Don’t be like me — grab this sweet Anker deal before it’s too late

Ugh, so this isn’t very comfortable. Remember how I was complaining about needing a new laptop charger? I bought this Anker 140W thing in November for the full $99 because my old charger started smoking during a Zoom call (not kidding, there was actual smoke). Classic panic purchase.

Now Amazon’s got it for $69, and I’m sitting here like an idiot who could’ve saved thirty bucks. But whatever, at least I can tell you whether it’s worth buying or just more overpriced tech nonsense.

Spoiler alert: it’s pretty good. Like, surprisingly good for something I bought in desperation.

Why I thought I got ripped off initially

Look, $99 for a charger seemed insane. My original MacBook charger was $79 and only had one port. This Anker thing has four ports and some weird little screen showing real-time charging speeds. I figured the screen was marketing BS to justify the price.

Turns out I was wrong about the screen thing. More on that later.

In the first few weeks, I barely used all the ports. Just my laptop, mostly, sometimes my phone. I had bought a Ferrari to drive to the grocery store. Then my girlfriend moved in and suddenly we had two laptops, two phones, an iPad, and her weird collection of rechargeable everything (seriously, why does a coffee grinder need to be rechargeable?).

That’s when this charger started making sense.

The screen thing matters.

Okay, so the little OLED display. I thought it was the dumbest gimmick ever. Who needs to see charging speeds in real time? Turns out it’s me.

Last month, my phone was charging super slowly, and I couldn’t figure out why. The screen showed it was only pulling 12W instead of the usual 27W. Swapped cables, boom, back to normal speeds. Without that display, I would’ve been stuck with slow charging for weeks, probably blaming iOS updates.

It also shows this cute little smiley face when nothing’s plugged in, which is unnecessary but somehow makes me happy every time I see it. Don’t judge me.

Power distribution is where this thing gets weird (in a good way)

Most multi-port chargers are lying to you. They’ll say “100W total!” but then give your laptop 65W and your phone 35W, which is ridiculous because phones don’t need 35W. Anker thinks about what you’ve plugged in.

When I plug in my MacBook Pro 16-inch, it gets the full 140W and charges as fast as the Apple charger. Add my iPhone, and the laptop gets 110W while the phone receives 27W (which is exactly what the iPhone can handle). Add the iPad, and it becomes 65W + 45W + 30W. Everything charges at the proper speeds.

I tested this obsessively for about two weeks because I’m that kind of nerd. The power distribution works like they claim, which is rare enough that I was genuinely surprised.

How it stacks up against other chargers I’ve wasted money on

I’ve bought way too many chargers over the years. Here’s the honest comparison with stuff that’s comparable:

The Belkin BoostCharge Pro feels more expensive (because it is), but it only does 108W total. Build quality is slightly better—the plastic feels more premium—but you’re paying $140 for less power. Math doesn’t work.

I had a RAVPower 120W before this that worked okay for about eight months, then started making this high-pitched whining noise whenever I plugged in my laptop. Customer service was useless. Plus, no display, so troubleshooting charging issues was always a guessing game.

This UGREEN Nexode 140W is also available (usually $89, but it’s cheap. The power ports are loose, the cable that comes with it is garbage, and mine died completely after six months. You get what you pay for, I guess.

The Anker hits that sweet spot where it works reliably without making you feel you’re paying for the brand name.

Real world usage stuff

I’ve been using this as my only charger since December. Travel, home office, coffee shops, even lent it to my brother when he died (still haven’t gotten it back, which says something about how much he likes it).

For travel, it’s great because I can ditch the separate laptop, phone, and iPad chargers. TSA doesn’t care about it. Fits in my backpack fine, though it’s bigger than a regular laptop charger—about the size of a deck of cards but twice as thick.

At home, it lives on my desk permanently. The girlfriend and I can charge our laptops and phones without fighting over outlets. The display helps me figure out which devices are charging fastest when prioritizing something for a meeting.

The coffee shop situation is where it shines. Most places have two outlets, so being able to charge everything from one plug makes you popular with other laptop people. I’ve had strangers ask where I got it.

The annoying parts (because nothing’s perfect)

The display stays on all the time when stuff is plugged in. I have to flip it face down in the bedroom because the light is bright enough to be annoying. A sleep mode or at least brightness controls would be nice.

The cable that comes with it is only 5 feet long. Fine for most situations, but I wish it were longer for couch charging scenarios. The cable quality is good, though—way better than the garbage cables most chargers come with.

It gets warm when you’re pushing max power, but not hot. I measured it at about 100°F when charging four devices simultaneously, which is normal—just mentioning it because some people freak out about warm chargers.

Technical nerdy stuff

Uses third-generation GaN technology, which is why it’s not the size of a brick despite putting out 140W. For reference, my old laptop charger was 96W and twice as big.

