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Choosing the best GaN chargers for travel means ignoring the box and asking a different question: which one does its specific job without taking up unnecessary space, running hot in your bag, or leaving you guessing which port charges what.
This guide covers five picks across four charger types, from a single-port compact you can leave permanently in your laptop bag to a 100W three-port unit that can recharge a power bank and two devices simultaneously. Every pick is available on Amazon UK. Prices are correct at time of writing (March 2026) – check Amazon UK for current pricing.
I use the 100W three-port pick on every trip I take. I have tested it pairing with the Anker 737 power bank through airport layovers, cafe work sessions, and overnight hotel stops. The picks below are not spec-sheet recommendations. They are the result of knowing what actually matters when you are tired, in a foreign airport, and everything needs charging at once.
What is a GaN charger and is it actually better?
GaN stands for gallium nitride. It is a semiconductor material that has replaced silicon in the best modern chargers, and the short answer to whether it is better is yes – but understanding why matters before you spend money.
Traditional silicon chargers waste energy as heat during the conversion from mains power to the DC voltage your devices need. That is why your old laptop brick gets warm even when nothing is plugged in. GaN conducts electricity more efficiently than silicon, which means less energy is lost as heat. The practical result of that efficiency is a charger that can fit the same wattage into a significantly smaller body.
A 100W GaN charger is typically 30 to 50 percent smaller and lighter than a silicon charger at the same wattage. Engineers call this better power density: more watts per cubic centimetre of charger. For travellers that means one compact unit replacing two or three bulky bricks.
GaN also runs cooler. This matters more than most buyers realise. A charger that runs hot is less efficient, degrades faster, and in a bag can become uncomfortable against other gear. The five picks in this guide all use GaN technology with active thermal monitoring built in.
Is GaN safe? Yes. USB Power Delivery (USB PD), which all modern GaN chargers use, is a protocol that requires devices to negotiate the right voltage and current before charging begins. Your phone or laptop tells the charger exactly how much power it needs. The charger delivers that amount and no more. A 100W charger will not damage a device that only needs 20W.
GaN versus standard USB-C chargers: Not all USB-C chargers use GaN. A USB-C charger is simply a charger with a USB-C port. A GaN charger uses gallium nitride technology inside. You can have a cheap, slow USB-C charger that is not GaN, or a fast, compact GaN charger. The two terms describe different things: the connector type versus the internal technology.
What GaN does not fix: Wattage still splits when you use multiple ports at the same time. A charger rated at 100W single-port will not deliver 100W to each device when all three ports are active. The total is shared intelligently across whatever is connected. This is normal behaviour, not a flaw. The key is matching the right charger to the devices you actually plug in, which is exactly what the picks below are designed to help you do.
Best GaN chargers for travel
| Pick | Best for | Ports | Max output | UK price (March 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anker 100W Smart Display | Recharging power banks + laptop + phone | 2x USB-C, 1x USB-A | 100W | approx £49.99 |
| Anker Prime 67W | Most travellers: laptop + phone + accessory | 2x USB-C, 1x USB-A | 67W | approx £39.99 |
| Anker 715 Nano II 65W | Lightweight solo laptop charger | 1x USB-C | 65W | approx £25.99 |
| UGREEN Nexode 65W | Budget three-port for laptop + phone | 2x USB-C, 1x USB-A | 65W | approx £27.99 |
| UGREEN Nexode 65W Retractable Cable | Phone-first carry with no cables to pack | 1x USB-C + built-in cable, 1x USB-A | 65W | approx £27.99 |
1. Anker Charger (100W, 3-Port, Smart Display) Best Overall
UK price at time of writing (March 2026): approx £49.99
This is the charger I use with my Anker 737 power bank on every trip. It is the one I leave in my travel bag permanently, and it has not let me down across airport layovers, hotel rooms, and coffee shop work sessions in multiple countries.
The smart display is what sets it apart from cheaper 100W options. You can see exactly what is happening: real-time wattage to each port, temperature, and charging status. As a network engineer, I find this genuinely useful. When you are recharging a 24,000mAh power bank overnight and charging a laptop simultaneously, knowing both are receiving the right output is reassuring rather than just decorative.
