Tushar Mehta / Digital Trends
Apple ’s motion to remove the courser from the box has direct to at least one good thing : It has given rise to a whole new competitive diligence focussed onsuper - fast chargers . While that has also opened the penstock for an overwhelming number of options , companies are now hold out beyond basics like charging speeds and number of interface to stand out .
A great example of that phenomenon is the Acefast Z4 — a GaN charger that outshines the bulk of chargers with feature beyond fast charging . It houses four ports and a total output of over 200W , which mean you could charge intimately every phone , add-on , or even laptop with this courser . But its large advantage lies in its charming appearance , and I think it might just be the most right - looking — yet low-cost — charger I have ever used .
Tushar Mehta / Digital Trends
Have you ever seen a charger like this?
Looks are a major part of this Acefast Z4 courser ’s appeal , so the first affair you notice is its winning figure . Its outer consistency is made of rigid charge plate , but its atomic number 22 - colored finish makes it attend like a brushed metallic element surface . Although appealing , this Ti - inspired aerofoil is not the blueprint ’s main highlight . Instead , three component scout the charger ’s aesthetic .
The first of them is the transparent panel on the front . Acefast depart all - in , exposing the circuit circuit card inside , and to a gadget geek like me , it bet terrific . For those who are more than concerned in just glancing at good - wait pieces of tech and can comprehend what ’s inside , the resistors , capacitors , and what have you would surely be more insightful . But to me ( and , I ’m sure , many others like me ) , it ’s as cryptic as lettering inAurebesh . Still , it ’s an lovely and remarkable pile that seizes your attention every clock time you count at it , no matter how many time you previously have eyeball it .
Four USB larboard — three Type - C and one Type - A — emerge from the charger ’s circuit board through the transparent dialog box . Although I call up adding lighting around the ports would make it extra corking , the current aesthetic is best than most battery charger I have had on my desk .
A display that keeps you coming back
The 2nd visually intriguing feature is the colour show on the front . Displays are increasingly common on chargers and ability banks , as they aid indicate the remain power or the charge charge per unit . But these are mostly limited to monochrome window with uninspiring calculator - like text . Unlike those eyesores , Acefast Z4 has a colored TFT panel , which , although it measures just about the size of anApple Watch ’s display , is a bonus to have on a charger . It ’s not supremely vibrant or knifelike , but just adept enough to bewitch anyone ’s attention or be readable from a reasonable space .
The display ’s cognitive content are segmented into six small orthogonal areas . The top is reserved for stigmatization , and the bottom displays the musical mode , which interchange the maximal speeds at each port ( I ’ll discuss this below ) . The other four are color - coded and map to each of the four USB ports . Each of these colored box shows the real - metre charging and the maximal sustain rate across the ports . Apart from changes in charge upper , the content primarily remain unchanged .
to boot , the display has a self - adjust brightness suiting to the ambient lighting . This inarguably helps when the courser is used in a dark stage setting , such as on a bedside table at night , and forestall the backlight from being detestable .
I still wish there were options to customize the showing orset a screensaver like this baron banking concern . But given that existing functionality is markedly more than what we get on other chargers , I ca n’t plain .
One-button control
The third aspect of the charger ’s aesthetic is a great square - shaped button positioned between the screen and the USB ports . The button wait on two purpose : a single press toggles between the different modes ( changes the speeds on each larboard ) , and a double closet puts the screen to kip — just in case you find it deflect ( constrict it again reactivate the presentation ) .
While the button itself has little import to the charger ’s aesthetic , it is a utile factor — and one that many other chargers miss . Most other multi - larboard chargers knead only at default rate based on the number of ports plight . This might often mean the gamey - upper ports are not utilized to their full capability , while the low - upper one are throttle to lower rates than desired . take manual command , therefore , allows better usefulness and optimal performance across unlike port wine .
But is it a good charger?
While esthetics easily set the Acefast Z4 aside from the rest of the chargers , it does n’t slack off when it comes to its primary design ( which , unluckily , is n’t just about looking honest ) .
stake by GaN ( gallium nitride ) technology , the charger confirm a combined output of 218 watts distribute across the four ports . There are four configuration or modes for the dispersion of charge , which can be toggled using the release on the front . Here ’s what the dispersion looks like in different fashion :
These power rating are sufficient to institutionalise most of the portable devices we apply regularly . The Acefast Z4 support pop charging protocols , admit USB - PD ( Power Delivery ) 3.0 and PPS ( Programmable Power Supply ) . With these cross , you may charge the majority of gimmick — not just mobile devices but also laptops , portable gaming consoles , or even portable monitors .
Over the last couple of months , I have been consistently using it as my desk to charge my 13 - in MacBook Pro , an 11 - in iPad Pro , almost half a dozen sound that I hoodwink throughout the day , countless earbuds , and much everything that can be feed using a USB connection . While fewer cables now use conclusion with USB - A , the port supports up to 18W lodge , which mean it can still be used to charge iPhones at the highest amphetamine , accessories such as earbuds , wireless headphones , etc . — or personal computer peripherals such as wireless keyboards , mice , and monitor visible radiation .
Charges everything, everywhere
I would say the Acefast charger has been a dependable aid and even more beneficial while travel . It eliminates the need to carry multiple battery charger while impart no way for anxiety about hunt down out of stamp battery on some machine . Consistent fast - charging across all ports ensure no twist is left behind . The inauspicious elision here is Android devices that utilize proprietary tight - charge technology and need very specific charger — or my onetime iPhone 11 , which deplorably does not have the capableness to loyal armorial bearing . Other than that , if you ’re using strapping play laptops , the 100W output may barely suffice to keep them afloat .
Overall , you would n’t long for another charger , be it while using this in a fixed position or while traveling . One thing to deliberate is that the Acefast courser is n’t specifically light — it weighs about 650 grams or about 1.4 pounds . Alone , that may seem a lot , but your reservations will straightaway dissolve when you consider the unite exercising weight and the space take away by four freestanding courser with similarly fast - charging speeds .
The company offer a 5 - foot - prospicient line with options for almost every cud character based on your region , so you’re able to access might wall plug in the tightest spaces . An organizer tag on the electric cord just makes your life easier , be it for restrain your desk neat or traveling compact car .
A handsome no-brainer
The Acefast Z4 ’s good looks easily distinguish it from the swarm of likewise drab chargers . The informative exhibit is also engage if you , like me , scratch about see to it your gadgets are charging at the highest possible speed . Even if that ’s not the case , the colourful elements add animation to your desk or any flat surface where you place the charger .
The charger ’s ability to fast - charge multiple devices at once , with transference rates up to 100W per embrasure , makes it fairly reliable . More interestingly , the button to toggle dissimilar charging amphetamine across different ports help you optimize them more expeditiously .
But what genuinely makes this charger an exciting offering is its price . you’re able to get the Acefast Z4 for only $ 80 . In comparability , similarly speedy courser with three-fold - digit charging speedscould be considerably more . You probably would n’t find a more effective and better - looking battery charger at this price , and that makes the Acefast Z4 one of my favorite accessories I have tested and used recently .
