The Kanex GoPower Wall Charger provides maximum charge to three USB-A and one USB-C device simultaneously.
Unlike some of my friends, I was a relatively late adopter of the iPhone, joining the fray with the iPhone 5 in 2012. I have steadily advanced with the technology and had to change my charging cables as Apple changed their adaptors. The iPad 30 pin cable was replaced with the lightning adapter for iPads and iPhones after their 2012 event. On the MacBook side, the cables changed from the MagSafe 2 to USB-C. We all know how hard it can be to find wall ports in our homes/offices. With multiple USB devices vying for our available charging ports, we need a charger that can, at a minimum, maximally charge two devices at once. The Kanex GoPower USB-C Wall Charger with Power Delivery is a four-port device that can output significant power.
The Kanex GoPower USB-C Wall Charger arrived in a 5 1/8 inches wide by 6 inches tall by 1 3/8 inches thick retail package. The pristine white background served as an attractive backdrop to the black Kanex USB-C charger. The yellow display box, towards the top left of the box, did a great job at drawing my interest and provided useful information about the device. The fast charger promised to charge my iPhone X (iPhone 8/8 Plus also) to 50% in 30 minutes. Instead of a stale image, the display used shadowing/lighting and reflection to provide depth and realism. The right side of the packaging displayed a QR code, detailed the 1-year limited warranty and noted that the charger was compatible with all USB powered devices and USB-C computers/devices. The opposite side listed the product specifications: 5V/2.4 output (lower 3 ports) for a max of 12W and USB-C output 5V/3A, 9V/3A, 12V/3A, 15V/3A, 20V/3A (60W). The back of the packaging listed the title, the same “Fast” logo, and defined “USB POWER DELIVERY” (USB-PD), as super-fast, safe, powerful, charging technology. The lower yellow panel provided a useful disclaimer that you will need to purchase a separate USB-C to lightning cable to enjoy the rapid charger. Personally, this detail should have been listed on the yellow box on the cover. Without the USB-C cable, you cannot enjoy fast charging for the iPhone 8/8 Plus or X.
Within the packaging, I found the 3 9/16 inches long by 2 13/16 inches tall by 1 inches wide four-port USB charger resting inside of a thin translucent plastic tray. Beneath the tray, Kanex included a 48 1/2 inches long Type A wall prong power adaptor. Examining the USB charger, I found that it was divided into two groups. The upper port was a 60W USB-C port and the lower three USB-A ports, surrounded by a white rectangle, provided a total of 12W. Each of the lower ports provided 5V/2.4A, while the upper port simultaneously provided up to 20V/3A of power. I plugged a DROK USB-C LCD Multimeter into the USB-C port of the Kanex charger and then a Lightning to USB-C into the DROK multimeter. With my iPhone X at 58% power, I plugged the lightning cable into my phone. I let it charge from 7:22 PM to 8:23 PM and the iPhone X charged from 58% to 95%. From 8:23 to 8:41 the phone gained another 3%. During the first hour, the multimeter read 8.95V/1.92, and during the second hour, it read 5.06V/0.11A. I was pleased with the rate of charge and repeated the test with my phone at 5%. I found in the first thirty minutes that my iPhone increased from 5% to 51%. I repeated the test with my iPad Pro 10.5″ and my wife’s iPhone 7 plugged into the charger. With up to 60W from the top port and 5V/2.4A from each of the lower ports, this device fully charged multiple iDevices at once. I used the USB-A attachment of the DROK USB multimeter and found each of the USB-A ports provided up to 5V/2.4A. Since current is on-demand, the output was more dependent upon the smart device than the charger.
I was pleased with the packaging, the Kanex charger and with the length of the charging cable. I was able to charge my Nintendo Switch while simultaneously charging my iPad Pro 10.5″, my iPhone X (USB-A) and Apple Watch Series 3. If I needed faster charging for my iPhone X, I was able to use the USB-C port with the USB-C to Lightning cable and I could still use my USB-A to USB-C cable to charge other USB-C devices. Having a single charging box with both USB-C and USB-A capabilities was very convenient. With power outlet real estate at a premium, one plug can now maximally charge up to four devices. This device will work perfectly for camping/travel and really for anyone with both USB-C and USB-A tech.
Learn more about the Kanex USB-C GoPower Wall Charger.
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