The era of lugging around a hefty laptop charger and a different charger for your mobile device is finished, and if you haven’t experienced one yet, there’s no better moment to acquire a GaN charger.
In contrast to conventional chargers that utilize silicon and operate at high temperatures, GaN or gallium nitride chargers are significantly more effective. This efficiency allows them to be much smaller while also accommodating more ports and greater power.
I first purchased one at the end of last year, recognizing that I would be traveling the following month. However, I was so taken with Ugreen’s Nexode 65W Charger ($40, Amazon) that I ended up acquiring a few more for use at my desk. I often need to charge multiple devices, and even with one of the finest surge protectors, there are only so many available AC outlets after plugging in a computer, a display, and all your other peripherals.
I thought I was well-equipped until I read an article from my colleague Tony Polanco regarding Ugreen’s new Uno chargers. While that model had the same number of ports and provided 65 watts of power, it featured something I had never seen on a charger before: a display. Not only does the Ugreen Uno Charger come with a screen that delivers useful charging information, but it looks like a cute little robot wearing headphones. When I spotted one on sale, I couldn’t resist.
Even though I still utilize my Nexode chargers throughout the house, my new Uno Charger is ideal for travel as I only need to carry it along to charge my laptop, smartphone, and tablet. I believed things couldn’t improve, but Ugreen recently launched an enhanced version that nearly doubles its power while introducing an additional USB-C port. Here are the aspects I adore about it and why its distinctive design has completely captivated me.
Making charging enjoyable
Keeping your devices powered can be a hassle, particularly when you need to disconnect your charger, coil up all the cables and reverse that entire process upon returning home. With a GaN charger, they’re affordable and compact enough that it makes sense to just leave one in your backpack. Furthermore, they often go on sale, allowing you to purchase two or even a few for the price of a second official charger for your laptop.
You could acquire two or perhaps a few for what you would spend on a second official charger for your laptop.
In the above image, my 65W Uno Charger is positioned on the left while the new 100W Uno Charger that Ugreen provided for me to evaluate is on the right. It is larger and heavier than the original, yet it is not nearly as bulky as most laptop chargers. Also, since it doesn’t have a non-removable cable, you’re free to utilize any cables you prefer with it.
What truly impresses me about these Uno Chargers is the display on the front which employs emoji-like faces to indicate how much progress your devices have made in the charging process. For example, the 65W variant on the left showcases a kissing face while charging, but this switches to one with raised eyebrows once your device is fully charged.
As illustrated in the image above, Ugreen has enhanced the display, making it brighter on this new 100W Uno Charger. There are also additional faces to indicate the charging status of your devices. It exhibits a happy face while in standby, cycles through a laughing, blushing, and a smirking face while charging, and when your devices are fully charged, the little Uno robot wears a pair of sunglasses. Who said charging your devices has to be dull?
The Uno series possesses another clever feature. Unlike Ugreen’s Nexode GaN chargers which are designed with a retractable AC plug for increased compactness, the Uno chargers have a pair of feet that allow these little robots to stand upright while shielding their AC plug. To ensure you don’t misplace these feet during charging, they are also magnetic.
When Tony reviewed the 65W Uno Charger, he greatly appreciated how he could attach the feet to the lid of one of the best Macbooks while powering his laptop. Given that this 100W version is bigger overall, it comes with larger feet which I thought was a nice yet practical feature when comparing both of them side by side.
Now featuring increased power and an extra port
From the instant you first connect its new Uno charger, Ugreen makes it clear that yes, this is a 100W charger that fits in the palm of your hand. If you happen to miss this small splash screen, the information is also printed on the back, and unlike some of the rapid chargers
I’ve utilized in the past, you won’t be frantic attempting to convert volts and amps into watts as the figure that is most significant is right there plainly visible.
When you position one of Ugreen’s Uno chargers horizontally, you can clearly observe what I previously mentioned about their offering significantly more ports compared to the average wall charger. With the 100W Uno Charger, you receive a USB-A port along with three USB-C ports. The equipment you can power with these USB-C ports is vividly indicated with a graphic beneath them. Nevertheless, the kind of devices and which ports are utilized for charging will yield varying levels of wattage.
Ugreen has three distinct visuals clarifying all of this on their website, but I have summarized it into the single image above to simplify the whole concept. As you connect multiple devices and based on the ports you select to do this, the wattage available varies.
If you intend to charge just one device that can utilize the full 100W of energy like one of the finest laptops, you’ll want to utilize either of the USB-C ports at the top. The port beneath these two peaks at 30W while the USB-A port below them can offer up to 22.5W of energy. Complications arise when charging two or three devices at once.
With two devices, you can draw 65W of power from one of the USB-C ports and 30W from another. If you’re utilizing the upper USB-C port at 65W and the USB-A port at the bottom, it can charge at a maximum of 22.5W. Conversely, using the third USB-C port and the USB-A port together limits both to 7.5W.
When charging three devices, you can opt for one at 45W, another at 30W, and a final one at 20-22.5W, or alternatively, you can have one device charging through the top USB-C port at 80W while two devices power up using the third USB-C port and the USB-A port, both at 7.5W each.
I understand that all this can become somewhat perplexing, but you can always refer back to this article or the product page for your designated GaN charger on Ugreen’s website if you encounter any issues.
As a standard guideline, I utilize the top USB-C port for my laptop and the third one for my phone when charging them individually or just the top two USB-C ports when charging both simultaneously. This approach is applicable across most of Ugreen’s GaN chargers as well, and I employ this method when using my 65W Nexode charger too.
One device to charge them all
The compact nature of Ugreen’s Nexode series does enhance their portability, but I prefer the non-retractable AC plug of the Uno while traveling. Before embarking on a trip, you can’t predict the AC outlet situation at the airport or your hotel, and the Uno charger won’t disconnect from an outlet anytime soon. This has transpired to me with the Nexode models, and I’ve discovered that their lengthier design can make them a bit unwieldy when using one with a cable management tray or in snug areas.
If the 100W Uno charger is excessively large or too potent for your requirements, you can also acquire 30W, 65W, and even power banks, charging cables, and USB-C hubs with the same screen and signature little robot design. For those seeking something a tad more understated, Ugreen’s Nexode line is always an option as well.
Regardless of whether you choose to purchase one from Ugreen or not, you owe it to yourself and your devices to experiment with a GaN charger. They’re now affordable enough that they aren’t significantly more costly than your standard wall charger, yet for a little extra, you are obtaining more ports and more watts in a highly compact design.