Anker’s New Screened Charger Needs More Features to Shine

The new Anker 45-watt Nano charger, unveiled in January, stands out as one of the tiniest 45-watt chargers available. It features a vibrant color display that showcases an animated character along with some details about the device being charged.

This display can be handy for monitoring the power draw of your device, but it often feels more like a flashy gimmick than a genuinely useful feature for most users. However, it’s not the only enhancement that makes this charger worth a look.

The Nano boasts a prominent 1-inch-wide screen that occupies a significant portion of its sleek front panel. Such screens are typically reserved for Anker’s larger multi-port power stations and usually provide limited information.

Anker markets the Nano as “the world’s first smart display charger that knows your iPhone.” When you connect a device, the screen briefly shows its name, followed by the power being delivered and the battery level. However, it only recognizes a select range of Apple devices, including iPhone 15 and newer models, as well as iPads from 2020 onward. I tested it with an iPhone 16 Pro and a 2022 iPad 10, both of which were successfully identified.

The Nano also features a three-stage charging system that adjusts the power delivery to help extend battery life. As the device charges, the power output decreases. The stages are labeled as “fast,” “steady,” and “trickle,” accompanied by the current wattage and an animated character whose expressions can be quite amusing—sometimes appearing sleepy or even angry, seemingly at random. When only a USB cable is connected, the character might take a swing at a baseball or transform into a cookie that reveals fortunes like “fun ahead,” which is more whimsical than informative.

A touch-sensitive button next to the USB-C port allows you to cycle through two additional screens, including one that shows temperature and another for switching charging modes. Holding the button for two seconds flips the display 180 degrees for easier viewing.

The default charging mode is auto, resetting every time the charger is unplugged, and it gradually adjusts power delivery. The care mode reduces power to keep your device cooler, ideal for overnight charging, and displays “gentle” on the screen to remind you to switch back to auto mode if you need a quicker charge.

Interestingly, the charger doesn’t stop functioning with unsupported devices. I tested it with a Kobo e-reader and a Playdate, and while it didn’t identify them, it displayed the charging status without battery levels.

The display’s most practical feature is checking your iPhone or iPad’s charge level, but that’s information already available on those devices. After a few seconds, the Nano’s screen turns off automatically, requiring you to tap it to see the charging progress again. If your device isn’t far away, it might be easier to just check it directly rather than reaching for the charger.

The display would feel more valuable if it included features like an estimated time to full charge or an automatic switch to care mode overnight.

One of the most appealing reasons to opt for the new $39.99 Nano charger over last year’s $34.99 model is its revamped folding prongs. They now rotate 180 degrees, allowing you to plug the charger in two different orientations, making it easier to access the USB-C port or reposition the screen. This clever design tweak could very well be a feature we see in future Anker chargers.