RAVPower PD Pioneer GaN Tech USB C Wall charger hands-on review

It is appreciably long at 2 meters, gives the impression of being high-quality and - possibly most importantly - has a handy Velcro tie. On the other hand, it is not braided – unlike, say, the type C end of that of the late 2019 (GTX 1650) Razer Blade Stealth.

This PC exhibits a “More Power Required” message when plugged in using either power brick, as it would with anything but its own 100W charger, which (according to the OEM, at least) is required for intensive tasks. Therefore, the use of any of these accessories, as with any non-standard charger you might try with this machine, most likely means no gaming for you.

Nevertheless, the fact that either of these virtually pocketable accessories – even the 90W option measures 2.5 x 2.5 x 1.2 inches – can charge one of 2019’s most powerful ultrabooks to any degree is impressive.

On that note, this brick was able to fully charge the Razer (using the same Wi-Fi connection, conventional CPU settings and an average daily task-load) in 1 hour and 30 minutes, whereas its default power supply does so in 1 hour and 23 minutes.

The 61W SKU manages the same in 2 hours and 28 minutes, whereas the 65W option manages it in 2 hours and 23 minutes using its USB type C port. These are impressive figures in the relatively short-term window of this hands-on: Time would tell if they could maintain this performance in the future. In addition, the RAVPower bricks were prone to causing high-pitched squealing noises when applied to the ultrabook, similar to those emitted by some other fast-charging accessories.

A handy Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ should also be extremely compatible with the accessories…in theory. However, there is also a OnePlus 3, a phone that remains in a semi-daily-driver role not the least because of its well-sustained ability to charge by 80% in about 50 minutes with its in-house power brick. How will this record hold up against the newer RAVPower wall-warts?

Well, the answer is not as may be expected. All three of these devices charge, as noted above, at a variety of standard PD rates. The OnePlus, on the other hand, adheres to an atypical, in-house 5V/4A system (or, according to eBay's finest (all right, newest) USB type C-enabled multimeter, about 4V/3.5A on a regular basis – which, given factors such as power draw, the sockets or extension leads used and the power grid in this area, is a reasonable variation).

Therefore, when connected to different chargers, it defaults to a rate of about 3-4V/1-1.5A, which raised charging times to well over an hour in each case. This held true even in the case of the 90W charger, whose 20V/4.5A setting could conceivably have handled it – in theory.

This is influenced by a range of factors, the most prominent of which, is, again, probably the proprietary charging technology. The lesson here is that phones from OEMs who develop their own fast-charging standard cannot power up at the speeds advertised with third-party bricks or cables, even ones with fancy GaN specs such as these RAVPowers. Thanks, OnePlus.

What about devices with standard power profiles? With the exception of the 90W SKU, the PD Pioneer series were found to be able to charge the Galaxy Note 10+ at the same approximate peak rate (~8.9V/2A, or about 18W) of its own 25W power brick. The phablet responded in the same way while using either its own USB C to C cable or the RAVPower one.

In addition, this port had no problem with the OnePlus neckbuds and their own cable. Again, it does so at the rate best suited to the device in question, possibly thanks to its iSmart technology.

The RAVPower PD Pioneer series may be of interest to users with modern-day charging needs in a compact form-factor. Their main draw may be in the ability to power even some newer ultrabooks in a pinch while being around the same size as the average smartphone wall-wart. (Then again, the temperatures reached by the 90W SKU while doing so are a hint that this should perhaps not be an everyday feat for these products.)

Therefore, it can be said that these GaN-powered accessories are viable and versatile accessories. The 65W (RP-PC133) option, however, might be of the greatest use to those with a mix of older and newer tech.

This is an important factor to consider while shopping for one of these accessories: this SKU has a normal price of $47.99, whereas the 61W option is $39.99. Its 90W counterpart, on the other hand, is a more substantial investment at $65.99 (correct at time of writing).

These SKUs, however, are subject to a limited-time 20% discount. This is available on Amazon with the codes NOTPC112 (61W) and NOTPC128 (90W), respectively, and is in effect until June 25, 2020.

Nevertheless, their prices may strike one as high for a charging accessory, even a high-tech one – however, for contrast, even Apple’s in-house 30W charger is set at $49.99, whereas its 96W counterpart is no less than $79.99.

Furthermore, Samsung’s 45W charger sets the user back $49.99, whereas its standard 25W brick would be $34.99. A replacement Razer 100W charger, on the other hand, costs $99.99. On the other hand, the number of players in this same GaN-empowered space is growing, and they offer some very cost-effective alternatives. However, having not tested these competitor products, we can’t speak to their efficacy.

However, the function and reliability (with the exception of the "neckbud" incident) of the RAVPower bricks under consideration here have been verified. Therefore, these bricks could be recommended as versatile travel chargers (presuming that use-case comes up again soon) or perhaps as replacement bricks for those who value quality and brand-recognition in their power accessories.

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