Recently, I came up with the idea to individually create a ready-to-use tech backpack that feels ready for any gadget situation. One of those bags was a laptop and a small Nintendo Switch kit, a minimal set of cables, a battery bank, a mini toolkit, and, crucially, one A charging brick that can power any gadget I throw at it.
Ugreen’s 140 Watt Nexode Charger is a strong candidate for that one charging brick. This is a 3-port GaN charger with flip-out prongs that can charge a single USB-C device up to 140W. The ability to charge a single device at that speed is thanks to support for the relatively new Power Delivery 3.1 protocol (or PD 3.1).
Nexode doesn’t support the ultra-top-of-the-line PD 3.2, but Ugreen has kindly included a 1.5-meter braided USB-C cable to support future 240W devices. But Nexode supports almost any other USB-C protocol you can use, including Samsung’s PPS for fast charging, Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 4.0 Plus (and 3.0/2.0), and even Huawei’s SuperCharge (SCP and FCP). is supported. .
It’s perfect for a lightweight backpack as it supports almost any device you might encounter in the office or anywhere else and can charge multiple devices at the same time. It’s also required to support Apple’s latest 16-inch MacBook Pro. This is one of the few devices on the market that supports 140W charging. To get that speed, though, you’ll need to use Apple’s MagSafe 3 to USB-C cable.
As for portability, Ugreen says the Nexode is “20% smaller” than Apple’s 140W charger. The Nexode is about 3 x 3 x 1.4 inches and weighs about 14 ounces, while the 140W Apple charger is larger but lighter, measuring about 3.8 x 3 x 1.1 inches and about 9.8 ounces.
I tested Nexode at full speed on a 16-inch MacBook Pro. Starting charging at 33 percent was estimated to give a full charge in 1 hour and 20 minutes. After 31 minutes, the MacBook Pro increased to 91% and updated its full charge estimate to 29 minutes. Nexode is fast.
But Nexode’s speed unleashed another form of energy: heat. This brick became uncomfortably hot.Even our resident laptop reviewer, Monica Chin, was surprised at how warm it felt — and she’s dealt with plenty of charging bricks. odor Nexode — That’s how warm it got.
In my second 140W charging test, I found the Nexode to heat up to 124 degrees Fahrenheit using an infrared thermometer, and I didn’t smell much that time. I also measured the temperature of his 140W charger from Apple, which he also GaN based, and was only 99 degrees hot.
However, during typical multiport usage, the Nexode barely felt warm, and full 140W single-device charging is only possible when plugged in. just MacBook Pro (or any PD 3.1 device). Roger Wan, Ugreen’s PR manager, said the Nexode is designed to reduce power to avoid overheating when temperatures reach 95 degrees Celsius (203 degrees Fahrenheit), and it’s designed to reduce power to 75 degrees Celsius (167 degrees Fahrenheit). It is designed to resume charging when it drops below, he said. .
I plugged my MacBook Pro into port C1 (the only port that supports 140W) and a pair of AirPods Max into the USB-A port. My MacBook Pro reported charging at 140W to 100W. I then plugged in a USB-C Apple Watch Charger (newer generation) and placed the Series 7 Apple Watch on top. This is when the MacBook Pro reported charging down to 65W. I also noticed a delay of about 5-7 seconds before Nexode redistributed power when I plugged and unplugged the device from the charger.
Super power users/video editors will probably want a dedicated power brick that won’t be interrupted by additional devices such as smartphones. You can also power the Nintendo Switch dock in TV mode while simultaneously charging two Pro Controllers, but the TV screen will dim for up to 10 seconds if you plug it in or unplug it.
At Ugreen’s $149 list price, the Nexode is expensive. For that total, you can get Satechi’s 200W charger for him. It has twice as many ports as the Nexode and can support 140W charging without any power drop and has a second 20W device plugged in. (Though I haven’t tested it yet.) Or You can also purchase a 140W charger from Apple for $99.
But, as is often the case with these types of products, the list price is rarely what you have to pay to buy it. At the time of this writing, Amazon sells his Nexode for around $90. That’s a much more attractive price point than Anker’s single-port 140W charger. And if your goal is to save weight on a large 16-inch MacBook Pro, Ugreen has a very good choice with the Nexode.
Photo by Umar Shakir/The Verge
