SATECHI 165W PD GaN USB-C Charger

I bought this to try to avoid taking multiple chargers with me when going abroad.
The fact it also allowed a separate power cable made it much easier to use with foreign power sockets.
However, I soon discovered it simply won't work with all devices, and unfortunately learnt this while travelling, as I bought it the day I was leaving.

I've tested it with 3 different Samsung phones, an Apple MBP, MS Surface Go, Dell XPS 13, and Lenovo Yoga Slim.
I've tested with several cables: Apple 100W USB-C cables, Samsung 60W USB-C cables, Anker 60W USB-C, Anker 100W USB-C, Momax 60W USB-C, UGREEN 100W Pro USB-C (i.e. with USB-C eMarkers)

However...view more I bought this to try to avoid taking multiple chargers with me when going abroad.
The fact it also allowed a separate power cable made it much easier to use with foreign power sockets.
However, I soon discovered it simply won't work with all devices, and unfortunately learnt this while travelling, as I bought it the day I was leaving.

I've tested it with 3 different Samsung phones, an Apple MBP, MS Surface Go, Dell XPS 13, and Lenovo Yoga Slim.
I've tested with several cables: Apple 100W USB-C cables, Samsung 60W USB-C cables, Anker 60W USB-C, Anker 100W USB-C, Momax 60W USB-C, UGREEN 100W Pro USB-C (i.e. with USB-C eMarkers)

However, with the Dell and Lenovo laptops, it refuses to negotiate power when connected directly.
Both these laptops have charged perfectly with an older Satechi 108W charger, a Belkin multi-port 100W BOOSTCharge Pro GAN charger, 4 different Apple Chargers, and an HP Thunderbird-3 Hub.

The Dell will continually connect and disconnect, and the Lenovo will complain about the charger providing far below the required voltage.
I can make them connect only with tricks I discovered with all the above testing, to try
- By connecting via a USB-C hub, like an Alogic 100W
- By connecting then *disconnecting* one of the above working devices to one of the other USB-C ports.

Searching the web, this seems to be a common complaint, too:
- https://www.reddit.com/r/UsbCHardware/comments/yj8nmx/satechi_165w_wont_charge_at_100w/
- https://web.archive.org/web/20220518213506/https://support.satechi.com/hc/en-us/articles/5312399733147-Using-Thunderbolt-and-USB4-Cables-with-the-165W-GaN-Charger-
- https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/all/satechi-165w-usb-c-4-port-pd-gan-charger-cannot/c0b32f73-af6e-48bd-8d79-8468d5c1ef41

First off, the issues raised in the review by WilliamR58 are accurate, reproducible, and are known faults of the product. I have experienced all of the issues reported in that review.

I have a MacBook Air M2 connected to the first port which reports 100W charging within MacOS. Good!
I then have two official Apple USB-C to Lightning cables installed to charge my iPad / iPhone etc. That's a bit overkill, but the problem is that even if they're not connected to a device it still reduces the power output of the first port down to 60W. Bad.
I finally have a HomePod Mini plugged into the last port, which is stable regardless of how many times ...view more First off, the issues raised in the review by WilliamR58 are accurate, reproducible, and are known faults of the product. I have experienced all of the issues reported in that review.

I have a MacBook Air M2 connected to the first port which reports 100W charging within MacOS. Good!
I then have two official Apple USB-C to Lightning cables installed to charge my iPad / iPhone etc. That's a bit overkill, but the problem is that even if they're not connected to a device it still reduces the power output of the first port down to 60W. Bad.
I finally have a HomePod Mini plugged into the last port, which is stable regardless of how many times I plug / unplug other cables. Good!

Unfortunately, I cannot use this charger with an HP Elitebook (G6 I think), as it constantly connects and disconnects (a known issue). As seen in the links in the aforementioned review, it negotiates and then drops the connection with the laptop, rendering it impossible to use as a power source for the laptop. Very bad!

For those who are sensitive to sound, there is a faint high pitch buzzing that comes from the unit, so you probably don't want this in your bedroom when trying to sleep. Though with daytime ambient noise, it's virtually silent.

I'm happy with my purchase as it suits the majority of my specific needs, but I am disappointed that it has flaws which require you to have a backup USB-C charger just in case you happen to have a device that this charger fails to negotiate with.

it simply won't work with all devices, like my HP ProBook USB-C PD charger not working with this. it simply won't work with all devices, like my HP ProBook USB-C PD charger not working with this.

It was great when I'm using old HP laptops (Elitebook G5 or G6), and I enjoyed just having to bring 1 charger for all of devices: laptops, tablets, phone, and watch. I can just use 1 charger to charge all of them at the same time. However, when I upgrade to newer ZBook that requires 100W of power, it just stop working. I've tried multiple cables: 100W, 240W, emarked as well as non-emarked, even those that Satechi made, The charger simply won't charge the laptop. However, when I tried using Alogic 100W GaN charger, the laptop charge perfectly while using the same cables that I tried with this charger also while having 2nd device charged at the...view more It was great when I'm using old HP laptops (Elitebook G5 or G6), and I enjoyed just having to bring 1 charger for all of devices: laptops, tablets, phone, and watch. I can just use 1 charger to charge all of them at the same time. However, when I upgrade to newer ZBook that requires 100W of power, it just stop working. I've tried multiple cables: 100W, 240W, emarked as well as non-emarked, even those that Satechi made, The charger simply won't charge the laptop. However, when I tried using Alogic 100W GaN charger, the laptop charge perfectly while using the same cables that I tried with this charger also while having 2nd device charged at the same time. This charger does have its benefit of being able to charge 4 usb-c devices and a life saver when it works, but I would recommend you to try it first if you can to make sure that your device can use this charger.

