Although Acefast isn’t as popular as other brands, they still make high-quality chargers you can use safely at home. To stand out in an already crowded USB charger market, the Acefast Z4 PD218W GaN Desktop Power Station features a unique design, a front LCD info panel, and a new way to manage fast charging between devices.
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URL:Desktop Power Station Z4 PD218W GaN (3xUSB-C+1xUSB-A) EU I ACEFAST - High End Accessories
Acefast Z4 PD218W GaN Charger
The Acefast Z4 PD218W GaN Charger is a stylish, fast charger you may place on your desk. It can accommodate up to four devices simultaneously, allowing you to top up your gear quickly.
A Futuristic Aesthetic on Your Desk
The Acefast Z4 PD218W GaN Charger comes as it is—a 525g (18.5oz) rectangular gray box with a 5-foot power cable. It also measures a mere 102 x 94 x 45 mm, so it won’t take up too much space on your desk. But what makes this charger unique is its front panel.
Instead of just a blank plastic plate with ports cut out, the Acefast Z4 PD218W GaN Charger has a clear plastic face that reveals a black PCB underneath. Although it adds nothing to performance, it breaks the charger’s monotonous look and color, giving you a visual treat.
A color LCD screen and a square gray button sit beside the plastic plate, completing its futuristic look on your work table. When you power up the device, the screen lights up, showing a white background and four status markers in green, blue, orange, and red.
Visual Charging Confirmation and Power Modes
The 1.33-inch screen shows you the charging status of each port, with C1 through C3 referring to the three USB-C ports and A1 referring to the single USB-A port. It also shows the actual watts and voltage each port is delivering, plus its maximum capacity.
Uniquely, when you press the single button to the screen’s right, you’ll change the power mode. These are the maximum outputs of each port per mode:
This is an interesting feature, as most other fast chargers do this for you automatically. Nevertheless, this setup has its benefits. For one, you can limit the output of each port manually. So, if you have two high-power devices competing for resources but want to prioritize one, you can plug the priority device at C1 and the other at C3. Even if the other high-power device wants to charge quickly, the Acefast device won’t allow it, limiting it to 30W. Furthermore, you have a visual confirmation of the charging rates, so you know exactly how much power each device draws from the charger.
However, one possible drawback is forgetting that you turned off a particular port. If you’ve previously picked Mode C or D, then either the USB-C3 or the USB-A port is switched off. Even if you plug a device into it, it won’t charge unless you switch back to Mode A or B. That could lead you to think the device or cable is broken.
Charges Four Devices at Once
The Z4 PD218W can charge three to four devices simultaneously. Both USB-C1 and C2 can deliver 100 watts, but only if you switch off USB-C3 or A. USB-C3 can go as high as 65 watts, but only if you limit the USB-C1 and C2 to 65 watts as well.
When we tested the charger with different devices, this limit holds. For example, we set the Acefast to Mode D and plugged a 15-inch MacBook Air at USB-C3. Although it can draw as much as 70 watts from USB-C1 or C2 at the time of testing, it only managed to get 16 watts from USB-C3 because of this limit. And when we switched the charger to Mode C, the C3 port stopped charging the laptop altogether.
Near-Zero Power Draw and Average Power Efficiency
Because of its LCD screen, we expected the Acefast Z4 PD218W to draw some power even without load. However, we were pleasantly surprised when we plugged it into our tester without any load because it was so low that it registered as zero, even with the screen on.
The real test comes, though, when we plugged four devices into the charger. We have the 15-inch MacBook Air plugged at USB-C1, drawing about 49 watts, an M1 MacBook Air drawing 46 watts, an iPhone 14 Pro Max consuming 6 watts, and a 6th-generation iPad getting 10 watts.
This comes to a total of 111 watts drawn over four USB ports. On the other hand, our watt tester counted 133.8 watts drawn over AC. So, we’re losing about 22 watts to heat, with the charger heating to almost 50 degrees C in some places. This also means that its efficiency is right around 82%.
The temperature it reaches is pretty average, with other devices in the similar size category hitting the same levels. However, its 82% efficiency is a few points lower than other smaller chargers, although it’s still higher than other large, high-powered chargers we’ve previously reviewed.
218 Watts Never Looked Better
If you need a charger on your desk, the Acefast Z4 GaN Charger’s total 218-watt output should be more than enough to power everything you have. Its three USB-C ports can recharge your laptop, smartphone or tablet, and smartwatch or earbuds, while you may reserve the remaining USB-A port for older devices.
It wouldn’t look out of place on most desks, and its LCD screen will show you the charging status of each device, ensuring you won’t end the day (or wake up if you choose to put this on your nightstand) with an empty battery because you didn’t plug your USB cable correctly into the charger.
Although its power modes are a bit unorthodox, it’s a useful feature, especially if you need to maximize the output of the first two USB-C ports. So, if you’re hunting for a good-looking fast charger, look no further than the Acefast Z4 PD218W GaN Charger.
