Review: UGREEN 500W 6-Port GaN Fast Desktop Charger is a real beast
The UGREEN 500W 6-Port GaN Fast Desktop Charger (try saying that three times quickly) is targeted at pros, gamers and tech enthusiasts, but I'll tell you if you've got a family this is going to solve a few arguments!
I'll admit that UGREEN is fast becoming one of my favourite tech brands. Everything I've tested so far feels really rock solid and the desktop charger is no different.
This compact yet hefty (in a good, reassuring way) device comes in a familiar shade of dark grey and allows you to charge six devices at the same time from a single wall socket. It can deliver some 500 watts - to give you an idea what that means, this is enough to support high-performance gaming laptops and even electric bikes. It can charge a 16ins Macbook Pro from 0 to 70% in just one hour.
Essentially this could be a great solution for your home office or gaming room, but it wouldn't look too out of place in your living room either. One end of 'the brick' plugs into the wall and then on the other end you have five USB-C and one USB-A ports to play with.
Not all those USB-C ports are created equal, however, with one having the ability to pump out 240W on its own so you can power something far beyond your average mobile phone. The remaining USB-C ports offer up to 100W each, while the USB-A port delivers up to 22.5W, all while allowing simultaneous charging of multiple devices at full speed.
I'm always a little bit suspicious of the typical multi-socket extension cords that, admittedly, I have scattered around my home. Every so often I spy one and immediately think to myself 'I really hope that is safe'.
In this regard, UGREEN has gone all out. The charger monitors the temperature 100 times per second, making real-time adjustments to maintain optimal operating conditions. While an orientation sensor adds another layer of safety, reducing power output if the charger is tipped over to prevent overheating and protect connected devices.
UGREEN says the charger has 11 protection protocols, including safeguards against over-current, overload, and over-temperature, all housed within a V-0 rated flame-retardant casing.
That's pretty cool. I also found the charger to be cool itself, no matter how many things I had plugged in. This gave me much peace of mind and is probably down to the six embedded GaN chips that deliver an energy conversion rate of up to 95%.
While it's not light, the charger is small enough that you can probably take it away on a family trip. I'd imagine it would be a godsend in a hotel.
Now all this technology doesn't come cheap. It's a high-end charger and is priced accordingly at £219.99. However, at the time of writing you can pick it up on Amazon for £175.99. Still pricey but if you have the need and the money, you can't do much better at the moment.
What users say
"Wowsers this thing is an absolute MONSTER of a charger Let's not mess around, this is a seriously powerful charger with a price tag attached for a reason. If you need to charge multiple power-hungry devices simultaneously then look no further."
"If I had to make any criticisms or suggestions, it would be useful to have LED charging indicators next to the sockets, just a basic LED that lights up when power is bing passed. This would be a useful and quick way to see if your device had finished charging. As it is, the whole body is lacking any kind of illumination, which is kind of odd in a modern device."
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