Ugreen Nexode Robot GaN 65W Review: A Tiny Yet Powerful USB charger
The Ugreen Nexode Robot GaN 65W is a cute little USB charger with a tiny face that depicts the charge level of your device. Its compact size conceals three USB ports that can charge a trio of devices simultaneously at a maximum power of 65 watts. I've reviewed the Ugreen Nexode Robot GaN and would like to share my honest opinion with you.
Good
- Cute, compact design
- Practical magnetic feet
- GaN technology
- 65 W max output
- 3 USB ports
Bad
- 65 W limited to a single port with a single device
- LED display is always on
The Ugreen Nexode Robot GaN 65W charger in a nutshell
Editor's note: This review is part of a collaboration between Ugreen and nextpit. This collaboration does not influence the editorial content and rating of this review in any way.
The Ugreen Nexode Robot GaN 65W charger is available from March 20, 2024 for $49.99 a pop. This range of Ugreen chargers includes two other models, an even smaller version and a purple variant adorned with a cute little headset and a bow tie behind the "head."
Design
The idea behind the Ugreen Nexode Robot GaN 65W is to literally provide a face to a product we all use daily, where most models look the same. Personally, I love transparent devices that provide a glimpse of the components inside. With its little LED screen displaying emojis, Ugreen's little robot charger wears the Tamagotchi hat nicely, and I'm particularly pleased with it.
Pros:
- Very compact size.
- Cute, original design.
- Practical magnetic feet to securely store the charger on your desk.
Cons:
- Face is always on which can be a nuisance at night.
The first thing that caught my eyes with this Ugreen charger is, of course, its "face". It does look like a tiny robot, complete with a cute face and wee toes.
These aren't just gimmicks. The feet act as a cover for the charger's plugs, but they're also magnetized, letting you attach them to a surface to avoid losing them. It also works great for you to place the charger somewhere on your desk, like on the arm of your lamp.
Next, the screen can display three different "faces". Each emoji indicates the charging status of your device.
| Meaning of emoji | |
|---|---|
 |
No device connected |
 |
Quick charge |
 |
Trickle charge or full battery |
The last emoji is particularly interesting. Of course, you can check your smartphone to find out whether the battery is full or otherwise. But I found it useful to know when my smartphone's trickle charging has begun.
When the battery is close to full, it switches to a trickle charge, and the charging rate becomes significantly slower. Once you see the face indicating that the trickle charge has begun, you know you can unplug your device.
The square design is also very compact, thanks to the Airpyra technology used. The Ugreen charger is easy to carry around, even fitting neatly into a trouser pocket. I have to admit, that makes this little robot really cute.
Charging performance
The Ugreen Nexode Robot GaN 65W charger can, as its name suggests, deliver up to 65W charging speed. However, with three ports (2 x USB-C + 1 x USB-A) in tow, the 65 W works only for a single device via the USB-C 1 port. All in all, Ugreen's promised performance was delivered.
Pros:
- USB PD 3.0 (PPS), Quick Charge 4.0 supported.
- 65W charging with main port.
- 2 USB-C ports + 1 USB-A port.
Cons:
- Potentially higher standby power consumption than other chargers due to the screen.
Before I launch into a more technical explanation, I'd like to confirm with our readers that the Ugreen Nexode Robot GaN charger can deliver the 65 watts as claimed. I performed the test with a wattmeter and using a compatible Ugreen USB-C cable. With a MacBook Pro 16 and an Honor MagicBook 16, I was able to achieve 65 watts.
The Ugreen Nexode Robot GaN 65W features two USB-C ports that are compatible with most of the existing charging protocols: USB PD 3 (PPS), Quick Charge 4.0. The third USB-A port is naturally not compatible with USB PD.
The more ports you use simultaneously, the lower the amount of power delivered to each connected device. The charger can maintain fixed values of 5, 9, 12, 15 and 20 volts. In terms of current, we're at 3 amps. I've summarized Ugreen's advertised wattage values in the table below.
| USB-C 1 | USB-C 2 | USB-A | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 port used | 65W | - | - |
| - | 30W | - | |
| - | - | 22,5W | |
| 2 ports used | 45W | 20W | - |
| 45W | - | 18W | |
| - | 7,5W | 7,5W | |
| 3 ports used | 45W | 7,5W | 7,5W |
The charger also supports the PPS protocol, so your smartphone, for instance, can vary the power it requires from your charger. Basically, it can choose a value other than the fixed values that the charger proposes and that I've just listed for more efficient (not more powerful) recharging.
In any case, using the main USB-C port, you'll still be able to charge your smartphone or laptop pretty quickly. Personally, I have always used the primary USB-C port for my laptop and the other two ports for my smartphone and wireless headphones.
If you've got a Samsung, Google, or iPhone smartphone, the 65 watts from the main port won't do you any good in the first place. Instead, remember to check which charging standards are compatible with your smartphone. The Xiaomi 14 (review) accepts 90W charging, for example. However, it relies on proprietary Xiaomi charging technology that you can only use with a Xiaomi charger.
With the Ugreen charger, the Xiaomi 14 took 1h11 to go from 0 to 100% battery. That's twice as long as with the official charger. This makes sense, and is a fairly marginal case since not all smartphones have proprietary charging technology. Still, that is something you might want to consider before taking the plunge.
Technical specifications
| Technical specifications | |
|---|---|
| Device | |
| Illustration |  |
| Dimensions and weight | 67.3 x 50.2 x 46x9 mm | 146 g |
| GaN technology | Yes |
| USB ports |
|
| Charging protocols |
|
| Compatible devices | Smartphones, tablets and laptops |
Conclusion
Would I recommend the Ugreen Nexode Robot 65W with its $49.99 price tag? Yes, if you want a USB charger that's fairly universal and above all, very compact, I think it's a good choice.
The cute, gimmicky LED screen with the little face is a nice bonus. While it is not terribly useful, it is fun. I think it could even double up as a tech gift that's original.
If you only use one charger, whether in the office, while telecommuting, or constantly on the move, the Ugreen Nexode Robot 65 W is a good compromise. If your setup is more stationary and demanding in terms of power, you can also look at the Ugreen Nexode 300W (review) or the Ugreen Nexode 160W Pro (review).
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