In my recent review of the Anker Nano Pro (4oW), I explained why USB-C chargers are becoming increasingly valuable. More and more devices support USB-C, and the connector provides much more power than regular USB. After researching the best multi-port USB-C chargers, I recently purchased the $75 Satechi 108W USB-C 3-Port GAN Wall Charger. I've been very happy with this device. In a relatively small amount of space, this charger can support three simultaneous USB-C cords. Better yet, it can provide a lot of power to each of those ports, going beyond the 20W that you get with that Anker Nano Pro and many other chargers.
For many years, iPhones, iPads, and similar devices were charged with a small 5W charger. But as the power requirements of these devices have increased, chargers have also become more powerful. However, more power can mean more heat, so chargers traditionally use internal circuits to control the flow of energy. Many chargers use silicon chips for these circuits, just like the iPhone itself. But a relatively new alternative to silicon is gallium nitride, known as GaN. This material can conduct higher voltage for a longer period of time than silicon, and can do so more efficiently. Greater efficiency means that the size of the charger itself can be smaller. And the larger power means that devices can charge more quickly. Put this all together, and you can use GaN chargers to provide more power in a smaller package to charge your devices more quickly.
The Satechi 108W USB-C 3-Port GAN Wall Charger is a compact GaN charger that can charge up to three devices at one time.
I have been using this device next to the desk at my office for the last few weeks. Satechi says that this device works with the 2020/2019/2018/2017/2016 MacBook Pro, 2020/2018 MacBook Air M1, 2021 iPad Pro M1, 2020/2018 iPad Pro, 2020 iPad Air, iPhone 13 Pro Max/13 Pro/13 Mini/13, iPhone 12 Pro Max/12 Pro/12 Mini/12, iPhone 11 Pro Max/11 Pro/11, XS Max/XS/XR/X, and most USB-C devices. At my desk, I use one port to charge my iPad Pro, one to charge my iPhone, and one for an Apple Watch charger.
Although I didn't purchase this as a travel charger, I may end up using it for that. The plug flips down, making it easy to carry this charger with other items in a briefcase, purse, or other bag.
[UPDATE 11/29/2021: We took a family trip to the beach over Thanksgiving and I did use the Satechi 108W charger as my travel charger. It was fantastic, and the only charger that I needed for my entire vacation. I disconnected this from the outlet in my office, put down the prongs, and wrapped my three USB-C cords around it (one of which is an Apple Watch charger). When we got to the place we were staying, I plugged this in next to a nightstand and used the three cords to charge on my nightstand my Phone, my iPad, and my Apple Watch. It was a fantastic combination, and it was great to be able to charge every device at full speed.]
Thanks to the GaN technology, this charger is only slightly larger than a regular Apple 2oW or 29W Type-C charger, and unlike those Apple chargers, you can three devices at one time with a total of 108W available.
I don't own an Apple 96W USB-C charger, but this Satechi device is smaller and does much more.
How much power you get for each port depends upon how many items if you have plugged in. If you plug in just one item, this charger can give it up to 100W, enough to power a large number of computers. If you plug in two items, if the first item can handle up to 88W then the charger provides 20W to the second port. if the first item can handle up to 60W, then the second port gets 45W of power.
If you plug in three devices, the three possible configurations are 45W + 30W + 30W, 58W + 30W + 20W, or 65W + 20W + 20W. The device that you plug in first will get the most power. In other words, this adapter is first come, first served.
I don't own an Apple laptop, so the most power-hungry device I use is my 12.9" iPad Pro. The normal iPad Pro charger is 18W, but that device can support up to 30W for faster charging. I've seen reports that the iPhone 13 Pro can support up to 27W charging for faster charging. The Apple Watch Series 7 supports fast charging with an 18W charger, and while you can plug it into more powerful chargers, I'm not sure if it ever takes advantage of more than 18W. But what I do know is that when my iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch are also plugged in to this Satechi charger at the same time, they are getting the maximum power that they can handle so they charge as fast as possible.
In a comment to my recent review of the Anker Nano Pro (4oW), "Ernie" wrote a comment to note that whenever you plug in an additional device into any GaN charger, the charger will reconfigure its outputs, dropping power for a fraction of a second. Thus, he warns that if you have a travel router plugged in to one port and then you plug something into a second port, the travel router will reboot. Because I have only been using this Satechi charger with an iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch, I haven't noticed this. Dropping power for a split second also wouldn't be an issue for a laptop computer because of its built-in battery. But keep this in mind if you plan to plug in a device that requires a constant stream of uninterrupted power such as a router.
Conclusion
The Satechi 108W USB-C 3-Port GAN Wall Charger uses only one power outlet, so it is easy to find an outlet that you can use. And while it doesn't take up much more space than other single chargers, it provides a ton of power to three USB-C ports at the same time. If you have multiple devices that can take advantage of faster charging via USB-C, this is a fantastic wall charger. And as a bonus, it can also serve as a powerful travel charger for up to three devices. This device has been perfect for my needs, and I recommend it.
Click here to get the Satechi 108W USB-C 3-Port GAN Wall Charger ($74.99 on Amazon).
