Best Anker charging station under £80 reviewed: 200W GaN hub is perfect for decluttering your desk
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One of the consequences of the busy digital lives we all lead can be a profusion of wires trailing here, there, and everywhere.
They all pop in and out of random sockets, plugged into walls, extension leads, or computers and hubs. The best solution for this complex tangle is a desktop charging station.
And, when I wanted to test a really good one, I knew exactly where to go. Anker makes just about the best charging solutions on the market, and I've previously tested the company's Prime 250W charging station. I was so impressed I included it in my top 10 gadgets of 2024.
It is, however, a bit pricey. Thanks to its huge power output and a trick customisable LCD display, it weighs in at £159.99 - and that's a special offer price.
I wondered, then, what a cheaper Anker charging station would be like. And I was sent the 200W 6-Port GaN Charging Station, which costs half as much as the 250w flagship version at £79.99.
It's not as if you're getting half the device, not by any stretch. It still plugs into a wall socket with a reassuringly chunky single lead, and it has the same four USB-C sockets, and the same two USB-A sockets.
They're all on the front of this device, which is actually quite convenient, and that's because there's no display. It means you miss out on output information, but that's not always important, unless you're a bit of a geek, like I am.
It's also not as powerful, but it's not down by a huge amount. It has 200w of potential maximum output, and each USB-C port can provide up to 100w. That's actually plenty for most devices, even for beefy laptops.
And while you lack the individual power controls and customisation settings of the 250w charging station, I can't say I actually missed them all that much. I just kept reminding myself that this device is 100% cheaper, and I soon forgot all about it.
If you're interested in a USB charging station that will help you properly organise the devices you're charging, and perhaps even beef up your power output, I can heartily recommend this lovely little device.
It has Anker's textbook build quality, it's a doddle to set up and use, and it's been wonderfully reliable.
I realise £79.99 isn't cheap, and I realise there are other charging hubs out there that cost less money, but once you've tried a few Anker products, you just won't go back. They're superb.