The 100W single-port output means it can recharge the Anker 737 at full speed (which needs 65W to hit its rated 1.5-hour recharge time) while simultaneously topping up a phone on the second USB-C port. That is a pairing most 65W chargers cannot manage.
At 69 x 55 x 34mm with a foldable plug, it is compact enough for daily carry. Not quite pocket-sized, but it disappears into the top compartment of any travel bag without drama.
What to watch out for: At around £49.99 it is the most expensive pick in this guide. If you do not need the display or the full 100W, the 67W Prime below does most jobs for £10 less.
Pairs well with: Anker 737 (recharges at full speed), Anker A1695, Anker 87W 20K.
Anker Charger (100W, 3-Port, Smart Display) Best Overall
2. Anker Prime 67W GaN (3-Port) Best for Most Travellers
UK price at time of writing (March 2026): approx £39.99
If most travellers were honest about what they actually plug in, it is a laptop, a phone, and occasionally a pair of earbuds or a watch. The Anker Prime 67W is built for exactly that load.
At 67W single-port it will fast-charge a MacBook Air, most ultrabooks, and any modern smartphone at full speed. The two USB-C ports plus one USB-A port cover every scenario without needing adapters. When both USB-C ports are in use simultaneously the split is 45W and 22W, which means the laptop charges meaningfully and the phone charges quickly.
PPS support is a practical benefit for Samsung users. The Prime 67W supports PPS charging which enables Samsung Super Fast Charging 2.0 on compatible devices like the Galaxy S24 and S25 range. Android Authority’s testing found it delivered Samsung Super Fast Charging at full 25W speeds on the Galaxy S24.
At 161g and 49.6 x 45.6 x 61.5mm it is genuinely compact. The foldable plug tucks flat and the hinge mechanism is tight, which matters when the charger lives at the bottom of a travel bag between trips.
What to watch out for: If you need to recharge a large power bank (65W+ input) while also charging a laptop, the single-port maximum of 67W means you cannot do both at full speed simultaneously. For that use case, step up to the 100W model above.
Pairs well with: Anker Nano 10K A1638 (30W input, well within this charger’s range), lighter power banks, everyday laptop travel.
Anker Prime 67W GaN Wall Charger (3-Port) Best for Most
3. Anker 715 Nano II 65W (Single-Port) Best Compact Single Port
UK price at time of writing (March 2026): approx £25.99
This is the charger that lives in the laptop bag permanently and never comes out. At roughly the size of a large marshmallow, it is genuinely pocket-sized in a way that multi-port chargers cannot match.
Second-generation GaN technology lets Anker pack 65W into a body that is approximately 50 percent smaller than a standard laptop charger at the same wattage. One port, 65W, consistently. There is no port confusion, no wattage splitting, and no risk of plugging your laptop into the slow port by mistake.
65W is the practical threshold for most travel laptops: MacBook Air, MacBook Pro 14-inch, Dell XPS 13, Surface Pro. It will charge any of these at full speed.
The foldable plug sits flush when folded and deploys cleanly. For a charger this small it is a meaningful design detail – prongs that stick out catch on fabric lining and bend over time.
What to watch out for: Single port means one device at a time. If you want to charge your phone at the same time, you need a second adapter or a power bank. This pick is for the traveller who wants a dedicated, ultra-compact laptop charger and handles phone charging separately.
Pairs well with: Any of the power banks reviewed on SmartGadgetKit. Leave one at your desk and keep this in the laptop bag permanently.
Anker 715 Charger (Nano II 65W) Best Compact
4. UGREEN Nexode 65W (3-Port) Best Budget Three-Port
UK price at time of writing (March 2026): approx £27.99
The UGREEN Nexode 65W has over 11,000 reviews on Amazon with a 4.7-star rating, which is the kind of number that reflects genuine, sustained user satisfaction rather than a launch spike.
At around £27.99 it undercuts the Anker Prime 67W by roughly £12 while offering a nearly identical port layout: two USB-C ports and one USB-A port. The primary USB-C port delivers up to 65W single-port, which is enough for a MacBook Air or most ultrabooks at full speed.
Tom’s Guide tested this charger against the MacBook Air M3 alongside an iPhone and iPad, and found the MacBook going from flat to 51 percent in 30 minutes. That matches the expected performance of a quality 65W charger.
