Anker's DC-to-USB-C cable "We Love Testing" Review

No, it’s not your review is bad (can’t see it?) I see now 1 positive and 3 critical. Seems Anker made a simple flaw which is easy to fix. Really, more beta testing before selling!

No, no I was talking about this topic, but yes my review is the last one 4 stars, honest, but critical and informing consumers about the need for a power brick.

OK Here is my final review for this “Cable Guy”.

Pros

  • Tiny profile compared to most laptop chargers
  • USB-C end allows for versitality
  • Subtitutes perfectly for my regular laptop charger(with the correct wall charger) as far as being able to charge my laptop is concerned
  • Its size makes going from place to place just that much less of a hassle

Cons

  • Requires a suitable power source, wall charger/power brick
  • The tip's fit is not perfect, not as tight as my regular charger

  • With all the facts that people have shared and even the Cons that I have put are kind of major and that should make me dislike the product, but the fact is I don't. Should it come with several different tips, yes, did the one I'm testing, no, but I got lucky. Should it also come as a package with either a wall or portable charger that supports it, yes, that should be an option. Other than that guys, I have to say I am damn impressed with Anker being able to make a cable that small that charges my laptop, from 0%, no problem. Sorry to hear that wasn't the case with another Tester...I also brought this cable over to my friend's house who has an HP EliteBook for gaming and, without them seeing, plugged it in and it immediately started charging that as well and it fit a little better than in mine. I just thought I would add that in. In the pictures, I uploaded you will see the cable compared to my laptop charger, which by the way is 45W and 19.5V, as well as the tips of both compared in length and width, the Anker one is hard to see because the inside is black. Finally the charger I am using with it, PowerPort Atom III. My normal setup would be included but my place is a mess and I don't feel like cleaning just for a picture, I just want everyone to know that I am multitasking and have an external HD as well as a monitor wireless mouse and keyboard, with the battery settings on High Performance and the Screen Brightness all the way up, and it stays at 100%. So, as far as my laptop is concerned (specs included) this cable is a perfect substitute for my regular, more bulky laptop charger.

    By the way this is the that charger [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07S8SDD4D/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07S8SDD4D/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

    DC-C Cable






    3 Likes

    @SlyBandit247 :+1::+1::+1: Thank you for your detailed review!! And please don’t forget to submit this review link to the completed testing page. :blush:

    1 Like

    I know this can save space, but even more space would be saved if there was a Powerport with 60W IQ3 + 18W IQ3, so then one charger did laptop and phone.

    I’m almost certainly going to get the cable which works with the Lenovo rectangular shape plug, as it happens by luck that if I remove the adaptor it will also work with another Lenovo laptop which uses the barrel plug.

    1 Like

    Crap, Thanks for reminding me!

    1 Like

    Agreed, like I said it needs options, and I’m not sure if I would have bought this cable if I did not already have a suitable charger, now I need to get a suitable portable charger! It really is amazing just how small the profile is. I mean I was impressed with how small my regular charger was, this is a fraction of that!

    Beware not all portable chargers can sustain 20V until depleted.

    e.g. https://www.anker.com/products/variant/powercore--26800-pd-45w/B1376111

    “When charging 45W devices, make sure the portable charger has at least 3 LEDs illuminated, otherwise, the charging speed will be insufficient.”

    Ugh, so not even Anker makes a reliable one yet?

    I mean just be on your guard and not assume. Obviously if Anker wanted to fund a test, we can find out.

    I saw those words and interpreted it may not sustain its output. You may find you don’t get all the 100Wh out.

    The cells cannot both sustain high energy discharge and full capacity discharge.

    The cells inside have this problem:


    What happens is the cells discharge, their voltage drops. Anker’s choice in this is to either drop the output current, or the output voltage, or to stop discharging (lights go out). The more you ask of Lithium cells, the less you get. As this cable you tested needs to sustain 20V, if Anker were to sustain 20V, they must either drop the current or turn the portable charger off. So by demanding laptop levels of performance you may get less capacity, indeed from Anker’s own words you may only get 1/3rd of the capacity.

