I have a lot of devices come and go in my office and on my desk, and that means a lot of different chargers lying around to keep them all powered. Fortunately, most modern devices use USB Type-C for all their power needs, but it can still be annoying to juggle phones, headphones, laptops, tablets, handhelds, and all your various peripheral and accessories. That’s where a good charging hub comes in, and Baseus has earned a place on my desk with its solution.
This 240W, five-port desktop charging hub is a part of the recent wave of GaN charging accessories, which uses gallium nitride for more compact designs and more efficient, cooler charging. This hub is capable enough that it can charge multiple laptops at once, and can even keep many of the best gaming laptops going thanks to its 240W-output DC port. I’ve been using it for a few weeks now, and despite some oddities, I’m definitely keeping this charger around.
This review was made possible with a review sample provided by Baseus. The company did not see the contents of the review before publishing.
Baseus 240W hub review: Pricing and specifications
Pricing highlights
- The Baseus 240W Digital GaN Desktop Charger retails for $169.99, which seems costly, but is a fair price for such a capable charging hub.
- In the box you get the 240W charging hub, a USB Type-C to Type-C cable that supports Power Delivery 3.1, and a DC cable with two DC adapters for different laptops.
- It’s a well-rounded package, but I do wish the included cable was longer, and that there was another Type-C cable in the box.
What to know
• Price: $169.99 at Amazon
• Ports: 3x USB Type-C w/ Power Delivery 3.1 @ 140W, 1x USB Type-A @ 30W, 1x DC output @ 240W
• Charging capabilities: Up to 240W single-port charging via DC, 140W + 100W charging with DC/USB Type-C dual-port charging
• Features: Multi-level protection (voltage, current, short-circuiting, electrostatic, temperature, interference, & more), smart chip for improved performance, triple-layer passive cooling system, optional Baseus mobile app
• Dimensions: 42 x 69.6 x 114.9mm (1.65 x 2.74 x 4.52in)
$170 for a charging hub may feel like a lot to some people, but basically everyone is regularly charging an assortment of devices, and the cost for those chargers adds up… Especially now that many phones and tablets don’t even come with chargers. The advantage of the Baseus 240W Digital GaN Desktop Charger is simple: charge all of your devices with one charger, all at the same time. It’s a luxury worth paying for, and Baseus is delivering quality and reliability for that price.
This charging hub feels rock solid on a desk, with a metal body, glass screen, and large rubber foot to keep it in place. The charging ports are a snug fit, accented in orange and nicely labeled (even if the labels can be hard to see). The informative screen is simple but very legible, and provides all the basic information you need when charging your devices.
In the box, you get the Baseus 240W Digital GaN Desktop Charger, a USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable, a 5.5mm DC to 5.5mm DC cable, a 4.5mm DC adapter, and a 5.5mm square DC adapter.
Baseus 240W hub review: The good
The pros highlights
- A good port selection and solid, reliable charging speeds makes this a great charging hub.
- The simple LED screen provides useful information on charging rates (and helps you know everything is working).
- The 240W DC port is capable of charging many laptops, and there are even helpful DC adapters in the box.
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Fortunately, this is bound to be a quick and simple review, since there’s only a handful of things a decent charging hub has to do well. Does it charge the devices you need it to? Is it fast and efficient? Does it stay cool? Baseus’ 240W charging hub excels in all of these categories. Three USB Type-C ports, a USB Type-A port, and even a DC port for charging various laptops make it a versatile charging hub, and it has the power it needs to keep things topped off.
Its simple plug is permanently connected, and the built-in power supply can handle any AC outlet between 110 and 240V. Once you’re plugged in, you can press and hold on the top glass panel to toggle the LED screen, which shows the individual wattage for each port (with labels) as well as a total combined wattage for the entire hub. There’s usually a small delay with this screen, but it works well and appears accurate (with small deviance thanks to the hub’s smart tech its own drawing power).
With 240W possibly split between up to five ports, it can understandably become confusing learning the capabilities of each individual port. If you want 240W charging, you can only do so through the DC port. Each USB Type-C port can do up to 140W charging on its own, but only two can do it when combined with other USB ports for charging; it goes on like this. You can refer to the above chart for some guidance, but it’s honestly not as bad as it looks at first glance. After a day or two, I understood where to plug my devices into the hub to get the optimal charging speeds.
