Feb 10, 2019, 10:52 am
Last edit by: cheltzel
If you want to use USB C for more than charging, then these two posts are useful: 1 2.
When planning your charger loadout, do note the charger your laptop shipped with is not a requirement, a lower one will be fine. For example, https://9to5mac.com/2018/09/25/60w-u...-all-macbooks/ says
On the other hand, most laptops are not built to use higher wattage even if available. It won't hurt your laptop, though.
Buy chargers on Amazon at your own risk, they are known to commingle stock from every third party sellers. But, the chargers here do not have fakes (yet?) so even Amazon might be safe.
The smallest USB C chargers:
Cabling wise, AmazomBasics and Monoprice is your friend. Do not use female USB C to USB A / micro USB adapters, these are explicitly forbidden by the USB C standard. Male USB C to USB A / micro USB is fine.
When planning your charger loadout, do note the charger your laptop shipped with is not a requirement, a lower one will be fine. For example, https://9to5mac.com/2018/09/25/60w-u...-all-macbooks/ says
the 87W charger filled up my 15-inch MacBook Pro battery more quickly than the 60W charger, but not by very much. After an hour and a half, the 87W charger added 76% battery while the 60W charger added 72%.
Buy chargers on Amazon at your own risk, they are known to commingle stock from every third party sellers. But, the chargers here do not have fakes (yet?) so even Amazon might be safe.
The smallest USB C chargers:
- Mu One. 45W. Comes with UK, US, EU folding plugs. 96 x 55 x 14mm, 82g with the UK plug attached. 3.78 x 2.17 x 0.55 inch, 2.89oz. Manufacturer shop, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N1PK1RP https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07N1PK1RP
- RAVPower GaN 45W : 72 x 54 x 14.9mm / 2.83 x 2.12 x 0.59inch, 75g / 2.65oz. This is a similar charger to Mu One only without the nifty plug heads. It is marginally cheaper, but without the unique multi-region folding plugs it isn't as good of an option for international travelers. Manufacturer shop, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H9WMW6N
- Innergie 60C (nee 55CC): 65W 60 x 30 x 30mm / 2.3 x 1.2 x 1.2 inch, 85g. While much thicker than the previous two, when the socket is hidden in a recess this has a much better chance to fit. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GBYVF4Q Also, a cable is available to charge legacy laptops https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GBYL5KZ only compatible with the Innergie 60C. This makes the Finsix Dart fully obsolete, it started as a legacy laptop charger and a USB C cable was planned and reviewed two years ago but never shipped.
- Satechi 75W: USB C 60W, USB C 18W, two USB A share 12W. 4" x 2.63" x 1", 11.14 oz. Manufacturer shop https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078864F15
- LVSUN LS-PD87-2C sold as Hyperjuice 87W charger: two USB C and one USB A all three share 87W. 4.33" x 3.86" x 0.79", 8.32oz Aliexpress Hyper https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KLWDY9C
- Hyperjuice battery: 27000 mAh USB C 100W, USB C 60W, USB A 18W. 7.2" x 3" x 0.84" / 183.2 x 77.1 x 21.3 mm Manufacturer shop (although it goes through indiegogo, it is not crowdfunding, it's just a shop)
- Maru & Masa Kickstarter: Maru is a 82mm/3.23" diameter bagel, 28mm/1.1" thick, 7.4oz, USB C 45W, USB C 18W, two USB A share 15W, three international AC sockets, nifty interchangeable international plugs. Masa is a battery 80 x 80 x 28 / 3.15" x 3.15" x 1.1" , 11.3oz 18000 mAh, USB C 45W, USB C 15W, Qi 7.5W, kickstand. Promised shipping: April 2019 https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...e-yet-powerful
- SuperTank & SuperPort 4 Kickstarter: SuperPort 4 is a 114 x 100 x 24 / 4.5" x 3.95" x .95" charger, weight not disclosed, USB C 100W, USB C 18W, two USB ports share 18W. SuperTank is a 27000 mAh battery w/ lots of features, 4.7" x 2.8" x 1.6", 17oz USB C 100W, USB C 60W, USB A 18W, USB A 15W all ports share 138W Promised shipping: May 2019 https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...ek-recharge-in
- AlsterPlus Kickstarter: 7.4" x 3.28" x 0.85", 20oz / 568gr, 27000mAh battery with 2 x 100W USB-C + 2x 18W USB-A, lots of features. All ports share 156W.
