Earlier this year, Satechi launched its most popualr charging station to date. Brimming with 200W of GaN power, its latest USB-C offering takes on a desktop form-factor that’s outfitted with enough ports and juice to power up your entire Apple kit. But with a $150 price tag, we’re checking out just what to expect from the experience.
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Hands-on with Satechi’s new 200W USB-C GaN Charger
Satechi started off the year by debuting quite a few new reveals back at CES. Amongst all of them was a single device that I have been aching to get my hands on since. I use a lot of gear for my day to day operation of running 9to5Toys, and the new Satechi 200W USB-C GaN Charger called to me in a way that other models on the market haven’t.
Everything really starts and ends with that 200W of power, which is capable enough to refuel MacBook Pros, iPhones, iPads, earbuds, and so much more all at once. Even if you aren’t trying to fast charge an M2 Pro device, there are six ports for taking full advantage of all that power, with a pair of full USB-C PD 3.1 ports being joined by four of the more standard USB-C PD 3.0 slots. As for how that actually stacks up,
Here’s a closer look at the spec sheet:
- Equipped with 6 USB-C PD ports with power distribution that detects each device being connected and adjusts wattage according to the port hierarchy.
- Features next-gen Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology, about three times as efficient as silicon-based chargers in converting power to electricity.
- Includes CE & ETL certifications along with over-current protection to provide an efficient and safe charge for your connected devices.
9to5Toys’ Take
I’ve had Satechi’s latest charger resting on my desk and nightstand interchangeable over the past few weeks, and it has completely replaced everything else in my kit. I’ve previously reviewed power stations that rock full AC outlets alongside more recent debuts like this novel Mac-themed iPhone charger. But where Satechi really makes a name for itself is with a far more streamlined build that packs so much more power than you’ll know what to do with most of the time.
Earlier I said that the brand’s latest charger begins and ends with its 200W charging capabilities, and I really do mean that. It’s impressive to be able to handle powering any of Apple’s latest releases by themselves, but to be able to dish out the kind of juice needed to handle multiple gadgets at once is all the more reason why I have fallen in love with the accessory. The two USB-C PD 3.1 ports are capable of sending out up to 140W of juice each, while the other four slots cascade down from there. When all in use, a MacBook pulling 140W from slot PD1 or PD2 will then be paired with updates of 20W speeds from the other four ports.
In my practice, I have found that there is no issue juicing up my 14-inch M1 MacBook Pro alongside a 15W MagSafe charger supplying power to my iPhone 14. There’s been plenty of extra power available to top off my trusty Anker PowerCore 24K, and more recently even handle charging my Switch as I explore Hyrule from bed in Tears of the Kingdom. All that’s to say that the way Satechi prioritized the power from each port ultimately leads to never having to worry about whether my gear is getting the correct amount of power.
Despite packing all of that heat, the Satechi 200W USB-C GaN Charger still manages to arrive with a fairly small design. Now this isn’t going to slip into your bag quite like some of those tiny wall adapters we’ve checked out in the past. But unlike those pipsqueaks, there’s a whopping six ports onboard for making sure you can power up everything at once. And speaking of the form-factor, I adore that Satechi included a little stand in the box to position it vertically on top of the more typical approach of just laying it on your desk. Desk real estate is everything, and being able to have the whole package take up less space is always a perk.
One of the things that Satechi does that isn’t as common as you’d hope amongst GaN chargers of this caliber is deliver an entire roster of I/O focused on USB-C. Most other offerings throw in a single USB-A slot for good measure to help really make sure that if you ever need to plug in a legacy device, you have somewhere to do it.
But if you’ve already made the switch over the some of the more recent Apple releases in the past several years, odds are USB-C has taken over much of your life. That’s exactly how my charging setup has been as of late, with all of the USB-A slots on power stations I am reviewing largely going unused in my day to day refuels. Satechi seems to have heard my gripes and is fully embracing the future by going all-in on USB-C.
All of its features bring me to just one conclusion on the Satechi 200W USB-C GaN Charger. You might find some more affordable options on the market, but none are going to be as reliable or future-proof as this recent debut. It has replaced a few USB-C chargers that were living on my desk with just a single, streamlined power station that should be more than capable of handling whatever my everyday carry looks like over the next few years. And that certainly makes it worth the $150 price tag in my book.
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