Anker PowerPort III Nano review: Micro power
Anker offers a huge range of charging products for pretty much every imaginable charging need. His PowerPort III Nano is specially designed to save space. It has to be one of the most compact USB-C charging products ever to hit the market. When choosing the right charger for your devices, it’s not just size that matters. The perfect accessory depends on how much power you need and the fast charging standards on board. We’ll walk you through the pros and cons in Android Authority Anker PowerPort III nano test.
See also: The best mobile phone charging accessory
What you need to know about the Anker PowerPort III Nano
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
- Anker PowerPort III Nano: $ 15.99 / £ 19.99 / € 19.99 / Rs. 4,999
The Anker PowerPort III Nano is one of the most compact USB-C chargers on the market. The US design of the Anker PowerPort III Nano looks a little different than the UK version shown in this review. However, it’s still a very compact charger, measuring just 39.8 x 39.1 x 33 m (1.57 x 1.54 x 1.30 inches). The US and India models also have retractable tines for added mobility.
The connector has a single USB-C port that supports the USB Power Delivery 3.0 standard. Anker refers to this as PIQ 3.0, but it conforms to the same standard and also has support for Quick Charge, Apple Fast Charging, and other older standards. The port offers up to 20 W of power in modes 5 V 3 A or 9 V 2.22 A.
Continue reading: The best wall chargers you can buy
The Anker PowerPort III Nano is only available in white in the USA, Great Britain, the EU and India. Anker also sells a bundle of two ($ 23.99) or a bundle of three ($ 30.99) to save you some cash. There is no cable included.
What is good?
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
The compact size is the obvious selling point of the PowerPort III Nano. It’s small enough to fit in your pocket, making it the perfect travel companion or just a compact plug that you can discreetly tuck into your wall socket. Both the British and US designs are incredibly neat yet feel sturdy.
With up to 20 W of power on board, the charger has enough juice to cover a selection of small USB-C and USB power delivery gadgets. A number of smartphones, such as the Pixel 5 from Google, will switch to their maximum 18 W power with this connector. Even faster charging phones will fall back on 18W USB Power Delivery for slower charging speeds, so you are well protected in terms of compatibility.
The charger also supports the Nintendo Switch and other USB-C accessories with lower power. The charger’s PIQ 3.0 port also charged well some slightly older phones like the LG G8X (12W) and Nokia 7.1 (17W) that are based on older standards.
What’s not so good?
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
With only 20 W of power on board and only a single USB-C connection, the Anker PowerPort III Nano is a somewhat limited charger. For example, the Apple iPhone 13 can draw 20W of power, but my testing found that the 18.7W of power the phone gets is a bit below the mark. I’ve seen other plugs deliver a little more than 20W, although we shouldn’t argue too much about a few watts.
However, the connector does not support USB Power Delivery PPS to charge Samsung’s Galaxy S21 series at full speed. I recorded a rather mediocre 14.3W reaching the phone, significantly less than the 25W you get with a PPS compatible plug.
Forget about charging larger USB-C tablets and laptops with the adapter. While they are consuming electricity, it will take you several hours to reach a full tank at 20W. The lack of a USB-A port also means you may not be lucky enough to charge some older devices.
Anker PowerPort III Nano in the test: should I buy it?
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
At $ 19.99, Anker isn’t asking a lot of money for this ultra-compact charger, and the price feels right. It’s cheaper than the equally compact Spigen PowerArc ArcStation Pro ($ 26.99). The Nano is a solid choice if you’re looking to charge a phone using the USB Power Delivery 2.0 or 3.0 standard. Apple’s iPhones and Google’s Pixels are particularly well covered. The size of the charger is also great for tucking it in your laptop bag while you go to work or travel.
You will struggle to find a more compact charger for your smartphone needs.
There are a few caveats, however. This is definitely not a USB-C charger that can power more sophisticated laptops and tablets. It also doesn’t have the latest USB PD PPS or Quick Charge 5 specs used by some newer phones, so it’s not the most future-proof purchase. For these scenarios, you’ll need something like the 65W Anker PowerPort III pod ($ 39.99).
Anker PowerPort III Nano
Microcharge
The Anker PowerPort III Nano is an ultra-compact USB-C charger for charging 20W USB power delivery devices such as the latest iPhones from Apple.
Top Anker PowerPort III Nano questions and answers
Q: Does this charge iPhone 12 and 13 series quickly?
A: Yes, and pretty much at full speed.
Q: Does this charge a Samsung Galaxy S21 quickly?
A: No, although the Galaxy S21 series will still charge faster than a simple USB plug. However, it does not support the USB-PD-PSS standard which is required to fast charge these phones at maximum speed.
Q: Does this come with a cable?
On a. You’ll need to provide your own USB-C or Lightning adapter cable.
