For the past couple of years, I’ve been praising devices that charge through USB-c and complaining about devices that haven’t upgraded. USB-c is great. Not only is it symmetrical, no more checking which way to plug in, but it’s made its way across all the platforms and devices. As a result, I’ve been upgrading my battery packs and charging stations. Anker has been one of my go-to brands when it comes to portable batteries and power bricks. When they announced their lineup of Anker PowerPort Atom PD power bricks, I was hyped thinking it can help lighten the load of my tech bag. They were nice enough to send me the PowerPort Atom PD 4 charging station.
Design and Build
The Atom PD 4 looks like your typical Anker products. The all white charging station has 4 ports. It has 2 USB A ports and 2 USB-C ports It distributes 100w of charging power between the ports when multiple devices are connected. You can also get 100w from one USB c port when only one device is connected. It comes with a c7 power cord, so while you can travel with it, it’s meant to stay in place as a charging station.
Experience
As expected, the Atom PD 4 came through. Right now I carry an iPhone XS, Galaxy S10, Pixel 3 XL, and 11-inch iPad Pro. I also carry a pair of Bluetooth headphones. Rarely do I carry my MacBook Pro, but I did use it with the PD 4 at home to see how it held up. The Atom PD 4 is part of my main setup now since I rarely charge my phones overnight. I charge them in the morning and the PD 4 charges them quickly enough where I can plug them in and get at least a 70% charge before leaving my house.
Besides phones, I have laptops and tablets that charge via USB-C, and that’s where the Atom PD 4 is really useful. I can charge my 15-inch MacBook Pro and phones from one charger when needed and it helps clear some of the clutter. You can see how much larger the Atom PD 4 charge is than the charger for the 15-inch MacBook Pro. But you do have four ports as opposed to one.
Pricing and Availability
The PD 4 is not the price is priced higher than other USB-C chargers. That’s expected given the number of ports and fast charger capabilities. You can find it on amazon.com for $100. It’s currently unavailable on Amazon.com. There are other alternatives for Anker chargers if you find the Atom PD 4 is too big for you.
Verdict
The Atom PD 4 charger is definitely a go, especially if you have a laptop or tablet that charges via USB-C. It can save you time and space. Whether you keep it at your desk or use for the travel the Atom PD 4 gets the job done and you won’t regret purchasing it.
Anker Atom PD 4 Charging Station
$100
Pros
- Distributes outlook between all ports.
- Can charge up to 100w if one USB-C cable is plugged in.
Cons
- Not ideal for travel.
