One unanticipated consequence of working as a tech reviewer is the endless proliferation of chargers and cables round my residence. That’s a part of why I used to be eager to check Anker’s new Prime desktop charger, with its promise of clearing litter — providing a single, dependable spot to cost my, properly, every thing. It’s achieved no less than half that promise. In spite of everything, a charger can solely cut back litter a lot when you should hold a clutch of cables round, dashing my goals of a really minimalist desk setup.
Anker Prime Charger (250W, 6 Ports, GaNPrime)
The Anker Prime 250W desktop charger is an overkill answer for many customers, with six ports, 250W whole output, and 140W peak output from a single port. That is simply to begin; there’s good energy optimization, an LCD, and even Wi-Fi connectivity. It fulfills its goal very properly, however it is best to ask your self if you really want all of it.
- Excessive 250W whole energy output
- As much as 140W from a single USB-C port, and 100W from the others
- Engaging, slick design
- Critically costly
- Wi-Fi assist is an pointless upsell
Value, availability, and specs
The Anker Prime Desktop Charger is obtainable now from Anker or Amazon for $170. If that sounds steep, the excellent news is that the corporate additionally presents a a lot cheaper 200W mannequin for $70, which drops the max charging velocity barely and ditches a number of of this mannequin’s fancier options. That will properly provide every thing you want.
What’s good concerning the Anker Prime 250W desktop charger?
Pure efficiency
Effectively, one of many apparent sturdy factors is within the identify: 250W output. Now, maintain your horses, you’ll be able to’t get 250W without delay from a single port. That’s the utmost multi-port output — but it surely’s nonetheless an terrible lot.
Essentially the most {that a} single port can provide is 140W, which remains to be quick sufficient to get a MacBook Professional to 50% battery in lower than half an hour, in keeping with Anker. That is the proper port for getting a laptop computer or Steam Deck topped up ASAP and working at full throttle.
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The 140W velocity is restricted to the primary of the USB-C ports on the charger, whereas the opposite three — all positioned alongside the entrance — cap at 100W every. That’s nonetheless really actually quick; quick sufficient to outpace even the quickest quick charging on any telephone obtainable within the US.
Lastly, two extra USB-A ports are discovered hidden alongside the right-hand aspect, every able to delivering as much as 22.5W without delay. All in all, there’s plenty of energy unfold over plenty of ports. I can’t actually think about a scenario the place I ran out of both ports or energy output, so this delivers in abundance on that entrance.
By default, the charger runs on AI energy mode — the “AI” is unquestionably an oversell. Principally, this implies it’ll detect the voltage of related gadgets and alter energy distribution between the ports to cost every thing as effectively as attainable, with an LCD display on the entrance delivering real-time data on energy throughout every port.
If you happen to’d fairly take management of the scenario, you’ll be able to disable this and use the rounded knob on the charger’s edge to extend or lower output per port. It is best should you want one explicit system charged ASAP, however don’t need to unplug every thing else to make it occur.
The on-device controls are easy and simple to make use of. You may scroll with stated knob, and press it in to make alternatives, and that’s principally sufficient to get by. If you happen to discover this too sluggish or need distant entry, you too can join the charger to your Wi-Fi community and sync it with Anker’s app to watch and management charging remotely.
Apart from precise efficiency, I really like the best way it appears and feels. It’s smooth however strong, with a sloping design that retains it feeling slender and an understated, brushed metallic end. This looks like tech that can final however nonetheless appears fashionable and complex, fairly than an unpleasant black energy brick in your desk. Anker has knocked it out of the park with the design.
What’s dangerous concerning the Anker Prime 250W desktop charger?
Extra energy than one individual ought to have
My predominant drawback with Anker’s desktop charger is maybe merely a private one; it actually looks like overkill. I’m unsure if I’ve ever wished or wanted to cost six USB-based gadgets suddenly, nor discovered myself apprehensive about monitoring and optimizing energy circulation between them. And I’ve actually by no means thought of controlling all of that from my telephone.
Now, I do know, somebody on the market will really feel in a different way. Perhaps you! And in that case, all of the extra energy to you; this system might ship precisely what you want from a charging station, and I hope it does. However, respectfully, I believe you’re within the minority, and for many customers, this is just too a lot.
Even should you do want the ability that this presents, I’d remind you of Anker’s cheaper 200W possibility. How a lot are you actually keen to pay for that additional 50W, an LCD display, and the dynamic energy controls? It’s a fairly critical upsell.
Maybe extra problematically, the primary place I would ever need to cost this a lot without delay is at my desk. But when I wished to throw this a lot cash at a charging hub to take a seat on my desk all day, I’d fairly get one which doubles as a dock. It might add methods to attach my computer systems, screens, and peripherals along with pure energy output. Once more, possibly that’s simply me, however that’s actually what would make extra sense for the best way I work.
The final level, maybe, comes right down to my very own optimistic expectations, and serving to you set yours. I had visions of a clutter-free desk, a simplified setup that may clear my workplace of different chargers and streamline my life. And this totally delivers on that.
The one drawback is that chargers are solely half the mess, and cables the opposite half. I’ve cleared one set of litter however moved the remaining to my desk, the place I now dwell with a small tangle of cables eternally hooked up to this in any other case smooth hub. That is removed from the tip of the world, but it surely’s not fairly what I envisaged, and infrequently leaves me questioning if I’d fairly return to the previous mess, simply as long as it doesn’t all dwell on my desk.
Must you purchase it?
Actually? In all probability not. If you happen to’re nonetheless set on the idea of a desktop charging hub with no dock features or different connectivity advantages, then knock your self out — however I think you’ll discover that the 200W mannequin delivers much better worth for cash, providing practically as a lot energy output whereas saving you from spending additional on a Wi-Fi possibility you’ll by no means use.
That stated, in case you are within the (I think small) minority that desires and desires the detailed, granular, distant energy management that this charger delivers, relaxation assured that it actually does ship. This charger does every thing that it units out to do. Nonetheless, I’m simply not sure if it ought to have got down to do it within the first place.
Anker Prime Charger (250W, 6 Ports, GaNPrime)
The Anker Prime 250W desktop charger is an overkill answer for many customers, with six ports, 250W whole output, and 140W peak output from a single port. That is simply to begin; there’s good energy optimization, an LCD, and even Wi-Fi connectivity. It fulfills its goal very properly, however it is best to ask your self if you really want all of it.
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