There are now quite a few USB-C chargers with PowerDelivery and GaN technology. However, only the more expensive models can deliver a lot of performance and quickly charge several devices at the same time while on the move. This test report is about the award-winning accessory VOLTME Revo 140W GaN Power charger, which has exactly these features. It has an enormous charging power of 140 watts via PowerDelivery 3.1 and offers two USB-C ports and one USB-A port, which currently retails for only $48 (instead of $60) on Aliexpress and Amazon.
The seller, “VOLTME” is a brand launched by Voltnex Innovations Technology, which has a track record of over 20 years in the charging field. In terms of quality, it is compared to other manufacturers. There is no comparison. In addition, this product has received high praise from experts, including winning the “Best of Innovation” award at CES 2023, the world’s largest technology exhibition held once a year in Las Vegas.
Recently, this 140w charger has arrived in the editorial office. The courtesy of VOLTME, who has kindly provided us with the products. It is the ideal charger for those who travel, those who have several devices, and those who want to save time and energy. We have been testing it thoroughly to tell you if it is worth it. Find out below.
Specifications
- Weight: 262 grams
- Dimensions: 7.8 x 3.2 x 7.8 cm (3.07 x 1.26 x 3.07 inches)
- Input power: 100-240VAC, 2.A, 50-60Hz
- Output power: 140 watts (max)
- Outputs: 2 USB-C plus 1 USB-A
- Intelligent power allocation: Yes
- Technology: GaN
- USB-A port compatibility: SCP, QC3.0, AFC, FCP, APPLE 5V2.4A, BC1.2 supported (most devices)
- USB-C port compatibility: PD3.1(PD3.0\PD2.0), QC5.0(QC4.0\QC3.0\QC2.0), PPS, AFC, APPLE 5V2.4A, BC1.2 enabled laptops, tablets, and phones
Unboxing
Let’s unpack “VOLTME Revo 140W” and take a look at the package contents and the appearance of the main unit.
The package has a stylish design with a gray and orange color scheme.
The specifications are written on the back, and you can see the certifications.
In the packaging, you will find the main unit with an instruction manual that is available in multiple languages, including English.
Personally, the fact that the specifications are detailed is a plus point.
The “THANK YOU” card that comes with it. This kind of thing makes me happy.
Appearance and size of the main unit
This product is available in two colors, “black/white”, but the one we will be reviewing this time is the “black” one. You can see the “VOLTME” logo on the bottom left of the main unit. It’s hard to tell in the photo, but there is a dot-like design on the top right of the device. The four corners of the main body are rounded, giving it a soft impression and making it easy to fit in your hand.
Various specifications and PSE marks are written on the bottom of the main unit.
The plug is foldable, i think it is essential that the USB charger plug is foldable, so there is no need to worry about this.
USB port configuration is “USB-C x 2, USB-A x 1”. There are still many devices that only support USB-A, so this is an easy-to-use configuration that can charge any device.
How I picked it up. As expected, it has an output of 140W, so its size and weight are large.
The actual weight is 262.7 grams. As expected, it has a large output, so it is not light, but it is actually one of the lightest 140W class chargers.
Comparison with other USB chargers
To get a better idea of how big the VOLTME Revo 140W is, let’s compare it with other chargers.
Apple genuine 96W USB-C power adapter
First, let’s compare it with the Apple 96W USB-C power adapter that comes with the 14-inch MacBook Pro. Apple’s genuine USB charger only outputs up to 96W and has only one USB port.
But “VOLTME Revo 140W” is about the same size (or rather, smaller), and has two USB-C and one USB port. -A port configuration of 1. You can see that the specs are superior enough to be called completely upward compatible.
Next, the USB charger with the highest output is the ” MATECH Sonichage 130W “, and here’s how it compares.
Although “ MATECH Sonichage 130W ” has more USB ports, “VOLTME Revo 140W” is superior in terms of the maximum output and smaller body size.
What does it mean that the size is small even though the maximum output is large. I felt that USB chargers have evolved so much.
