Review: Anker PowerPort III Nano is the charger Apple should've shipped with the iPhone 11...

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2021
Apple's switching to a USB-C charging plug for the iPhone 11 Pro is welcome news, but that charger is large. In comparison, the new Anker PowerPort III Nano makes for a compact USB-C charger that can charge up all your mobile gear with the smallest footprint.

Anker PowerPort Nano III
Anker PowerPort Nano III


To the celebration of users everywhere, Apple finally included a Fast Charge enabled USB-C power brick in the box with the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. Even though both phones still use Lightning, so there's an adapter to make it work with the new charger, it's still much faster than we've seen with previous phones. Yet it is still a bit on the big size, and the whole point of an iPhone is to use this slim and powerful device everywhere.

So while we've stopped complaining about Apple not providing a USB-C charger, we've moved on a little to how the company should've used something like the new Anker PowerPort III Nano.

From the outside, the small size of the PowerPort III Nano means that it has more in common with Apple's legacy 5W USB-A charger rather than the newer 18W USB-C brick.

Anker PowerPort Nano III  compared to Apple's 5W charger
Anker PowerPort Nano III compared to Apple's 5W charger


It has a small square size that is only millimeters larger than Apple's own 5W charger. The sides have a matte finish and the front is slightly beveled with a glossy shine.

This brick is capable of up to 18W of power output which is enough to Fast Charge any iPhone that supports it. With Fast Charge, Apple says an iPhone can get up to 50-percent charge in only 30 minutes.

It also supports Anker's newest PowerIQ 3 technology. According to Anker, PowerIQ 3 is so well tuned to each device that it can actually charge an iPhone faster than a standard USB-C PD charger. It's not really that significantly faster, but quicker always counts.

This is also coming from Anker -- a long-standing company, renowned for its charging prowess. There are a lot of no-name brands on Amazon, but through direct experience, we've come to trust Anker and to like everything about the company's products.

Except possibly the branding that's everywhere around this particular charger. Still, even with its blue IQ3 on the front and Anker stamped down the side, this is a delightfully powerful and compact charger.

Anker PowerPort Nano III works over USB-C
Anker PowerPort Nano III uses USB-C


The USB-C brick included with the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max isn't bad -- but the Anker PowerPort III Nano is even more compact.

If you aren looking to pick up a first USB-C power brick for your iPhone or iPad, or you want to nab a second for your new iPhone 11 Pro or Pro Max, this is definitely a standout option.

Pros


  • Smaller than Apple's USB-C charger
  • Slightly faster than Apple's charger, at least with iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max
  • Delivers up to 18W of power, meaning it can be used with devices that support Apple's Fast Charge

Cons


  • You already get Apple's USB-C charger in the iPhone box
  • The branding is unsubtle, to say the best

Score: 4.5 out of 5

Where to buy

You can pick up the Anker PowerPort III Nano from Amazon for $19.99.

