Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
I can’t believe how small wall chargers are getting thanks to gallium nitride (GaN) technology. I remember when a 30W charger would be a big, brick-sized lump. Now you can get chargers that are several times more powerful for a fraction of the size.
Take the Cuktech 15 for example. This is a beast of a charger in a petite package.
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At the core it’s a 140W unit measuring 3.11 x 2.56 x 1.26 inches and weighing 11.8 oz, similar to the charger that Apple ships with its MacBook Pro laptops but 20% smaller. This charger is far more flexible thanks to being kitted out with not one port — but four.
There are three UBS-C ports, two capable of 140W max when powering one device, and the other that’s good up to 33W max when used on its own. There’s also a USB-A port that’s good for 18W max when used alone. When used in various combinations, the power output drops, but even with all four ports in use, the unit can still deliver 65W from a single USB-C port, which is enough to keep even a beefy laptop running.
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The charger also supports a whole range of fast charging protocols — PD, PPS, QC, FCP, and SCP — so you’re guaranteed to get the fastest charge possible.
But there’s more to this charger than being small and powerful, it also runs really cool. This is a result of using GaN transistors which are a lot more efficient than older silicon semiconductors, alongside intelligent design that helps to dissipate the heat generated.
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The unit also has a nice, tactile feel, making it easy to plug and unplug the unit. The prongs also fold away neatly, which is handy if you take this with you when you travel, because it’ll stop an errant prong piercing your suitcase or bag.
The Cuktech 15 is a very compact yet powerful charger.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
Why I recommend this product
When I opened this charger, I was shocked by how compact it was. I was convinced that I’d been sent the wrong one, because a 140W charger with multiple ports just had to be bigger. But I was wrong.
This charger does everything it should, and does that safely and without getting hot and bothered. I’ve had this powering all sorts of devices, from running my MacBook Pro to charging my earbuds, and also had it multiple devices hooked up to it for days on end. Again, the Cuktech 15 performed flawlessly.
I recommend this product for its combination of features relative to value — as of right now you can get one for $50, a nice discount on the usual price of $70.
