The current trend in USB chargers is not to increase power or the number of ports, but to integrate charging cables that disappear when not in use. Anker was one of the first companies to launch a charger with a built-in retractable USB-C cable last October, but its latest charger offers the same convenience on the desktop with three AC outlets that don’t require you to crawl under the desk to access.
Almost a year ago, Anker released a desktop charger with a side-panel control that could adjust the power output of six USB ports, but it cost $169.99 and required the user to provide their own cables. Anker’s new 7-in-1 Nano Charging Station can only charge four devices via USB, but at $89.99, it’s cheaper and potentially more versatile, as you can add additional USB ports by plugging other power adapters into the back.
The biggest advantage of the Nano Charging Station is a pair of 2.3-foot-long USB-C cables that retract quickly and hold their connectors securely with magnets. On one side, an additional USB-C and USB-A port is connected to them.
Another reason why this charging station is almost half the price of the Anker at $169.99 is that it offers less power output. The more expensive option can deliver up to 140 watts of power per device, but the Nano only delivers 100 watts when nothing else is connected to it. If you’re charging two devices, the maximum power output drops to 50-88 watts, depending on which ports are used.
If devices are connected to all four USB ports, the maximum output power is only 30W, which is not enough for a laptop. To prevent you from finding out that your laptop isn’t charging properly when it suddenly runs out of power, the charging station is equipped with a 1.3-inch LCD display that shows how much power is being delivered to each connected device.
While the promise of a completely wireless world thanks to technologies like Wi-Fi and Qi hasn’t quite materialized yet, the recent proliferation of chargers and power banks with retractable cables is a worthy consolation prize while we wait for our truly wireless future to arrive.
