB-C cable should work; the spec requires all cables to carry 20V/3A. I'm sure there are dodgy cables out there that get warm at 60W but any proper cable is fine to charge any device. USB 2.0 vs. 3.0 doesn't matter for charging. And, yes, it's fine to charge old stuff with a C to micro-B cable as well as Apple stuff with a C to Lightning cable (and in fact the last few iPhones charge faster with PD chargers than the stock one).

Your solution is far less likely to fall out of the outlet but also less compact. In situations where you can get away with the really light chargers (e.g. the PD1 or Mu), I still think those are a better option. When you need more ports or more power, though, I totally agree on the separate cord solution--heavy chargers on a plug adapter are just plain annoying even if the outlet isn't worn out.