By: alextjahjana 19/07/24

Verified Owner

Will charge anything Apple, and any phone I've tried,

However to charge an HP Zbook which requires 90W, you have to plug something else in while the HP is plugged in to cause it to charge the HP. Will charge anything Apple, and any phone I've tried,

However to charge an HP Zbook which requires 90W, you have to plug something else in while the HP is plugged in to cause it to charge the HP.

I was very excited when I bought this, but soon discovered it wouldn't charge my Lenovo.
Most of my other devices worked fine, so I accepted it as a simple/single incompatibility.

Fast-forward a year, and have learnt it won't charge most Lenovo's, a brand-new Ugreen power bank, among a few other devices, suggesting to me that it's a pretty nasty design flaw.

I absolutely would not recommend this charger to anyone, and would go so far as to say this experience has made me very wary of buying any other Satechi devices. I was very excited when I bought this, but soon discovered it wouldn't charge my Lenovo.
Most of my other devices worked fine, so I accepted it as a simple/single incompatibility.

Fast-forward a year, and have learnt it won't charge most Lenovo's, a brand-new Ugreen power bank, among a few other devices, suggesting to me that it's a pretty nasty design flaw.

I absolutely would not recommend this charger to anyone, and would go so far as to say this experience has made me very wary of buying any other Satechi devices.

It's been a really useful charger, and has charged phones, watches etc with no issue. It's been a really useful charger, and has charged phones, watches etc with no issue.

This is a great charger, works well and is easily portable. Had one which I travelled to the UK with and my wife liked it so much that she wanted one as well.

As it is just the plug cable and the charger block (unlike some which have the extra power brick/transformer thing) it is much smaller and lighter overall than some similar offerings.

It is a sleek design and you don't mind it being in view if using it on your desk.

Downside I have found is that sometimes, it doesn't dynamically adjust the ports' power priorities so if you want to charge. high-power laptop on the top port PD1, then even if you only have a couple of other cables plugg...view more This is a great charger, works well and is easily portable. Had one which I travelled to the UK with and my wife liked it so much that she wanted one as well.

As it is just the plug cable and the charger block (unlike some which have the extra power brick/transformer thing) it is much smaller and lighter overall than some similar offerings.

It is a sleek design and you don't mind it being in view if using it on your desk.

Downside I have found is that sometimes, it doesn't dynamically adjust the ports' power priorities so if you want to charge. high-power laptop on the top port PD1, then even if you only have a couple of other cables plugged into say PD2 and PD# (no devices attached) then you have to physically unplug the other cables before the Satechi will then allow full power to be sent through to PD1. Not a deal breaker but worth mentioning as it's a bit of a funny quirk.

Using this to power my j5 create dock and works well. Can charge other devices at the same time Using this to power my j5 create dock and works well. Can charge other devices at the same time

Great to power all my devices while travelling.
Quality product. Great to power all my devices while travelling.
Quality product.

Already own a different version of the charger so happy with the quality and performance. Already own a different version of the charger so happy with the quality and performance.

I bought this to use with my HP Z book 15 as it support USB-C PD with chargers that can deliver above 90W.
I did not work with that despite the fact that it says it should work with laptops with that power specification.
I also tried it on a Lenovo laptop that uses a USB-C 65W charger. didn't work on that either.
also tried on my girlfriend's dell laptop. she uses it with a dell docking station all the time that uses a single usb-c for both data and charging.
Didn't work with that either.
I have tried it with 3 different cables, apples usb-c cable that comes with their 90w adaptors, Belkin 100w fast charging cable, and one other 100W U...view more I bought this to use with my HP Z book 15 as it support USB-C PD with chargers that can deliver above 90W.
I did not work with that despite the fact that it says it should work with laptops with that power specification.
I also tried it on a Lenovo laptop that uses a USB-C 65W charger. didn't work on that either.
also tried on my girlfriend's dell laptop. she uses it with a dell docking station all the time that uses a single usb-c for both data and charging.
Didn't work with that either.
I have tried it with 3 different cables, apples usb-c cable that comes with their 90w adaptors, Belkin 100w fast charging cable, and one other 100W USB-C PD cable.
It doesn't work with any of them. It worked with my iPhone and a Samsung galaxy phone and it chargers normal usb peripherals, but not laptops.
I bought the Belkin 108w charger instead, and it works perfectly with all laptops. if you are considering it for a laptop get that one, it's also considerably cheaper.
all and all... I'd say, false advertisement for this one!