Also check out all the best USB-C to Lightning cables in our roundup guide.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 19
    I guess we have to complain about something
    GeorgeBMacentropysrandominternetpersonStrangeDaysbonobob
  • Reply 2 of 19
    The RawPower GN3 brick provide 85W and can be used for any device.  In that sense having one universal charger allows you to keep all the devices charged up as quickly as possible. Would be nice to have a USB-C connector in the iPhone so you would need to have one less cord.
    caladanian
  • Reply 3 of 19
    It's been "currently unavailable" on Amazon for the past two to three weeks now.Hoping it will be restocked soon.
    JaiOh81watto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 19
    I have been waiting for USB-C since iPhone X. Still waiting.
    caladanian
  • Reply 5 of 19
    john.bjohn.b Posts: 2,742member
      I’m not finding this on Amazon. Which is just as well, without folding prongs they aren’t likely to sell many anyway.
  • Reply 6 of 19
    Joe PiervincentiJoe Piervincenti Posts: 26unconfirmed, member
    Think you mean “to say the least”, not to say the best :)   Might also want to mention that this also works for phones that don’t have 18W chargers included, like the regular 11 and the two previous generations.. so only a con to some people...
    GeorgeBMacwatto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 19
    Joe PiervincentiJoe Piervincenti Posts: 26unconfirmed, member
    john.b said:
      I’m not finding this on Amazon. Which is just as well, without folding prongs they aren’t likely to sell many anyway.
    It’s there when you follow the link, just maybe not in stock yet.
  • Reply 8 of 19
    Joe PiervincentiJoe Piervincenti Posts: 26unconfirmed, member
    urahara said:
    I have been waiting for USB-C since iPhone X. Still waiting.
    18W USB-C fast chargers have worked on iPhone since the 8... unless you mean for something else?
    GeorgeBMacwatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 19
    Joe PiervincentiJoe Piervincenti Posts: 26unconfirmed, member
    doggone said:
    The RawPower GN3 brick provide 85W and can be used for any device.  In that sense having one universal charger allows you to keep all the devices charged up as quickly as possible. Would be nice to have a USB-C connector in the iPhone so you would need to have one less cord.
    yeah but the iPhone still isn’t capable of anywhere near 85W, but yeah, it will still work!
  • Reply 10 of 19
    payecopayeco Posts: 580member
    urahara said:
    I have been waiting for USB-C since iPhone X. Still waiting.
    18W USB-C fast chargers have worked on iPhone since the 8... unless you mean for something else?
    I think he means he’s waiting for them to ditch Lightning and switch to USB-C input.
  • Reply 11 of 19
    MplsPMplsP Posts: 3,911member
    payeco said:
    urahara said:
    I have been waiting for USB-C since iPhone X. Still waiting.
    18W USB-C fast chargers have worked on iPhone since the 8... unless you mean for something else?
    I think he means he’s waiting for them to ditch Lightning and switch to USB-C input.
    Yes, this. I can’t understand why Apple switched the wall side to USB C but not the device side. USB A was never a limiting factor here, and all this does is clutter things more by making people buy USB C to Lightning cables. Including the kids’ school iPads, we have 8 Apple devices that all use USB A cables. What does adding a USB C cable give me? Nothing. 

    john.b said:
      I’m not finding this on Amazon. Which is just as well, without folding prongs they aren’t likely to sell many anyway.
    doggone said:
    The RawPower GN3 brick provide 85W and can be used for any device.  In that sense having one universal charger allows you to keep all the devices charged up as quickly as possible. Would be nice to have a USB-C connector in the iPhone so you would need to have one less cord.
    yeah but the iPhone still isn’t capable of anywhere near 85W, but yeah, it will still work!
    The Apple 5A charger never had folding prongs - only the 12W one did. This is the same size as the 5w one. 

    The 85W charger is totally unnecessary if all you’re doing is charging an iPhone,  it it would let you use one charger for both your phone and your MacBook. 
  • Reply 12 of 19
    Apple's switching to a USB-C charging plug for the iPhone 11 Pro is welcome news, 
    To the celebration of users everywhere, Apple finally included a Fast Charge enabled USB-C power brick in the box
    Yeah, no. Not really. The delusion is strong with this blog in regard to USB-C. People who are not tech blog hounds will be universally disappointed when their iPhone includes a cable that plugs into nothing, and a uniquer power brick.

    No one cares how long it takes to charge an iPhone. They charge for 8 hours overnight.


