REVIEW – Travel chargers are all the rage these days. The progressively smaller and more powerful chargers are getting all the press. But what about those of us that need to charge stuff at our desks? No love for us? RAVPower has heard the call and responded with their new 4-port desktop charging station.
What is it?
This is RAVPower’s model RP-PC146, a 120W 4-port desktop USB charging station with 100W power delivery, two USB-C ports, and two USB-A ports. It is based on the latest GaN (Gallium Nitride) charging tech that allows for smaller, yet more powerful and efficient chargers.
What’s in the box?
- RAVPower desktop charger (model: RP-PC146)
- AC input cable
- USB-C to USB-C cable with E-Mark chipset
- User guide
Hardware specs
- Dimensions: 3.3x 1.8 x 1.8in / 8.5 x 4.6 x 4.6cm
- Weight: 11.1oz. / 316g
- Input: 100 – 240V – 50/60Hz 2.5A max.
- USB-C PD output: (x2) 5V 3A, 9V 3A, 15V 3A, 20V 5A, 100W maximum per port
- USB-A iSmart output: (X2) 5V 3A, 9V 2A, 12V 1.5A, 18W maximum per port
- Total output: 120W
Design and features
The charger is pretty much what you expect – a brick design. There are four output ports on the front, two USB-C PD ports, and two smart USB-A ports. For a charger with a total output of 120W, this thing is tiny. GaN chargers are really game-changers when it comes to the size versus output discussion.
The AC connection port is centered in the back.
Just above and below the output ports, hidden under the top and bottom shell of the charger, a green LED glows faintly through the shell when the unit is plugged in.
Performance
The performance of a USB charging station all comes down to whether it charges your devices. This little charger delivers the power. It charges my Microsoft Surface Book quickly and without producing much heat, either in the charger itself or my laptop. Plugging in my laptop and my wife’s Lenovo laptop results in fast charging of both. Plugging my Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra puts the phone into Fast Charging mode – no Super Fast Charging, surprisingly.
The great part was that I got Fast Charging when I plugged the phone into a USB-C port, as expected, and also into one of the USB-A ports. I plugged in both laptops and my phone and still got Fast Charging, unlike with some other chargers I have tested. This one has enough power to simultaneously charge everything at full power.
What I like
- Small size doesn’t take much desk space
- USB-C PD ports output serious power for laptop charging, up to 100W
- Great overall power output across all four ports, 120W in total
What I’d change
- It’s a little heavy, but for a charger designed for desktop placement – who cares?
Final thoughts
If you’re looking for a small USB charging station for your desktop that can handle juicing up all the power-hungry tech you may bring to the table, look no further than this RAVPower 120W 4-port charger. It brings rapid charging to your high-power devices and splits its power output across the ports when you have to power up multiple devices quickly. It is a great little package that delivers big results.
Price: $89.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by RAVPower.
