Anker PowerPort Atom PD 1 Charger Review – Small Size, High Power


In a market filled with plethora of chargers that offer various features, Anker’s PowerPort Atom PD 1 is a great new entrant that promises high-end power but in a quite a smaller package. While charger technology has improved quite a lot over the past years, one thing has sort of remained constant, the size of the adapter. It has become a standard assumption that for higher-capacity chargers, the charger’s physical size increases proportionally. Well, surprisingly, this isn’t the case with Anker’s PowerPort Atom PD 1. Fortunately, we have been testing the charging adapter for quite some time and across various devices so here is our complete review for on Anker’s PowerPort PD 1 charging solution.

There have been consistent physical constraints on the engineering side that led to chargers always having this bulk to them. Recently, scientists have come up with a new technology that overcomes these barrier and makes high-powered chargers more portable. PowerPort Atom PD 1 is the first charger sporting this tech from Anker. We will be talking in depth about what this technology actually is, how Anker PowerPort Atom PD 1 performs and how the smaller size effects overall use right ahead!

Anker PowerPort Atom PD 1 Review

What’s in the Box?

As all tech products start with the box, let’s see what arrives when you buy the Anker PowerPort Atom PD 1. The brand has kept the whole packaging pretty small to signify the tiny size of the charger itself. Following brand colors, there is white for surrounds and Anker’s signature blue for accents.

Anker PowerPort Atom PD 1 Charger Review - Small Size, High Power 1

Opening up the box, you get the charger placed in a card-board piece. Further, it is covered up in protective plastic to avoid scratches. Except for documents, that’s all that you get within the box. There aren’t USB cables provided and as the plug has built-in prongs, no power cables as well. We would have loved a USB type-C cable but that would have brought the cost up so, not really a problem.

Design

If you have ever used an Anker accessories before or PowerPort adapters, this new PowerPort Atom PD 1 is just like them. It has an overall white color. The front is gloss whereas other sides are matte for better grip! gloss white surround, matte rubber for the front and overall cube shape. For dimensions, it measures an astonishing 1.6 x 1.8 x 1.5 inches (roughly a perfect cube) — there have been chargers this size but for the power it delivers, it stands up-to adapters twice or even thrice its volume. There is also a silver logo etched on one side and product details beneath such as regulatory and other important info.

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For the front, it has a single USB Type-C port that supports PD. And, on the front face there is this rubber coating which has been left matte. It is probably done so the product doesn’t get easily scratched from plugging in cables.

Power Output

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PowerPort Atom PD 1 delivers some amazing power figures! Rated at a maximum of 30W, it can efficiently sustain that for long durations without any heat issues or throttling. Another key aspect is Power Delivery. Supporting PD, PowerPort Atom PD 1 can delivery current at a higher voltage and amperage, if the device supports, for even faster charge times! Modern USB Type-C phones, tablets and laptops mostly come with PD.

Input:

  • 100-240V, 1.2A

Output:

  • 5V, 3A
  • 9V, 3A
  • 15V, 2A
  • 20V, 1.5A

GaN Technology

The key aspect of Atom from Anker is its size. For years, engineers were unable to find reduce the size of chargers. Whilst our phones got thinner and sleeker, the charger, if you observe, remained the same. In some cases it even got bigger to deliver more power. Fortunately, there is now a new way which makes use of Gallium Nitride (GaNN) to develop them, granting reduced size with high-power output.

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These are some of the key advantages of GaN:

Simpler Design

GaN chips integrate power, control, and protection functions into simpler circuitry. This means fewer peripheral chips and a lighter weight charger.

Higher Efficiency

All electronics waste some power, which gets converted into useless (and potentially dangerous) heat. GaN components are more efficient than silicon, wasting less power and emitting less heat. The result: much smaller chargers that are cooler and safer.

Smaller Size

GaN supports higher switching frequency during power conversion, allowing us to make transformers and other components much smaller than before—without sacrificing power.

Conclusion – Anker PowerPort Atom PD1

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Anker’s PowerPort Atom PD 1 is a great new product that delivers on every front. Being a first generation device, we don’t think there are any drawbacks to it. Further, the price is actually pretty similar for an older technology, larger-sized adapter which makes the deal even better!

You can explore our Accessories / Reviews section for more gadgets and Android accessories!

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Taimur Akmal
Taimur Akmal

Devoted writer, enjoys developing code. Appreciates excellent food, exceptional coffee and great company. He is also into sublime design and nicely built cars.

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