    Sources:

    https://lygte-info.dk/info/Batteries18650-2011%20UK.html

    I’m taking this back to physics and electronics which means I can predict the likely challenges. I’d certainly be very guarded anyone spending $$$ assuming it would work when they are not familiar with the underlying physics.

    What I would suggest is begin with a fully charged laptop and plug in a portable charger and keep it plugged in, it will then because it is only servicing the running Ampage needs of the laptop, not servicing running+recharge of the laptop, the Amps drawn less, so the cells will likely deliver more power, and if they did begin to drop, the laptop would probably tolerate it for an existing connection, as it would not do a POST.

    Anker should really send me stuff to test.

    1 Like

    Hmmmm… that was on their site or Amazon?

    So ignore the other thing I asked because you already posted it here, your post and AnkerOffical’s were hidden for some reason, I put the PC 26800 on my Honey droplist waiting for it to go on sale, but I get what you are saying about when to plug it in to maintain the battery life. Thanks again. I’ll wait for a sale before I even consider buying it.

    The wisest is to never buy and wait for someone else to do it.

    I don’t think it is a good use of your money to spend to feed an older laptop a DC current via this cable with a portable charger, because the physics is fighting you. The laptop power socket is only going to accept close to 20V, and any portable charger must either drop the current or voltage or turn off at less than fully drained.

    A better answer is buy a new laptop which you check accepts a wider, including a lower Voltage and current. A travel laptop, then use a lower cost and more efficient portable charger when traveling.

    I think the cable is a cost effective way to make use of a charger you already had, but gets marginal to then buy a charger but if you can use it for multiple roles then good. To buy a portable high wattage charger is very dubious benefit. The reason is higher wattage portable chargers have to be less efficient as that’s the chemistry of today’s lithium batteries. You’re paying extra for the higher wattage and getting less energy out of it. A 18W portable charger is a really good price today, get a travel laptop which is happy with 18W, or better if also worked off 10W.

    Wonder if being redesigned? We haven’t seen reviews on all the versions of the cable end, but from the HP experience they needed to make it longer.

    They also need to offer a version with a bundled charger, most people are not geeks and I seen at least two people say they used a 60W charger when they actually used the 45W PD socket of a 45+15 (total 60) and said it was slow - their lack of technical focus.

    So there’s multiple issues Anker needs to solve, in documentation (what works, doesn’t work), the tip end size (at least HP, probably others) and recommending explicitly chargers and/or bundling.

    image

    1 Like

    With reviews like that, i would say its a safe guess @professor

    It has been a while since that review and I am here to tell you it is still going strong! I have not even touched my normal laptop charger since I received this. Here is a really good price point comparison @AnkerOfficial HP 65W Charger

    Good to know.

    Partially disagree. Like-for-like Apples/apples, you have to compare price for a 60W PD charger + cable to the HP alternative.

    But I agree, if you owned the 60W charger already, it is spare or can be used for other purposes when not with with the laptop, the cable cost by itself is yes absolutely a no-brainer good price.

    No, what I am saying is that it is a good thing to set the price of the cable/cable 65W wall charger combo. Even tho my laptop only needs 45W, and HP sells a smaller 45Wcharger too. But what I am saying is "Here is the company’s price for a similar product (because in the end, you will need to buy the wall charger not just the cable from Anker), HP’s is all that in one product. Anker’s cable, right now at least, is set up to work with HPs (and others) so I think you are misunderstanding what I said. I what meant was this is a good comparison for everything you will need from Anker to make this cable work you

    hey hey that was a little nifty HTMLing under that post :slight_smile:

    Hey guys! It’s been a while I have been super busy with school, but always time to find deals! That being said I know I’m posting this under my review for a C-DC cable, but the main point is that this company is actually decent and if they can make a cable (detachable) and wall charger for that price, Anker should take that into account. Here is the Link