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Anker's latest GaNPrime power products: A roundup of safe, fast, and sustainable charging
Anker began using Gallium Nitride (GaN) in its charging devices in 2018 and has released a couple of generations of power products. The latest GaNPrime product series stands apart due to Anker's PowerIQ 4.0 and ActiveShield 2.0 features that adjust power distribution, monitor temperatures to safeguard your devices, and allow smaller products with increased power.
USB-C today is fairly standard across the mobile spectrum, with Apple's iPhone and AirPods being some of the final holdouts, although the charging cable itself uses USB-C instead of USB-A. Anker incorporates at least two USB-C ports on all six of its new GaNPrime products, and for the past month, we spent time with four of the products while charging on the road, at the office, and at home. Anker's new product lineup provides various levels of power output and form factors for providing power to your devices in a manner that meets your needs. Let's take a closer look at four of the products and then discuss the other two.
The Anker 747 Charger will be available soon for $109.99. The 747 has a maximum total output rating of 150W provided through three USB-C ports and one USB-A port. If you want one charger to provide power to all of your devices, the Anker 747 Charger is tough to beat.
A single device plugged into a USB-C port can charge up to 100W, or you could even charge up two laptops at high speed. The two prongs flip up so you can safely travel with the compact, dense charger. It is even 38% smaller than an Apple 140W charger, making it a perfect solution for everyone.
Anker's technology monitors the temperature over 3 million times a day to adjust power and protect your mobile devices. Mobile enthusiasts will love being able to have a single charger that keeps their phone, laptop, tablet, and headset charged up.
If you want to charge up a single device, each USB-C port is capable of 100W maximum, while the USB-A port tops out at 22.5W. Check out the Anker charging guide to see the various combinations of maximum output when two, three, or four devices are plugged into the Anker 747.
The Anker 737 Charger is similar to the 747 with one less USB-C port and a maximum total output of 120W. It is available now for $94.99. It's fairly compact with dimensions of 43 x 32 x 80 mm and 187 grams.
Due to the weight, short height, and length of the compact charger, if you plug this into a vertical wall outlet, you can use the included silicone stabilizer to help prevent the charger from rotating away from the outlet. The stabilizer is a silicone ring that fits around the charger with many tiny suction cups to secure it to the outlet.
The Anker 733 Power Bank is similar to the Anker 737 design with two USB-C and one USB-A port along one side. The maximum power output for this charge is 65W, which is still more than most standard chargers today, and provides fast charging for many mobile devices.
For travelers and those on the go, this $99.99 product is perfect since it also incorporates a 10,000 mAh battery that charges most phones a couple of times between battery charges. On battery pack power, the maximum output for a single charging device is 30W from USB-C and 22.5W from USB-A.
The top USB-C port is labeled as C1 and can be used for input and output. Thus, you can charge up the 10,000 mAh battery via USB-C in case you do not have access to an AC outlet to plug in the 733 Power Bank for charging via the retractable prongs.
The Anker 727 Charging Station is a unique product that provides two AC three-prong outlets, two USB-A ports, and two USB-C ports, so it may be best for older devices that have not yet provided support for USB-C. It is available now for $94.99.
This power product has a proprietary cable that connects the charging station to a wall outlet to serve as a six-port power strip. It is very thin at only 0.7 inches, so it is nice to take along on road trips where you need various means to power up your gear. It looks like a power bank, but don't be deceived as it does not have an internal battery for this capability.
100W of high-speed power are provided with the charging station, and Anker states you can charge up a MacBook Pro to 100% in 100 minutes.
This modern power strip has two AC outlets, two USB-C ports, and one USB-A port with an integrated cable leading to a power outlet. It's available for $69.99 and provides a maximum power of 65W from the USB-C ports so you can fast charge your gear.
The two AC outlets are positioned on either side of the power strip, while the three USB ports are on the top with one of the AC outlets. It is another excellent option for travelers who want something compact.
The Anker 735 Charger is very similar to the 737 Charger with the same number of ports but with a lower power output level of 65W. Two USB-C and one USB-A port are provided on the end of the charger, which is available for $59.99. Similar to the 737, a silicone stabilizer is also provided in the retail package.
65W of power exceeds the fast charging needs of most mobile devices, so if you want to save a bit of money, the 735 Charger is a good option. If you need to charge a laptop or a larger mobile device, then you should spend the extra upfront price to maximize the available power output.
What makes these Anker power products better than competitors?
While others offer GaN products, Anker's proprietary technology makes its products compelling. We spend thousands of dollars on our mobile devices, and some cheap fast chargers do not have the intelligence to control temperatures and charging levels, so it pays to buy products that actively care for your expensive gear.
Anker's GaNPrime products are also fairly compact, with designs that make them handy for carrying with you when you travel.
What is your favorite of these six new Anker products?
You might think I would immediately jump to the one with the highest maximum total output, and for office use only, I would probably pick that one. However, since I spend a couple of hours commuting, take regular business trips, and am a mobile guy, the Anker 733 Power Bank is my favorite because it can provide power to my devices on the go when I have no other available power source.
How are these products considered sustainable?
The chargers are smaller and conserve less energy when compared to silicone-based chargers. Anker's technology in the products increases power efficiency with a reported saving of more than 7% in energy consumption compared to legacy silicon chargers.
Anker states that if everyone in the United States used the 150W GaNPrime charger for a year, we could save up to 796 million kilowatt-hours. That's enough to power Hawaii for a month.