Navitas GaNFast Universal international charger REVIEW | Mac Sources9.2

Power your trip with a single-port USB-C charger with three detachable, multi-head adaptors.

Whether you travel locally or abroad, one must consider several factors. We need to plan for the desired wall plug, power output of the region, weight of the packed goods, and what tech items we actually need to keep charged. As our devices move from USB-micro/Lightning to USB-C, it can become quite a struggle to find a universal charging system that will charge all of those devices. Thanks to USB-C to Lightning cables for my iPhone 11 Pro Max and USB-C charging on my iPad Pro 11", I only require a USB-C port. Hopefully, in the next generation of iPhones, they move to USB-C charging as well. Thanks to the Navitas Mu GaNFast travel adapter, I have a lightweight, multi-country USB-C charging option.

The Navitas GaNFast Universal Travel Adaptor arrived in a 6 11/16 inches wide by 5 5/8 inches tall by 13/16 inches thick black retail package. Surrounding the case like a belt, you will find a blue/black 1 13/16 inches tall slipcover. In white bold font, you will see “Enjoy going GaNFast with the worlds’ thinnest universal travel adapter!” Beneath this section, you will find a bold black “Let’s go GanFast!” the www.GoNFast.com website, and a QR code. Both side panels listed the Navitas name. Sliding the slipcover away from the main box, I was surprised to only find an etched “mu” upon the cover panel. Without any listed specifications and product details, I was not able to fully understand the device prior to opening the packaging to examine the included contents. Lifting the lid, I found the same etched “mu” icon on the internal black surface. I slid the internal box out from within the internal box and found a three-part charger within a plastic form-fitted cutout. Lastly, beneath the Navitas mu GaNFast adaptor, I found a 6 1/4 inches wide by 5 1/2 inches tall instruction manual.

Before removing any of the components from the plastic cutout, I decided to peruse the instruction manual. The included mu ONE: International charger has charging heads for The UK, The American, as well as The European EU. Once you have selected the desired head, slide the head onto the 45Watt Type C power block. Insert the desired plug into the appropriate country power socket and then insert a USB-C cable into the device. Subsequently, you can insert the opposite end of the USB-C cable into your smart device. The mu adaptor is capable of accepting 100–240V at 50/60Hz, with 1.25A input. It is capable of outputting DC 5V/3A, 9V/3A, 15V/3A, 20V/2.25A. Even though the product was made in China, it did not include the standard Type I adaptor (Australia, China, Argentina, New Zealand). The adaptor is capable of accepting the 220V supply, but it did not have the ability to plug into the standard Chinese wall outlets. Additionally, the device will not work for several countries as there is no included Type D (India), Type E (France, Belgium, Poland), Type H(Israel), nor Type L (Italy and Chile).

I slid the USA adaptor onto the mu base and then plugged the charger into the Type B wall port located on the side of a BESTEK charging cube. I plugged a DROK USB-C LCD Multimeter into the USB-C port, a USB-C to Lightning cable into the charger, and then the lightning port into my iPhone 11 Pro Max. The multimeter read 8.99V/2.55A. Starting at 17% power at 12:58 pm, I allowed the device to charge my phone until 1:33 pm. In that period of time, my iPhone increased from 17% to 69%. By 1:51PM my phone was at 82%. I was quite pleased with the power output of the GaNFast charging device. For a subsequent test, I removed my iPhone from the charger and plugged a USB-C to USB-C cable into the USB-C port on the charger and into my iPad Pro 11". The Multimeter read 14.8V/1.83A. Again, the power output of the 86 gram device proved to be more than adequate, as I found that my iPad Pro 11" charged fully from around 2 am to about 6 am.

No matter where you are going, you should be able to find room for a ~3.03-ounce charger. I added each of the three heads to the device and weighed them individually. The USA and European Union charging heads weighed the same at 86grams, but the UK charging head weighed 3 grams more. Incredibly happy with the device, I was disappointed that they did not include a bag to wrangle the two extra detached heads/devices while on-the-go. The only other small gripe was with a single output port. With weight reduction as a goal, I understand the use of a single port. However, many people travel with more than a single electronic device. Thus, many of us may struggle to keep all of our devices charged, when only able to charge one at a time. I was pleased with the weight of the device, with the charging rate, with the size/shape, and the option to use the device in several countries (I did not get to evaluate the international chargers). The use of Gallium Nitride (GaN) was appreciated and likely led to the reduced size of the device. With so many positives, I feel that the biggest negative was the lack of an included case/travel bag. If staying in the USA alone, there may be better multi-port hubs for your everyday needs. However, for the lightweight traveler or those desiring to travel abroad, this device may fulfill your charging needs.

Learn more about the Mu International Charger. Kickstarter.
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Originally published at https://macsources.com on January 24, 2020.