Anker’s 150W charger completely changed how I charge my tech
Let’s face it: chargers aren’t an exciting thing to talk about. Everyone uses it, and it is a necessity for any modern technology device. But reading an entire article where someone gushes about how cool a charger is? Sounds pretty nerdy!
Well, buckle up, nerds, because that’s exactly what I’m doing for the next few hundred words. A few months ago, Anker sent me the 747 Charger – the latest addition to its GaNPrime line of chargers. It’s probably smaller than the fast charger you’re currently using, has significantly more ports, and is a lot smarter too. It’s not the most eye-catching piece of technology I’ve used this year, but easily one of the most impactful.
Heavy on ports, light on size
The biggest immediate advantage of the Anker 747 is its port selection – with three USB-C ports and one USB-A port. Amazon has no shortage of multi-device chargers with five, six or even ten ports, but these are almost always limited to slow USB-A outputs.
What’s impressive about the 747 is that you have three high-speed USB-C outputs at your disposal, plus that full-size USB-A port when you need it instead. And even more impressive is how Anker crammed all those ports into a shockingly small body.
Despite the maximum power output of 150W, the Anker 747 is smaller than both the 140W and 96W chargers that Apple includes with the M1 MacBook Pro. And don’t forget – it only offers a single USB-C port with less total power output. Hell, it honestly isn’t that much larger than Apple’s 30W charger. That’s a ridiculous amount of ports/power for a charger of its size, and it was a big reason why I used it so much.
When I’m at home, the Anker 747 stays plugged into the power outlet by my bedside table. It powers a MagSafe charger for my iPhone, an Apple Watch charger, and always has two free ports when I need to connect something else. And when traveling, the 747s allowed me to go from three-to-four chargers to just one.
It’s not that those multiple chargers took up a ton of space in my backpack/suitcase, but the peace of mind is incredible. Instead of checking to see if I have every charger I need for a trip, now I just need to make sure I’ve packed the Anker 747. If I’ve done that, I know I’m good to go.
Fast, smart and reliable charging
But it’s not just the Anker 747’s design that kept me coming back. I also love the charger because of how fast it is. If you only use one port, the Anker 747 has a maximum power output of 100W. But if you use two, three or all four ports, it kicks out 150W of charging horsepower. That’s more than enough speed to quickly charge an iPhone 14 Pro, Pixel 7 Pro or Galaxy Z Fold 4. Hell, you can even fast large tablets and laptops like a 2022 iPad Pro or M2 MacBook Air.
What’s especially cool, though, isn’t the rate at which the Anker 747 chargers use devices, but how that charging takes place. Using its PowerIQ 4.0 technology, the Anker 747 can detect the current battery life of devices plugged into it and prioritize charging speed to whatever needs it most.
Hell, you can even fast large tablets and laptops.
Suppose you plug in an iPhone 14 with 50% battery left and a Pixel 7 with only 10% battery left. The Anker 747 knows the Pixel is lower, and therefore knows to charge it faster. And it’s not a feature you have to manually enable at any time – it’s just always running in the background and ready to go.
It’s a lot less flashy than a retro battery pack with a see-through design, but it adds a level of reliability that I appreciate much, much more. There is no guesswork involved when it comes time to charge. I just plug everything in, walk away and know that everything will load quickly and efficiently.
My new go-to charger
Before I got the Anker 747, my charging setup was…not great. I have a few USB-C chargers for single devices in my office and will usually just grab the nearest one when something needs topping up. It was an inefficient and clumsy method, but it’s the habit I fell into.
The Anker 747 completely broke that habit, and for the better. It’s changed my charging life both at home and on the go, and it’s made my life significantly easier as a result. Is it something I actively think about every day? No. But I use the 747 every day and am often grateful for how good it is at what it does.
There aren’t many chargers I’d recommend spending more than $100 on, but the Anker 747 more than earns its $110 asking price. And apparently it’s also worth about 800 words of nerdy praise.
Editors’ recommendations
