Being reviewed is the Anker PowerPort Speed PD 5 Ports Wall/Desktop Charger.
The charger is a “desktop” charger meaning that it can sit on your desk or table or can be mounted to virtually any hard, flat surface using the included double-stick adhesive strip. Being a desktop charger, the unit uses a power cord (included) to plug in to the AC outlet as opposed to being a power brick where the brick itself plugs directly into the AC outlet.
The unit provides 60 watts total output power, divided by 4 USB ports and one USB Type-C Power Delivery port. Using Anker’s PowerIQ technology, the unit will intelligently recognize your devices to boost charging speeds up to 2.4A per port. One USB Type-C Power Delivery port capable of 30W for powering & charging USB Type-C devices such as the Apple MacBook, Nexus 5X / 6P and other compatible device is also built-in.
Safety features include surge protection & temperature control (to name a couple) to keep your device safe while charging. Anker’s MultiProtect, a leading 11-point safety system including heat control and and overcharge protection is part of the safety feature set.
The charger is not specifically mentioned as being Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 capable but I believe that’s a non-issue because Anker provides their own means of being “compatible” with it’s PowerIQ & “Speed” technologies
Packaging of the unit is Anker’s newest white, embossed with small images of differing products with blue highlights, environmentally-friendly cardboard package design providing excellent protection of the device until it gets into your hands.
The package itself includes:
- Main wall charger unit
- 5-foot long power cord (you need to use this power cord to plug the unit into AC power since the “brick” does not have built-in AC prongs)
- Two Anker hook & loop cable ties (the above power cord is already tied with one)
- High strength, double-sided adhesive tape mounting strip
- Welcome Guide (instruction manual)
- Happy? / Not Happy? (warranty information) card
- Anker’s 18-month warranty
The build quality of this unit is great…very solid and sturdy with some heft to it. The matte finish helps camouflage fingerprints and any minor scuffs you may accumulate over time. The USB ports and USB Type-C Power Delivery port all are sturdy and solid with a built-in blue color to the port’s interior. Plugging in cables lets you know that these ports will hold your cables in place, are of very high quality and will last the life of the unit.
The blue LED power indicator on the USB ports panel lights up when the unit has AC power applied to it. The indicator does not change color and is only a indicator of power to the unit. It has no other function.
The 5-foot AC power cord is a standard “figure 8” shaped, non-polarized power cord so if you need a replacement or a shorter or longer length, they can be purchased from online retailers like Monoprice, Amazon.com or eBay (search for “figure 8 power cord”). Having a separate power cord and being a “desktop” charger allows one to place the unit well away from the wall outlet or power strip and allows mounting (using the provided double sided adhesive strip) of the actual charger in a more convenient and accessible area.
I tested the unit by charging four different devices (2 separate iPad mini 4’s, an iPad Air 2 and an iPhone 5s) at the same time, each device with a battery level of around 40%-50% before beginning the charge cycle. Not having access to my USB voltage/current tester, I instead used an iOS app to display the maximum charger current being delivered to the devices and this coincided with the unit’s specs of 2.4 amps per port. Adding a Nintendo Switch (my only USB Type-C device) to the mix, all ports showed the same 2.4 amp output and the Switch charged properly as well. The charger got a bit warm while operating but this is to be expected, especially when charging multiple devices at once. No issues were noted and all devices charged to their full 100% capacity.
Note that I was unable to test any Quick Charge devices because I have none to actually test so I can’t comment on how “compatible” the unit is (as far as fast-charging goes) with these devices.
To summarize, if you’re looking for a more-than-capable desktop-style charger for pretty much all your USB device charging needs, the Anker PowerPort Speed PD charger should be at the top of your shopping list. It’s well made & robust with plenty of power for your power-hungry devices. Highly recommended!
