I'm a big fan of consolidation. Two-in-one is great. Three-in-one is even better. But I'm not a fan of old-timey USB-A ports. So I quickly snapped up Amazon's 32% Black Friday discount on the 67-watt Belkin 3-Port USB-C Charger Block, now priced at an affordable $31.33 for the white version (down from $45.99) as part of Amazon's Black Friday deals. That's more than three bucks cheaper than the Apple 30W USB-C Power Adapter for MacBook Airs like mine (discounted 10% to $34.99). With the Belkin charger, I get three times the ports and more than twice the power. A black version of the Belkin charger sells for $32.99, and a two-pack of whites now costs $70.39.
Belkin's three-port model charges my 2020 MacBook Air (M1 processor) much faster than Apple's charger when it's the only device plugged in, and it's about as fast while also filling my iPhone 13. (I tend to hang onto gadgets as long as they still serve me well.) Even with two phones attached, they and the MacBook fill up relatively quickly – good enough if you're working near an outlet and don't need a fast charge before hitting the road.
One port provides the full 67W when used alone. When multiple devices are plugged in, power is distributed across the three ports, up to 25W + 20W + 20W. (Note that my MacBook Air M1 is parsimonious in charging, shipping with a 30W charger. Most other laptops require higher wattage, so be sure to check your laptop’s requirements. The new M5-equipped MacBook Pro, for instance, comes with a 70W charger. So you could eek by using the Belkin with no other devices attached, but I wouldn’t recommend it.)
Though a different shape - longer and skinnier vs. flat and square – it's roughly the same size and weight as my old Mac charger. And it has the same fold-down two-prong-style connector (which is pretty much standard on all compact chargers these days).
There are quite a few chargers out there with these basic specs, but very few with all USB-C ports. Most tend to slip one USB-A in the mix. I see no need for that. Not only are more and more new devices moving over to USB-C connectors, but there are plenty of inexpensive USB-C to Apple Lightning cables for my older iPhone and AirPods I have kicking around. Plus, it's cheap and easy to convert a USB-A cable from an older device with a tiny adapter like Anker's USB-C to USB-A adapter ($8.99 for two, usually $15.99) – of which I have many around the house.
Read more:Best Slim and Fast-Charging Portable Batteries
Not only do I love the 67-watt Belkin 3-Port USB-C Charger Block, but it also receives exceptionally high user reviews on Amazon – with 79% of buyers giving it five stars and 11% giving it four. And, it has fewer returns than average for similar products on the site.
[Image credit: Sean Captain/Techlicious]