Usage experience
We will use “VOLTME Revo 140W” and look at its charging performance. First, let’s take a look at what happens when charging a 14-inch MacBook Pro. I will try charging the USB-C1, which can output up to 140W, using MagSafe 3.
As a result, the value was 81.450W. It is certainly fast, but it seems modest considering the maximum power of 140W.
I checked the power supply information from the Mac’s system information, and the wattage was recognized as 100W. Well, why is this? After doing some research, I found out that the 14-inch MacBook Pro I am using is not compatible with 140W high-speed charging.
In the first place, to enable high-speed charging exceeding 100W, the “USB charger, cable, and charging device” must all support “USB PD EPR (Extended Power Range)”.
In this case, the “USB charger (VOLTME Revo 140W)” and “cable (USB-C to MagSafe 3)” are compatible with USB PD EPR, but the “14-inch MacBook Pro” is not compatible. This means that 140W was not output.
As of May 2023, only the “16-inch MacBook Pro” is compatible with 140W fast charging, so if you are using other MacBooks or Windows laptops, you will not be able to charge at 140W. However, if you’re wondering if this product is useless, that’s a different story.
Even if it does not support “USB PD EPR”, USB PD itself supports charging up to 100W, and even when using multiple ports at the same time, the output of each port is unlikely to drop. It has characteristics.
Specifically, the combination shown above has a maximum output of 140W, so even if all three ports are used at the same time, USB-C1 can output 65W and USB-C2 can output 45W. This is powerful enough to charge a MacBook Pro and a MacBook Air at high speed at the same time, so if you have multiple devices, you can fully utilize the power of this product.
*Additional note: Regarding durability under high load
As I received in the comments, there is a phenomenon where the device shuts down when charging at the maximum high load of 140W. Unfortunately, I don’t have a 16-inch MacBook Pro, so I can’t try full 140W charging, but instead, I tried charging two devices at the same time: an M1 MacBook Air and a 14-inch MacBook Pro.
Since the two USB-C ports charge at the same time, the output should be 130W (65W x 2).
I tried charging both the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro at the same time from almost 0% battery. If you use two USB-C ports at the same time, the output per port will be 65W. When I checked it with a USB checker, I found that the output was close to 65W, which is almost in line with the specifications.
I tried charging two devices at the same time for about 40 to 50 minutes. Both PC batteries were able to charge to over 90%, almost fully charged, but during this time, under my environment, there were no shutdowns.
While charging, I also touched the charger itself. I could certainly feel the heat, but it wasn’t so hot that I couldn’t touch it, and it didn’t seem like it was shutting down.
After that, I checked its temperature while fast-charging with three devices, and I recorded a maximum of 49.1 degrees C (120.4 degrees F). Although this is warm, it’s average for GaN chargers of this size.
Conclusion
“VOLTME Revo 140W” is a powerful USB charger that has 3 USB ports and can output up to 140W. Although there are not many USB chargers that support 140W output, it is compact-sized in the 140W class and is easy to use, with the plug also being foldable. Unfortunately, there are very few devices that support 140W charging. At the moment, the only product available is the 16-inch MacBook Pro.
There are indeed only a few compatible devices, but the advantage is the large output of each when charging multiple devices at the same time. If you want to charge your laptop, tablet, smartphone, etc. all at once at high speed, the power of “VOLTME Revo 140W” will come in handy.
This USB charger is recommended not only for those who own a “16-inch MacBook Pro” but also for heavy users who own multiple devices, so if you are looking for a USB charger with a large output, Please check out “VOLTME Revo 140W“. You can buy it for around $48 (instead of $60) from Aliexpress and Amazon, which I think is amazing.
Pros
- Compatible with USB PD 3.1, capable of outputting up to 140W
- Compact size for a 140W USB charger
- Easy-to-use configuration with USB-C x 2 and USB-A x 1
- The output can be maintained even when charging multiple devices at the same time.
Cons
- None I can think of