- Anker Atom PD4. Two USB C, two USB A all share 100W, USB A per port is 12W max. 4.1" x 3.3" x 1.3", 13.5oz. https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Chargin.../dp/B07VSMK849
- MagicFox PD180. This is a DC-DC unit, it takes 12-28V 180W via a 5.5mm x 2.5mm jack or 100W max via USB- C input and provides three ports: USB C 100W, USB C 40W, USB A 40W. Size 3.15" x 2.76" x 0.53", 3.44oz. Possible interesting AC-DC choices: Lenovo 4X20Q88542 at 135W either from Encompass with very long ship times or from Japan via Rakuten, Lenovo-to-5.5mm plug adapter here. 4.65" x 3" x .83", 15.24oz. If that's not enough Razer has a 180W which, AFAIK has the right plug. Notably light at 14.82oz, 5.98" / 152mm x 2.87" / 73mm x 0.93" / 23.5mm. The MagicFox PD180 itself is, so far, China only, I had good experiences with Superbuy as proxy so https://www.superbuy.com/en/page/buy...832086035.html While the MagicFox PD180 itself is cheap, high wattage, quality, lightweight AC-DC adapters are anything but.
Cabling wise, AmazomBasics and Monoprice is your friend. Do not use female USB C to USB A / micro USB adapters, these are explicitly forbidden by the USB C standard. Male USB C to USB A / micro USB is fine.
Outfitting your travel kit for USB-C
Jun 7, 2021, 4:12 pm
#436
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If all you need is a seriously tiny charger for tablets and phone, the Aohi Magicube is available on Amazon.
I will note the plugs are not foldable, the smallest foldable 30W I am aware of would be the Nubia Cube Pro 30W (PA0213) which IMO is China only at the moment.
Jun 7, 2021, 11:52 pm
#437
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,132
The 45W may be a nice option at 2.44oz/68g, if that level works for the traveller.
If all you need is a seriously tiny charger for tablets and phone, the Aohi Magicube is available on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B093PQZVK4/ I will note the plugs are not foldable, the smallest foldable 30W I am aware of would be the Nubia Cube Pro 30W (PA0213) which IMO is China only at the moment.
Last edited by crackjack; Jun 8, 2021 at 11:11 pm
Jun 8, 2021, 9:06 pm
#438
Join Date: Jun 2008
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For 45W you still can't beat https://www.ebay.com/itm/294196414194 much better form factor than cubes for packing, negligibly higher weight.
same charger with international plugs. If 45W is enough this charger is impossible to beat. Except for the rather high price and Mu is now gone.
Jun 9, 2021, 12:47 am
#439
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,132
For 45W you still can't beat https://www.ebay.com/itm/294196414194 much better form factor than cubes for packing, negligibly higher weight. https://www.amazon.com/Mu-Notebooks-.../dp/B07N1PK1RP same charger with international plugs. If 45W is enough this charger is impossible to beat. Except for the rather high price and Mu is now gone.
The rest of it... each user has a preference on design. I can see its usefulness if a plug point is behind a cupboard / bed, but these days plug points are usually easily accessible. Some may be recessed, so the Mu One‘s US plug design works against it.
That £60 price tag definitely didn’t help.
If all you need is a seriously tiny charger for tablets and phone, the Aohi Magicube is available on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B093PQZVK4/ I will note the plugs are not foldable, the smallest foldable 30W I am aware of would be the Nubia Cube Pro 30W (PA0213) which IMO is China only at the moment.
Last edited by crackjack; Jun 9, 2021 at 1:53 am
Jun 14, 2021, 6:41 pm
#440
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,132
So, here’s another GaN charger, 2x ISB-C, 2x USB-A, 130W total: https://www.razer.com/gaming/pc/acce...-c-gan-charger
Quite expensive at $180 and seems to be heavy at 350g, but if you want multiple ports, this one does it.
62 mm x 32 mm x 76 mm, compares to the Baseus well (save for weight, plus the price, but that’s Razer): https://www.amazon.sg/dp/B08CKJCHLX
Quite expensive at $180 and seems to be heavy at 350g, but if you want multiple ports, this one does it.
62 mm x 32 mm x 76 mm, compares to the Baseus well (save for weight, plus the price, but that’s Razer): https://www.amazon.sg/dp/B08CKJCHLX
Last edited by crackjack; Jun 14, 2021 at 7:04 pm
Jun 14, 2021, 8:15 pm
#441
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,918
So, here’s another GaN charger, 2x ISB-C, 2x USB-A, 130W total: https://www.razer.com/gaming/pc/acce...-c-gan-charger
Quite expensive at $180 and seems to be heavy at 350g, but if you want multiple ports, this one does it.
62 mm x 32 mm x 76 mm, compares to the Baseus well (save for weight, plus the price, but that’s Razer): https://www.amazon.sg/dp/B08CKJCHLX
Quite expensive at $180 and seems to be heavy at 350g, but if you want multiple ports, this one does it.
62 mm x 32 mm x 76 mm, compares to the Baseus well (save for weight, plus the price, but that’s Razer): https://www.amazon.sg/dp/B08CKJCHLX
Jun 14, 2021, 9:21 pm
#442
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,132
Plus, the size / volume / weight / price will increase in line with the chargers’ output...
A similarly higher (split) output is coming sooner with the Omega 200W that pseudoswede mentioned earlier: Outfitting your travel kit for USB-C.
(Though, no idea / comment on expected reliability...)
