If you need or want an ultralight and portable charger that can be used for both laptops and phones, then welcome to Singapore Good Deals (Geddit? Cause it stands for SGD), where we compile the best products that are incredibly useful for your daily life. Whether it's work or personal, there's definitely something for you.
USB Chargers have been improving a lot lately and some are incredibly portable- at half the price, and size of Apple's USB C 65W chargers, these newfangled power plugs are called GaN chargers. But what does that technical babel mean?
What's a GaN Charger (and how is it different?)
Traditional, high-wattage laptop chargers use Silicon as transistors to transmit power. However, GaN chargers uses two new materials, Gallium and Nitride, to overcome the elemental properties held back by Silicon's limits.
Without getting too technical, the scientific properties of Gallium and Nitride allow it to transmit high voltages before failing and "can move over 30% faster than silicon's electrons" than Silicon.
That means two simple improvements: GaN chargers can be designed to be more efficient by packing more power into the bulky-bricked size of laptop chargers or shrunk to provide the same amount of power in a smaller footprint.
Since GaN Chargers are new, is it safe to use?
The short answer is yes- GaN can handle high amounts of electricity without failing, especially when it gets hot while charging.
Even if a short circuit were to occur, there are processors inside the charger that'll intelligently manage the amount of power required by the device and doubles as a problem-detector.
How do I know which GaN Chargers work with my phone and laptop?
Ah yes, you're asking the right questions. No one wants to read this long-winded article, buy it, and find out that it can't charge anything. So here's a simplified answer: does your phone or laptop support USB C Power Delivery charging?
USB C Power Delivery (PD), as its name implies, is a standard that most tech companies are adopting as the way forward for charging our everyday devices. With the exception of iPhones using Lightning to USB C cables, a 20000 mAh portable power bank and a mid-range Samsung Galaxy A52, alongside most modern devices, with USB C will support USB C Power Delivery.
That means you can theoretically buy one GaN charger and it'll work with all your devices at home or on the go. Neat!
While GaN chargers support most fast-charging protocols like QuickCharge (QC) and USB Power Delivery, it can fall back on traditional 5W or 10W charging if your phone doesn't support it. If you need a confirm plus chop answer, do a quick Google search of using the specific model of your device and then add "usb c power delivery", like so:
"iphone 13 usb c power delivery"
"razer stealth 13 power delivery"
"xiaomi 20000mAh power bank power delivery"
You should be able to find the answers within the first page of searching, so once you've confirmed that your devices can be charged using Power Delivery, come back here and take a look at these awesome deals to put into your shopping cart!
List of GaN Charger 65W and above
Since we're recommending something that can power laptops, all GaN chargers listed below will have a minimum of 65W of power- this middle-ground number lets us charge and use ultralight laptops at the same time, albeit taking one to two hours depending on the intensity of your usage.
There's the consideration of the number of USB C and USB A ports- so choose based on what you need!
Anker 735 PowerPort III (65W) - Reliable Brand
Anker has earned itself a reputation for creating reliable and affordable products without sacrificing quality. And the Anker 735 PowerPort III is no exception- just over the size of an AirPods Pro!
In addition, the efficiency is improved because of iterative improvements to the GaN tech inside; Anker calls it GaN II technology, which is basically just GaN version 2.0.
And if you're worried about overloading the charger, Anker included their own power management tool called the PowerIQ 3.0 tech that "intelligently allocates optimal wattage to whichever device is plugged in."
UGREEN GaN Charger (100W) - Highest Charging Capacity
If you don't mind carrying something heavier and more powerful, this chonky boi from UGREEN can charge your laptop at 100W over a single USB-C port. It even supports multiple fast-charging protocols like QuickCharge 3.0 in addition to USB C Power Delivery.
With an ample amount of USB-C and a single USB-A port, this 215g dense charger can simultaneously charge four devices, albeit at a slower rate as the 100W is distributed according to what devices are plugged in.
And like Anker's PowerPort III, UGREEN included their own power management tool dubbed the Navitas GaN Power IC.
Xiaomi Mi GaN Charger (65W) - Most affordable
GaN Chargers are all made equal- and Xiaomi's Mi 65W charger is no exception. While it isn't the highest-powered or most lightest one, it comes in at a lower price-tag than the products listed here.
While it features two-prongs instead of the usual three, it works with Singapore's plugs and on any voltage between 100-240v. And if you have a Mi 10 Pro, this slim charger can fast-charge your phone at 50W, reaching "100% in 45 minutes".
Baseus GaN Charger (100W) - Slim and Powerful
Maybe the chonky UGREEN boi isn't right for you- you prefer something a little more sleek with the same amount of power. Fam, I gotchiu. Meet Baseus's (that's a mouthful) offer; a 2-pin 100W GaN Charger that comes with a pair of USB-C and USB-A ports.
Also equipped with GaN 2.0, this 205g can output 100W to your laptop through a single-port, or distribute it out based on the number of devices connected to it.
Baseus also includes BPS II charging technology, which is their own name for a power management processor that regulates the flow of electricity.
HyperJuice GaN Charger (66W) - Most Compact & Best for Travelling
If you travel anywhere a lot for work and hate bringing adapters everywhere, HyperJuice's GaN charger comes with a built-in US 2-pronged plug that can fit any plug in the world with the included UK and Singapore's 3-pin, EU 2-pin, and AU 2-pin adapters.
It also supports 100-240v so you can safely plug this into any wall outlet in the world without worrying about damaging your tech stuff.
And it's incredibly lightweight too- at just 113g, it comes in either Black or White that can suit your aesthetics. We personally like the White one as it looks clean and distinct inside a suitcase, but that's just us (;
And that wraps up this article for GaN Chargers! Did you grab something good from our list, or did you find something even better? Leave a comment below,we love to hear from you!