Anker has been a well-known brand for power peripherals when power banks started becoming an important accessory in out daily life. Anker is widely known for their quality portable chargers but they also manufacture high quality power accessories such as charging cables and power adapters for wall chargers.
We will taking a look at a few of their products from Anker’s PowerPort, PowerLine, and PowerDrive range of products.
- PowerPort: Wall chargers / Power strips
- PowerLine: Charging cables
- PowerDrive: Car chargers
PowerPort III Nano (20W)
PowerPort III Nano 20W is your typical wall charger with a USB-C port. Now that Apple, Samsung and even Xiaomi is removing the wall charger from their phone packaging, Anker PowerPort III Nano 20W becomes an option you can consider.
The PowerPort III Nano 20W is designed to provide the maximum charge for the latest iPhone 12 at 20W, which is four times faster that the old 5W charger Apple provides. The PowerPort III Nano 20W retails at S$29.90, which is the same price as Apple’s 20W USB-C charger. So if you’re wondering why get the Anker one – the answer is size.
The PowerPort III Nano 20W is almost 50% smaller than Apple’s 20W iPhone charger, measuring at 4.75cm * 4.11cm * 2.11cm. In fact, it is almost the same size as the old Apple 5W charger. This becomes especially useful if you have limited room when you’re using an extension plug. Bringing it around also takes up less space in your bag.
You also get a longer 18-month warranty, and you can get to choose between black or white colour.
PowerPort III Pod (65W)
The PowerPort III Pod 65W is a 65W USB-C power adapter that you can use it for charging any USB-C capable devices. Ideally, it would be meant for your MacBook Pro 13″ as it uses a 61W power adapter. Anker states you can charge your MacBook Pro 13″ fully in just over 2 hours.
As the PowerPort III Pod 65W is equipped with Anker’s PowerIQ 3.0 technology, it is able to optimise charging for all your USB-C devices such us your iPhone and iPad, which consumes lesser wattage. So you don’t have to worry about ‘over-charging‘ your phones. The PowerPort III Pod 65W also supports Programmable Power Supply (PPS) for compatibility with Samsung Super Fast Charging.
Another strength of the PowerPort III Pod 65W is that it has a very compact and slim design, measuring 6.9cm * 3.1cm * 4.6cm. It is smaller than Apple’s 61W USB-C power adapter. So if you’re schooling and constantly need to bring a power adapter to charge your laptop, the PowerPort III Pod is an attractive alternative.
The PowerPort III Pod 65W retails at S$64.90, and is covered by Anker’s 18-month warranty.
PowerLine+ III USB-C to USB-C 2.0 Cable
The PowerLine+ III USB-C to USB-C cable is not yet available in Singapore, but it retails for about US$29.99 – which is around S$40. The “+” in the name means that the cable is nylon braided, which is more durable than the typical cable you get out of your phone box. It will be able to withstand aggressive bending so you can worry less about your cables splitting at the head. Anker even provided a nice pouch to carry the cable around.
Compared to the predecessor PowerLine+ II, the new PowerLine+ III USB-C to USB-C cable is slimmer making it more compact to bring it around. The cable supports charging of up to 60W and has data transfer speeds of up to 480Mbps. Anker provides 18-months warranty for the cable as well.
PowerLine+ III USB-C Cable with Lighting Connector
The PowerLine+ III USB-C Cable with Lighting Connector is not yet available in Singapore. Like its USB-C variant, the cable is nylon braided and feels really durable and tough. The unit I have with me the Special Edition 24K Gold edition which looks stunning in person and even comes with a nice black travel pouch to store the cable.
Of course, there are regular variants of this braided cable, which comes in either black or white. For about the same price as Apple’s USB-C to Lightning Cable, it is a better option to purchase the Anker PowerLine+ III USB-C Lighting cable as it is braided for greater durability and has a longer 18-month warranty. The cable is MFi certified so you don’t have to worry about your iPhone rejecting the cable.
PowerDrive II Alloy (24W, two ports)
The PowerDrive II Alloy is a car charger that features two USB-A ports that is able charge two phones at once at a combined 24W output. Do note that it is not compatible with Qualcomm Quick Charge. When I used other car chargers in the past, I noticed that the charging speed was not consistent. Thankfully, the PowerDrive II Alloy is able to supply consistent charging during my time of testing.
The build quality of the PowerDrive II Alloy is really good. The PowerDrive II Alloy features a scratch-resistant aluminium alloy exterior that feels cold to the touch. It is also very compact in size. As seen from the picture above, the PowerDrive II Alloy attaches well and doesn’t stick out too much from the car’s auxiliary power outlet.
The PowerDrive II Alloy is not yet available in Singapore, and retails for US$11.99 which is about S$16.