    thtStrangeDays
  • Reply 13 of 19
    thttht Posts: 5,420member
    Would be helpful if this Anker charger was actually pictured with the 18 W Apple charger. 
    StrangeDayscaladanianwatto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 19
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,834member
    MplsP said:
    payeco said:
    urahara said:
    I have been waiting for USB-C since iPhone X. Still waiting.
    18W USB-C fast chargers have worked on iPhone since the 8... unless you mean for something else?
    I think he means he’s waiting for them to ditch Lightning and switch to USB-C input.
    Yes, this. I can’t understand why Apple switched the wall side to USB C but not the device side. USB A was never a limiting factor here, and all this does is clutter things more by making people buy USB C to Lightning cables. Including the kids’ school iPads, we have 8 Apple devices that all use USB A cables. What does adding a USB C cable give me? Nothing.  
    I guess you missed all the discussions where exactly this was predicted -- Apple retaining Lighting, which is arguably better than USB-C and less of a complete hassle for every iPhone user on earth to have to replace cables for, and switching the wall-side to USB-C via new cables for those that want them. That's exactly what they did. Switching the wall-side wasn't supposed to "give" you anything, it's just the newer physical USB plug. 
    edited October 2019 n2itivguywatto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 19
    rwx9901rwx9901 Posts: 100member
    I don't know that you can get 0-50% charge on an 18W charger. You can with a 45W.
  • Reply 16 of 19
    thttht Posts: 5,420member
    rwx9901 said:
    I don't know that you can get 0-50% charge on an 18W charger. You can with a 45W.
    iPhones will only draw 18 W max. There’s no point in getting anything larger than 18 W. 

    The iPhone 11 Pro Max has a 15 WHr battery. The 18 W charger probably can only deliver 16 to 17 W. 50% of the 15 WHr is 8 WHr rounded up. At 16 W power draw, it’ll charge up 8 WHr in 30 min. 

    So yup, the 18 Watt chargers have enough power to charge up an 11 Pro Max by 50% points (below 80% capacity) in 30 min. 

    So, I repeat, iPhones only draw up to 18 Watt at most. Heck, if you can find a 10 W charger for $5, that might be you best bang for the buck, assuming you have an non-Pro 11 or older model iPhone. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 19
    urahara said:
    I have been waiting for USB-C since iPhone X. Still waiting.
    Ditto - one of the reasons I bucked this cycle was because of the continued use of the awful lightning connector -great for Apple's bottom line through licensing and sales but crappy for the consumer.
    caladanian
  • Reply 18 of 19
    MplsPMplsP Posts: 3,911member
    MplsP said:
    payeco said:
    urahara said:
    I have been waiting for USB-C since iPhone X. Still waiting.
    18W USB-C fast chargers have worked on iPhone since the 8... unless you mean for something else?
    I think he means he’s waiting for them to ditch Lightning and switch to USB-C input.
    Yes, this. I can’t understand why Apple switched the wall side to USB C but not the device side. USB A was never a limiting factor here, and all this does is clutter things more by making people buy USB C to Lightning cables. Including the kids’ school iPads, we have 8 Apple devices that all use USB A cables. What does adding a USB C cable give me? Nothing.  
    I guess you missed all the discussions where exactly this was predicted -- Apple retaining Lighting, which is arguably better than USB-C and less of a complete hassle for every iPhone user on earth to have to replace cables for, and switching the wall-side to USB-C via new cables for those that want them. That's exactly what they did. Switching the wall-side wasn't supposed to "give" you anything, it's just the newer physical USB plug
    No, I saw them. I was just hopeful Apple would do something actually useful/beneficial for the end user. 

    Changing one end of the cable is no less of a hassle than changing both ends. If there’s no benefit to switching the wall side plug then why do it? No we have the worst of both worlds - the hassle of a different cable with no actual benefit from the switch
  • Reply 19 of 19
    rwx9901rwx9901 Posts: 100member
    tht said:
    rwx9901 said:
    I don't know that you can get 0-50% charge on an 18W charger. You can with a 45W.
    iPhones will only draw 18 W max. There’s no point in getting anything larger than 18 W. 

    The iPhone 11 Pro Max has a 15 WHr battery. The 18 W charger probably can only deliver 16 to 17 W. 50% of the 15 WHr is 8 WHr rounded up. At 16 W power draw, it’ll charge up 8 WHr in 30 min. 

    So yup, the 18 Watt chargers have enough power to charge up an 11 Pro Max by 50% points (below 80% capacity) in 30 min. 

    So, I repeat, iPhones only draw up to 18 Watt at most. Heck, if you can find a 10 W charger for $5, that might be you best bang for the buck, assuming you have an non-Pro 11 or older model iPhone. 
    Just damn.  Wish I would've known that before dropping dime on a Ravpower 61W charger.  Thanks for the heads up.
    watto_cobra
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