All three USB-C ports support the full Power Delivery 3.1 spec, so they’ll work with any modern device. The USB-A port does 22.5W, which is plenty for older devices, headphones, keyboards, whatever.

PowerIQ 4.0 handles the brilliant charging stuff. I don’t know the technical differences between PowerIQ versions, but this one works better than the “smart” charging on cheaper alternatives I’ve tried.

Temperature management is surprisingly good.

I was worried about heat because high-power chargers usually get uncomfortably hot. This one has an active cooling system—I can hear a tiny fan sometimes when it’s working hard, but it’s quieter than my laptop fan.

It stays at reasonable temperatures even when charging my laptop, iPad, and phone simultaneously (pulling about 125W total). The hottest I’ve measured is 38°C, which is warm but not “ouch hot” like some chargers get.

Build quality and design thoughts.

Feels solid without being unnecessarily heavy. The plastic isn’t cheap, though it’s not as premium as the Belkin. Ports are tight and secure—no loose connector wobbling you get with budget chargers.

The included cable deserves a mention because it’s good. Rated for the full 240W (way more than this charger puts out), feels substantial, and the connectors fit snugly. I’ve seen $30 standalone cables that feel cheaper.

Design is pretty minimal—just a black rectangle with ports and the display. No unnecessary RGB lighting or weird gaming aesthetics. Looks professional enough for office use.

Compatibility testing with different devices

I’ve tested this with pretty much every device I own. The MacBook Pro 16-inch gets complete 140W charging (same speed as Apple’s charger). iPad Pro charges at 45W, no problem. iPhone 15 Pro Max hits its maximum 27W charging speed.

Also works great with Android devices. My friend’s OnePlus 13 pulls its full 80W charging speed, and  Samsung Galaxy phones charge at their rated speeds (25W or 45W, depending on model). Even works with my old Pixel 6, which is pretty picky about chargers.

Haven’t had any compatibility issues with laptops either, and I tested with a Dell XPS, a ThinkPad, and even a gaming laptop that needed 120W. Everything works as expected.

Value proposition at different price points

At the current sale price of $69.99, this is honestly a no-brainer if you need multi-device charging. That’s what you’d pay for a decent single-port laptop charger, but you’re getting way more functionality.

At the regular $99.99 price, it’s still reasonable if you use the multi-port capabilities. Compare it to buying separate chargers: a good laptop charger ($70), a decent multi-port USB charger ($40), and quality cables ($20+). You’re already over $130 for separate components that work less well together.

The included 240W cable is worth $25-30, which helps justify the price. Most chargers come with wires that can’t handle the full power output.

Who should and shouldn’t buy this

Buy this if you regularly charge multiple devices that need significant power. If you’ve got a laptop plus tablet plus phone, or you’re sharing charging with someone else, this makes total sense.

Also great for people who travel with multiple devices or work in coffee shops with limited outlets. Being able to charge everything from one plug is legitimately useful.

Skip it if you only charge a phone and maybe some earbuds. The cheapest multi-port charger will handle low-power devices just fine. This is overkill for basic charging needs.

Also, skip it if you already have a fine charging setup. Don’t fix what isn’t broken just because there’s a sale.

Comparison with Apple’s official chargers

Apple’s 140W laptop charger costs $99 and only has one port. This Anker costs the same (when not on sale) and gives you four ports plus smart power distribution. Math is pretty straightforward there.

Apple’s charger might feel slightly more premium, but functionally, the Anker charges my MacBook at the same speed while also handling other devices. The display makes it more helpful in troubleshooting than Apple’s charger.

Long-term reliability thoughts

I’ve only had this for about four months, so I can’t speak to long-term reliability yet. But Anker’s warranty is solid (18 months), and their customer service has been good in my experience with other products.

The build quality suggests it should last. No loose connections, weird noises (except the barely audible cooling fan), or signs of wear on the ports or housing. Temperature management seems good enough to prevent heat-related failures.

Final thoughts

This isn’t going to revolutionize your life or anything dramatic. It’s just a charger that works as advertised, which is noteworthy in the world of charging accessories.

At $69.99 for Prime Day, it’s priced like a premium single-port charger but gives you way more functionality. The real-time display has saved me time troubleshooting charging issues, and the power distribution works better than any other multi-port charger I’ve used.

Would I repurchase it at full price, knowing what I know now? Yeah, probably. The convenience of one charger handling everything is worth the price premium over cheaper alternatives that don’t work as well.

Is it the best charger ever made? No, but it’s the best multi-port charger I’ve used, and at this sale price, it’s a steal. Considering upgrading your charging situation, this Prime Day deal is probably worth jumping on. Don’t wait too long—these sales never last as long as you think they will.

The Anker 140W Laptop Charger on Amazon for Prime Day is currently $69.99 (down from $99.99). No clue how long the sale lasts, but if you need good multi-device charging, this is probably the time to grab it.