GaN chargers are breaking new ground: UGreen 200W and OneWorld65 show why

GaN chargers have been around for a while, but it’s only relatively recently that the price of gallium nitride (GaN) has fallen enough for them to become mainstream. The main benefit is high performance in a small package.

The UGreen 200W GaN charger claims a staggering 200W, while the OneWorld65 shows just how compact a Mac travel charger can be…

I’ve tested both and the benefits really do justify the relatively modest price premium you’re now paying for the more advanced charging technology.

What are GaN chargers?

Traditional power bricks, like the devices they power, are silicon-based. Gallium nitride or GaN is an alternative semiconductor material.

GaN is not a naturally occurring mineral and is quite difficult to produce – which is why GaN chargers have historically been expensive rarities. But the effort and expense is well worth it, as GaN power bricks offer some, er, powerful advantages over silicon bricks.

First, they are a lot of more efficient in conducting electricity. This means you can pack more power into a device of the same size. Or, to put it the other way around, you can squeeze a lot of power into a much smaller device.

Second, they generate less heat because there is less energy loss. That’s generally a good thing, as overheating is one of the easiest ways to kill tech devices, but it also means they don’t need a bulky heatsink like those found in silicon chargers. So they can be even more compact.

Third, the significantly improved efficiency is better for the environment as less energy is wasted as heat.

But perhaps the greatest consumer benefit is a charger that can do it all. The UGreen charger is the right choice when you need to power two MacBook Pro devices or get the fastest charging times for a MacBook, iPad and more. The OneWorld65 offers the most compact device that will still meet the travel needs of many Apple kit owners.

UGreen 200W GaN Charger

see and feel

Normally I would start with the looks, but the most striking first impression in this case is the feel – or rather the weight! This thing weighs 1.14 pounds, which comes as a shock when you pick it up as the compact device looks like it should weigh about half that.

That’s twice the weight of Apple’s 96W Power Brick – but then this thing delivers twice the power and six times the number of ports.

Visually, it has a restrained design that I personally like. The upper is a dark silver gray with a small UGREEN logo and slogan. The edges are a darker hue and look almost black in some lights, but still have hints of silver. The base lies between the two.

On the back is a cloverleaf-shaped power jack for the included cable. This is similar to a figure 8 jack but with an extra pin for ground. There are four USB-C sockets and two USB-A sockets on the front.

The material of the case is UBS plastic but with a pleasant finish and the weight gives it a real sense of solidity and quality.

perfomance

While you’ve got (almost) 200W to play with and six ports waiting for you to plug in your devices, there’s some important small print on the underside. This tells you the following:

• USB-C 1: 100W maximum
• USB-C 2: 100W maximum
• USB-C 3: 65W maximum
• USB-C 4: 65W maximum
• USB-A 1: 22.5W maximum
• USB-A 2: 22.5W maximum

You’ll notice that the sum far exceeds 200W, so we need to throw in a mix of ANDs and ORs in there.

The good news is that you can absolutely power two 16-inch MacBook Pro models at the same time. Just plug one each into USB-C ports 1 and 2, and you’ll get 100W each. But… that’s your lot. If you plug anything into the other ports, the power available to each drops significantly.

For example, if you connect a third MacBook to USB-C port 3, all three ports are now limited to just under 65W. Use all six ports, and C1 will cap at 65W, C2 and C3 will drop to 45W each, C4 will drop to 20W – and the two USB-A ports will get old-school 5V at 4A.

UGreen explains all of this in a series of illustrations:

So if you want to get the last watt out of the charger, you have to check carefully whether the device mix is ​​feasible.

To the most However, from us the answer will be yes: This one power building block can do everything. Like me for example. I want to be able to power the following:

• 16-inch M1 Max MacBook Pro (96W)
• 12.9-inch iPad Pro (45W)
• iPhone 13 Pro Max (27W)
• Apple Watch Series 5 (5W/18W*)

*5W is enough for fast charging if the charger supports USB-PD, otherwise 18W is required.

In theory, I can’t do any of that – because when I’m using four ports, C1 is capped at 65W, while C2, C3, and C4 are all fine.

However, the MacBook Pro only hits that 96W max intake under one extremely demanding load. In practice, I was able to conveniently charge and use MBP, iPad and iPhone at the same time, even with the watch charged.

The loading speed is impressive. With only the MacBook and iPad plugged in to ensure the C1 had the full 100W available, it charged from 10% to full in under 90 minutes.

OneWorld65 GaN charger and travel adapter

see and feel

The OneWorld65 is a combo charger and travel adapter, and it looks very similar to OneAdaptr’s previous (non-GaN) models.

It’s white with blue accents and has the usual three sliders on the side to select the pins you need for the local outlets. On the back you can connect a plug from almost any country.

The OneWorld65 is more USB-C oriented, with a total of three USB-C sockets and two USB-A sockets.

perfomance

You now get a total of 65W of power in the same compact unit as previous models – which is incredibly impressive for a unit of this size. This is broken down as follows:

• 10W socket (with universal sockets)
• 65W USB-C Power Delivery port suitable for MacBooks
• 20W USB-C Power Delivery port suitable for iPads
• 3 x Smart USB sockets (1 x USB-C, 2 x USB-A) suitable for iPhones

Of course, the same disclaimer applies as for the UGreen charger: the performance figures given are all maximum values. Actual performance will depend on the mix of outlets used, but you can get the full 65W by just using the high-power USB-C socket; 45W and 15W; and various other combinations.

The device is primarily intended for charging on the go, charging batteries in airport lounges and, for example, powering one or two devices on board an airplane.

The maximum output of 65W is suitable for smaller MacBooks, but I also found that it was enough to fully power my M1 Max 16-inch MacBook Pro for everyday use.

As for the travel adapter aspect, the company says it is compatible with more than 200 countries.

Prices & Conclusions

At $200 that UGreen 200W GaN Charger is an expensive Power Brick! But that pricing is actually $1 per watt.

If you compare it to Apple’s chargers, the company charges more or less than $1/W depending on the model. For example, the 140W charger is $99, while the 35W twin port charger is about $2 per watt at $59.

For many, 200 W is too much of a good thing. If you just need to power/charge a MacBook Air, a smaller iPad, and an iPhone, there are plenty of cheaper options. But as someone who needs to power a 16-inch MacBook Pro, a 12.9-inch iPad, an iPhone 13 Pro Max, and sometimes an extra thing or two, I think it’s worth the cost, all that performance in one compact device.

Anyone who needs to power two MacBooks at the same time would also like this I think. Especially since it is currently available on Amazon at a reduced price.

That OneWorld65 GaN charger and travel adapter is designed for a different role. It could potentially be an all-in-one charger for those with lower power needs, but mostly it’s about portability and convenience. I can toss this one device in my carry-on and plug it into any outlet I can find while traveling and either power it or top up the charge as needed. But you can also use it in your home country as a small and light power brick for use in cafes.

Mostly, I think it comes down to how much you travel — or what you’re willing to pay for convenience if you do. To me, $69 is worth the cost, and the company is offering a 15% discount 9to5Mac reader and brought it to $58.65. Just use the code 9to5Mac15% discount at checkout.

The UGreen 200W GaN Charger costs $199.99 but is currently available on Amazon for less. The OneWorld65 GaN charger is available from OneAdaptr for $69 ($58.65 with discount code).

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