Last edited by crackjack; Jun 17, 2021 at 10:09 am
Jun 16, 2021, 4:07 pm
#443
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: NYC
Posts: 6,433
Amazon has stopped selling RavPower, apparently because it was paying people for reviews. Amazon confirms it removed RavPower, a popular phone battery and charger brand - The Verge
Jun 16, 2021, 5:56 pm
#444
Join Date: Aug 2010
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Amazon has stopped selling RavPower, apparently because it was paying people for reviews. Amazon confirms it removed RavPower, a popular phone battery and charger brand - The Verge
Jun 16, 2021, 7:17 pm
#445
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,918
You’ll likely have to wait a while for these: end-user laptops / other devices using the new spec will only start appearing in 1-2 years (if that), once USB-PD controller designs are locked down and put into production, and third party charger manufacturers will likely only jump in after there are a couple of these devices are available.
Plus, the size / volume / weight / price will increase in line with the chargers’ output...
A similarly higher (split) output is coming sooner with the Omega 200W that pseudoswede mentioned earlier: Outfitting your travel kit for USB-C.
(Though, no idea / comment on expected reliability...)
Plus, the size / volume / weight / price will increase in line with the chargers’ output...
A similarly higher (split) output is coming sooner with the Omega 200W that pseudoswede mentioned earlier: Outfitting your travel kit for USB-C.
(Though, no idea / comment on expected reliability...)
Jun 19, 2021, 2:20 pm
#446
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Amazon has stopped selling RavPower, apparently because it was paying people for reviews. Amazon confirms it removed RavPower, a popular phone battery and charger brand - The Verge
I'm beginning to believe that paying for reviews is analogous to steroids in sports: the original narrative was that only the weaker brands, just like marginal pro athletes with steroids, needed to pay for reviews. I've been very happy with my most recent RAVPower purchases (and didn't get paid or given free product to review them) so it really shows that even bigger players with decent products are feeling the pressure to boost their reviews.
https://www.ravpower.com/products/rp...-usb-c-charger
I guess I'll take it on a trip and see how it does, though I don't have a laptop that takes USB-C as power. Actually I have an HP Spectre which is a couple of years old but not sure those USB-C ports are suppose to be used to charge it. Would be great if it does, because the HP power brick is larger than that RAV charger.
Jun 23, 2021, 1:58 pm
#447
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That's too bad. I was considering getting another one of these:
https://www.ravpower.com/products/rp...-usb-c-charger
I guess I'll take it on a trip and see how it does, though I don't have a laptop that takes USB-C as power. Actually I have an HP Spectre which is a couple of years old but not sure those USB-C ports are suppose to be used to charge it. Would be great if it does, because the HP power brick is larger than that RAV charger.
https://www.ravpower.com/products/rp...-usb-c-charger
I guess I'll take it on a trip and see how it does, though I don't have a laptop that takes USB-C as power. Actually I have an HP Spectre which is a couple of years old but not sure those USB-C ports are suppose to be used to charge it. Would be great if it does, because the HP power brick is larger than that RAV charger.
I was not paid for this review.
.Seriously I wasn't. I'm actually an Anker fanboy, but their current USB-C devices are a joke in comparison.
Jun 23, 2021, 6:55 pm
#448
Join Date: Aug 2010
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I have three of them. One for travel bag, one next to bed and one on my desk. It's, by far, the best charger I've ever had (and I've had just many of them). Small, powerful, cheap (comparatively) and love having one charger brick that can charge all my travel devices. Macbook Pro, SurfPro, iPad, iPhone, USB chargers, etc. It can charge my iPhone 12 Pro to 80-90% in about 40-45 minutes (devices taper after that to avoid overcharging). Their pricing is way low on this. I think I caught mine on sale at $39, I'd easily have paid twice that.
I was not paid for this review..
Seriously I wasn't. I'm actually an Anker fanboy, but their current USB-C devices are a joke in comparison.
I was not paid for this review.
.Seriously I wasn't. I'm actually an Anker fanboy, but their current USB-C devices are a joke in comparison.
Jun 24, 2021, 7:51 am
#449
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: RDU
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Posts: 3,226
Agreed. I don't know what's happening with Anker; they're behind on current technology although I'm seeing some new products that look interesting. I have that RAVPower four-port charger, which I bought because of the detachable power cord--I have UK and EU cords that I can use with the figure-8 that I used to use with Anker chargers--but then the pandemic killed my foreign travel so I haven't used it with my UK and EU cords yet.
Jun 24, 2021, 8:42 am
#450
Join Date: Aug 2010
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Amazon has them as well as some online cable specialty companies. I've found them very useful in older UK/EU accommodations where the single electrical outlet in the room is generally located in the most inconvenient place in the room--under the bed, behind the dresser, etc. Instead of a direct plug charger, which can be hard to keep in the socket and requires that my device be left in that location, I can plug in and put the charger on top of a night stand or desk or dresser. I could use an adapter, but I've found the figure 8 cords with the right plug at the end are the best solution for me.