Whether you work from home or on the go, it seems you can never have enough chargers for all of your various devices – especially when it comes to a power-hungry laptop and its massive battery.
There’s nothing worse than being in the middle of a project outside of your office and seeing the low battery warning pop up. That’s why I’m a huge fan of having a couple of high-powered chargers around the house, as well as one in my bag for on-the-go.
Luckily, there are some reputable manufacturers out there like Ugreen that make high-powered compact chargers featuring GaN technology. If you’re unfamiliar with GaN technology, then here’s a quick synopsis.
GaN, or Gallium nitride, is a semiconductor material with increased efficiency that not only helps charge your devices faster, but also does so while staying cooler. That’s why it has become so popular in chargers over the past few years. It allows companies, like Ugreen and others, to create smaller and faster chargers to keep up with all of the latest high-capacity devices.
All of this brings us to Ugreen’s latest GaN chargers, the Nexode 100W and Nexode 65W USB-C Charging Stations which the brand was nice enough to send out for review.
Ugreen Nexode 100W USB-C Charging Station
The Nexode 100W USB-C Charging Station features a maximum charging rate of 100W, as the name suggests, it’s also compatible with Power Delivery 3.0 and Quick Charge 4+ charging protocols. What this means for you, is a desktop charger that is widely compatible with a variety of laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
For example, the Nexode 100W USB-C Charging Station is compatible with the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Dell XPS, iPhone 12-14, iPad, Samsung Galaxy S21/S22, the Steam Deck, and more. In fact, it can safely charge the M2 MacBook Air to 100% in only 1.5 hours.
On top of all of this power and compatibility, the Ugreen Nexode 100W USB-C Charging Station also provides three USB Type-C ports and one USB Type-A port making it flexible and capable of charging several devices at once. However, it’s worth noting that only two of the USB Type-C ports support the 100W charging rate, while the C3 USB Type-C port and USB Type-A port are limited to a maximum of 22.5W of output.
Ugreen Nexode 65W USB-C Charging Station
The Nexode 65W USB-C Charging Station shares a similar design with its more powerful cousin albeit with some key differences. The most obvious difference is the lower 65W charging maximum which it is capable of outputting on the C1 and C2 Type-C USB ports. While the two USB Type-A ports are limited to a maximum output of 22.5W.
Regardless of the Nexode 65W USB-C Charging Station’s lower output, it still features four total ports and is compatible with the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Dell XPS, iPhone 12-14, iPad, Samsung Galaxy S22/21, Steam Deck, and more.
It will just take a little more time to charge depending on your device’s maximum charging rate and you may not be able to charge while actively using your laptop. That’s why the Nexode 65W USB-C Charging Station is more suited for mobile devices.
Final thoughts
Both the Ugreen Nexode 100W and 65W USB-C Charging Stations make a great companion when you’re looking to keep your various devices charged up. The Nexode 100W is more ideal for notebook computers but still offers the option to charge smaller mobile devices, while the Nexode 65W works best for tablets and smartphones.
No matter which you choose, both Ugreen Nexode chargers won’t disappoint thanks to the compact size, variety of ports, and powerful output. My only criticism would be that neither come with any USB cables, and that would have been appreciated.
Both of Ugreen’s Nexode Charging Stations are available from Amazon and Ugreen’s website at this time, with the Nexode 100W selling for $100 and the Nexode 65W retailing for $56.
Currently, both charging stations are offering coupons for additional savings on Amazon, with the Nexode 100W dropping down to $75 after the discount, and the Nexode 65W selling for as low as $46. If you’re in the market for a high-powered GaN charger, then you’ll want to pick them up now while the coupons are still active.
Ugreen Nexode 100W USB-C Charging Station
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