Baseus 65W GaN USB-C Charger: The one accessory every MacBook user need to have
I have 3 main devices that I use on a daily basis; an iPhone 11 Pro, 11″ iPad Pro and a MacBook Pro 13″. Each of these have their own power adapters. These adapters are individually small and portable. However, all 3 of them very quickly add to the weight and bulk of my backpack. As the iPad Pro and iPhone 11 Pro shares the same type of charger, I instead carry the iPhone USB-A adapter. This is to ensure I have to ability to charge any other non-USB-C devices, such as my Apple Watch.
One option is to get a multi-port desktop chargers, such as the Anker PowerPort charger, which I use at my home. However, you can see that while there is less bulk, you do have to deal with the cabling of the charger which sometimes can be bulky as well.
The ideal charger then is one that has combination of USB-C and USB-A ports on a single charger block that has the power plug point embedded within the block, like Apple’s power adapters. And this exactly describes the Baseus 65W GaN USB-C charger!
Baseus 65W GaN USB-C Charger
Baseus 65W GaN USB-C charger is one of the many Gallium Nitride (GaN) chargers that have been popping up over the past year. Most power adapters uses silicon-based components which generates a pretty large amount of heat. This is why your power adapters gets a little toasty when its charging your devices. Gallium Nitride on the other hand is a lot more efficient and generates less heat. This allows manufacturers to pack the components of the charger into a smaller packaging without risking a component meltdown, literally. If you’re interested to know more, this article at howtogeek.com describes in detail how GaN changes the way power adapters are built.
I was initially skeptical myself if GaN-based chargers would live up to its hype. However, as my backpack felt heavier every day, I decided to take the plunge. Here in Singapore, most of the local retailers sells the version of the charger that has a 2-pin UK plug.
I did not go with that as it does not allow the charger to fold up the pins seamlessly away. Instead, I made sure to find and purchase the US / China 2-pin version of the charger. Once I’ve received it and used it for a few weeks, I regretted not getting it a lot earlier.
Comparing the Baseus 65W GaN USB-C Charger with the Apple power adapters
Let’s compare the Baseus 65W GaN USB-C charger with the Apple chargers.
With 2 USB-C ports and a single USB-A port, I can effectively replace all my 3 Apple power adapter with a single Baseus 65W GaN USB-C charger and a 3-pin UK plug adapter. 99% of all plug points in Singapore are of the 3-pin UK type. However, when I am travelling to a country that uses the US style 2-pin plug point as a standard, I usually just leave the adapter behind.
Let’s now compare it in detail with the MacBook Pro’s 61W USB-C power adapter.
As you can see from the comparison photos above, the size of the Baseus 65W GaN USB-C charger is really impressive. It is only slightly “thicker” and “longer” when compared to the Apple 61W USB-C power adapter. However, it is more than 1/2 the height!
When I changed the chargers configuration to use the 3-pin UK power plugs, my power plug adapter adds to the total extension at about 3 centimetres (roughly 1 inch) longer than the Apple’s power adapter. On my real-life use of the Baseus 65W GaN USB-C charger, it has not been a problem at all so far.
The weight is where things gets most interesting.
Baseus 65W GaN USB-C charger with the additional 3-pin plug adapter weighs in at 170g, a good 24g lighter than the Apple 61W USB-C power adapter with the 2-pin US plug. On its own, then Baseus 65W GaN USB-C charger is only 124g! The difference might seem little but I can assure you that it is actually noticeable!
The Baseus 65W GaN USB-C charger power output performance
While its true that the total charging capacity is ultimately lower with the Baseus 65W GaN USB-C charger alone, the reality is that I actually hardly need to charge all my devices at the same time. It is the MacBook Pro that generally needs to be constantly charged. This is where the Baseus 65W GaN USB-C charger works really great.
With only the first USB-C port used, you will be able to get a full 60W charge on your MacBook Pro, the exact same performance as the Apple 61W USB-C power adapter. And if you’re wondering, 60W is still usable to charge a 15″ MacBook Pro as well on regular use. I’ve always used the Apple 61W power adapter when I’m out and about when I was using my 15″ MacBook Pro, before switching to the lighter 13″ MacBook Pro at work. Just know that if you’re running power intensive workloads, like gaming or rendering 3D images, you will need the 87W power adapter to maintain the charge.
And when I plug in my USB-C to Lightning cable to charge my iPhone 11 Pro, the charge drops down to 45W to the MacBook Pro. This is still a useable charge level on regular office suite work usage of the MacBook Pro.
While the charger obviously works with any other devices that charges on USB-C, as you can see from the power output performances above, it is a great alternative to the standard Apple 61W USB-C power adapter that ships with your MacBook Pro 13″. In fact, I would highly recommend that you leave the heavier Apple power adapter plugged in at home and go out and about instead with the Baseus 65W GaN USB-C charger in your backpack. Your back will thank you for that.
