UGREEN 100W Desktop Charger Review: For a device that has been designed to sit on your desk, this 4-port USB-C charger is perfect for travel and helps to get around many of those hotel room power outlet problems.
{Tech} for Travel.
UGREEN 100W Desktop Charger Review – /£99/€99
This was always going to be a tough review for the UGREEN 100W Desktop charger. I’ve recently reviewed the UGREEN 100W 4-port charger, a device more suited to travelling, and fell for its smooth, good looks and power capabilities.
So the big question now is, could this desktop version of the new 100W power offering from UGREEN convince me to use it for travelling with, over its slightly smaller sibling?
Surprisingly, the answer is yes.
And, if, like me, you tend to travel for an entire week or more and work in your hotel room, then it may well be a suitable fit for you too.
UGREEN 100W Desktop Charger Review // Features
Two parts make up this charger. A 2-meter power cord that will have a different plug connection depending on which model you purchase EU, UK or US. And then, there’s the charger itself. A 9 x 9cm palm-sized square charger that’s only slightly thicker than the single USB-A port it has.
On the front panel, this UGREEN 100W desktop charger has a total of four ports that can all deliver charging simultaneously, 3x USB-C and a single USB-A slot. At the rear is a two-prong ‘male’ connector for the figure 8 power cord to connect to.
For fast charging, UGREEN has several protocols on the charger, including Power Delivery (PD)2.0/3.0, Quick Charge (QC)2.0/3.0/4.0 and the latest one, Programmable Power Supply(PPS).
To take full advantage of all this power, the devices you are charging will need to be compatible; however, the 100W desktop charger is compatible with all USB charged devices up to 100W.
The casing is entirely plastic yet has a reassuring weight and is available in Black only.
UGREEN 100W Desktop Charger Review // Power & Performance
Individually used, the top two USB-C ports can deliver the promised 100W Power Delivery, whilst USB-C3 is capped at just 20W PD output. The USB-A slot offers a useful 18W output on Quick Charge at the end of the port queue.
The overall performance will depend on which devices are connected up to the UGREEN Desktop Charger at any one time. When all four ports are utilised, the power is split 45W/30W10.5W/10.5W, delivering a total 96W output of charging power.
At just 45W going to my 16″ MacBook Pro, whilst I had all the other ports in use, the 100W Desktop Charger maintained my battery power rather than changed it as it was being used. This is standard for almost all chargers and caused me no issues as I can only use one device at a time.
THE PERFORMANCE WAS NOTABLY QUICK when I used the charger in single-port mode! I was able to get a 50% charge on a 16″ notebook in ~45 minutes using UBS-C1 only.
At the other end of the scale, both Apple Watch and earbuds charged well on the USB-A Quick Charge port where the Watch took ~2hrs 20mins to reach a full 100% charge from being flat.
UGREEN 100W Desktop Charger Review // Design
Yes, I know there’s a 2m power cord to contend with, but I found the 100W Desktop Charger more than compact enough to fit into my backpack pocket, and I feel UGREEN has done a great job keeping the size to a minimum even if it’s meant for more desk space instead of to fit in a pack.
On the cord are two velcro straps for cable management, and even though the cable is heavy-duty, it can still be coiled up to almost the same size as the charger.
Like the travel version 100W Charger by UGREEN, there are no LED lights on the Desktop version. I’d like a tiny pinhole notification light to demonstrate charging somewhere on the case or next to each port.
I am confident that the hard plastic case will be more than strong enough to handle life on the road, and where it might pick up a scratch or two, it’ll not break on you through normal wear and tear when travelling.
UGREEN 100W Desktop Charger Review // Conclusion
It’s not often I say this, but UGREEN has proved me wrong. Why would I review a desktop charger for travel? Yet, it works well, very well.
Today, the lack of at least one LED notification light is a minor issue that I’d like to have changed. But, if you’re a device heavy traveller with a constant need to quickly charge gadgets, then the UGREEN 100W Desktop Charger should be a serious consideration.
Admittedly, for short 1-2 day trips, I’d most likely leave it at home, as my portable charger can pick up the slack, but for trips of 4+ days or one of the numerous conferences where I work in the hotel room, it’s a perfect solution.
UGREEN could improve the charger further by incorporating hub functionality into it or applying a solution to attach the charger and cable when in transit. But that’s me looking at it for travel and not to be sat on a desktop, which is what it was designed for.
Finally, the UGREEN 100W Desktop charger is one of the most beautifully packed chargers I’ve had to review, so if you’re looking to gift a traveller you know, this is a superb idea.
UGREEN 100W Desktop Charger Review // Specifications
| 100W Desktop Charger | |
| Dimensions | 87.9 x 87.9 x 23mm |
| Weight | 290g |
| Colour Options | Black |
| Port Output | USB-C1/C2: 5V/3A 9V/3A 12V/3A 15V/3A 20V/5A 100W Max PPS：3.3-21V/5A USB-C3: 5V/3A 9V/2.22A 12V/1.67A 20W Max USB-A: 5V/3A 9V/2A 12V/1.5A 18W Max |
| Max Output | 100W Single port use |
| Short Circuit Protection | Yes |
| In the Box | 100W Desktop charger 2-meter power cord Manuals |
Pricing
The USB-C UGREEN 100W desktop charger is $99 in the US, £99 for UK consumers and €99 in Europe.
Nice review. The problem with many travel chargers is that they are designed to make you plug the whole thing into the wall which doesn’t always work if you can’t get to the outlet or with some foreign plugs (including those on cruise ships) the outlet is indented into the wall and the charger won’t fit into the hole to reach the outlet. Having the 2 meter cord on this one is a good solution.