When you are charging multiple devices, the Baseus charging hub never gets hot to the touch, and never shut down or malfunctioned during my usage. I charged an HP OMEN Transcend 14 (which I have in for review) at ~130W, an ASUS ROG Ally at ~30W, and my daughter’s Samsung smartphone at ~15W simultaneously, with zero issues. If you want to plug in an older or more power-hungry laptop, you’ll need to make sure the included DC plugs will work for your device, but the included default cable should work with adapters you can buy online.
Baseus 240W hub review: The bad
The cons highlights
- It’s great that Baseus included a DC cable with a handful of adapters, but the included USB Type-C cable is very short (and there’s only one).
- There’s also a mobile app, but the Bluetooth connection makes the hub consume more power and the app itself is basic, rough around the edges, and not particularly useful.
There’s not much negative to talk about when it comes to the Baseus 240W charging hub. It’s all around a fantastic product, but there are some changes I would make if I could. For one, the Baseus mobile app just isn’t useful. Fortunately, it’s not needed to use the charging hub, and you won’t be missing much. The app uses a Bluetooth connection to give you information on your charging hub’s current wattage usage from each port, but only current usage — which the hub itself does quicker and easier.
The one thing that people may want — a long-term power consumption graph — isn’t here. You can set ports to stop charging on a schedule if you’re worried about the battery health of your devices, too, which is mildly useful, but this all requires you to be nearby. The app itself is janky and slow, too, and requires a host of concerning permissions just to function. Overall, just avoid the app and save yourself the headache.
- Recommended cable: UGREEN USB Type-C to USB Type-C Power Delivery 3.1 (240W) 6.6ft cable for $16.99 at Amazon
I also wish the included USB Type-C cable was longer. It’s barely 3ft long, which limits your charging reach significantly. You also only get the one Type-C cable, so you’ll have to buy your own to supplement it (and you need to make sure those cables support the Power Delivery 3.1 standard). It would’ve been nice to get two charging cables of decent length, especially for the price of this charging hub.
Finally, I want to mention that, while this charging hub does support up to 240W charging, I never quite saw those numbers. I got close, but there’s a chance the desktop charger’s screen, Bluetooth connectivity, and smart chip prevent the hub from truly hitting 240W. A few watts should never make much of a difference in actual day-to-day charging, though.
Baseus 240W hub review: Final thoughts
You should buy this if …
✅You have multiple devices that regularly need charging
The Baseus 240W charging hub is for those that need to power a lot of different devices. Be it laptops, tablets, handhelds, smartphones, or any combination of accessories, it can be tough to keep track. This desktop charger lets you keep every juiced up and helps you monitor how quickly it’s happening.
✅You want to consolidate your chargers
As an extension of the previous point, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by chargers nowadays. The Baseus 240W charging hub puts all that responsibility on one device, freeing up outlets and taking away the headache of remembering which charger is best for which devices.
You should not buy this if …
❌You won’t take advantage of its capabilities
This is a five-port charging hub capable of a combined (up to) 240W of charging. It’s massively overkill for just a smartphone and a tablet. If you won’t take advantage of its fast charging rates and multi-port capabilities, it’s likely not worth dropping the $170 to add the Baseus 240W charging hub to your setup.
It’s built well, it looks great on a desk, and it charges quickly and reliably. What more do you need from your all-in-one charging hub? Well, maybe longer cables… And you definitely don’t need a half-baked mobile app. You might also wish for a lower price tag, but the Baseus 240W Digital GaN Desktop Charger is more than worth it for $169.99 at Amazon.
It’s reliable, and will handle all your charging needs when you’re at home, leaving the best laptop power banks to handle mobile power. Gallium nitride technology really does seem to make a difference when it comes to making a compact and efficient charging hub, as Baseus’ 240W solution is actually smaller than the 140W power supply for the HP OMEN Transcend 14 (and is more than capable of replacing the power supply and charging other devices). It’s impressive, and earns this charging hub a permanent home on my desk.
Baseus 240W Digital GaN Desktop Charger
Have a lot of electronic devices that you need to charge quickly and efficiently? Look no further than this all-in-one charging hub, which looks the part and can power up to five devices at up to 240W and with one outlet. It’s not cheap, but it’s a solid value for what you’re getting.