The build quality is solid given the price. The housing feels firm, the foldable plug clicks cleanly, and UGREEN uses the same GaN chip generation found in more expensive alternatives.
One thing to note: the lower USB-C port on the Nexode 65W maxes out at 10W rather than the full 65W. The top port handles the high-power load. This is not unusual in budget chargers in this category and it is worth being aware of so you use the right port for your laptop.
What to watch out for: The asymmetric port output (65W top, 10W bottom) means you need to be deliberate about which port your laptop goes into. Not a deal-breaker, just a habit to form.
Pairs well with: Anker Nano 10K A1259 (30W input), lighter power banks, everyday phone and laptop travel.
UGREEN Nexode 65W USB C Charger (3-Port) Best Budget
5. UGREEN Nexode 65W GaN Charger with Retractable Cable Best Built-In Cable Pick
UK price at time of writing (March 2026): approx £27.99
The built-in cable charger concept is a travel-specific solution to a specific travel problem: you have a USB-C cable. You just cannot find it.
Most built-in cable chargers solve half the problem. The UGREEN Nexode 65W solves it properly. The 0.69m cable is retractable, not fixed. Pull it out, charge your device, and it retracts cleanly back into the body when you are done. No folding, no snag risk in a bag, no cable sticking out at an awkward angle.
At 65W it does something the phone-first built-in cable chargers cannot: it charges a MacBook Air, most ultrabooks, and any modern laptop at full speed from the same compact unit. Three ports (2x USB-C, 1x USB-A) means you can charge a laptop via the retractable cable and a phone on the second USB-C port simultaneously.
The retractable cable supports PPS which enables Samsung Super Fast Charging 2.0 on compatible Galaxy devices. The foldable UK plug sits flush when stored.
Darleene keeps a compact built-in cable charger in her scrub pocket on every shift. The retractable design is the version that makes most sense for that kind of use – no prong risk, no cable flap, just pull and charge.
What to watch out for: At 65W total, running both USB-C ports simultaneously will split the output. Your laptop will still charge but at a reduced rate. For single-device laptop charging it delivers the full 65W.
Pairs well with: The Anker Nano 10K A1638 power bank (the retractable cable recharges the bank via USB-C while the USB-A port handles a second device), and any MacBook Air or ultrabook as a cable-free travel charger.
UGREEN Nexode 65W GaN Charger with Retractable Cable Best Built-In Cable
What to look for in a GaN travel charger
Wattage and what it actually means
The single-port maximum is the number that matters most for laptop charging. A charger rated 100W total does not deliver 100W to every port simultaneously. Match the single-port maximum to your laptop’s charging requirement: MacBook Air and most ultrabooks need 60 to 67W for full-speed charging. A 16-inch MacBook Pro needs 90 to 100W.
Port count
Three ports is the sweet spot for most travellers. Two USB-C ports plus one USB-A covers a laptop, a phone, and a legacy device or accessory cable without needing adapters.
Foldable plug
Non-negotiable for travel. Fixed prongs bend in bags over time and a bent prong makes the charger unusable. Every pick in this guide has a foldable plug.
Size and weight
Compare like for like. A 100W GaN charger should be meaningfully smaller than your laptop’s original power brick. If it is not, look at a different model.
Temperature under load
All chargers generate some heat. GaN runs cooler than silicon at equivalent wattage. If a GaN charger becomes uncomfortable to touch during normal use, that is worth noting. All five picks in this guide have thermal monitoring built in.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best GaN charger for travel?
For most travellers, the Anker Prime 67W covers phone, laptop, and accessories from one compact unit. If you also need to fast-recharge a high-capacity power bank, the Anker 100W Smart Display is the better choice.
Can a GaN charger replace my laptop charger?
Yes, provided the GaN charger matches or exceeds your laptop’s wattage requirement. A MacBook Air needs 30 to 67W for full-speed charging. Most of the picks in this guide meet or exceed that. A 16-inch MacBook Pro running under heavy load needs 90 to 100W.
Is a 65W GaN charger enough for travel?
For most travellers, yes. 65W single-port is enough for a MacBook Air, most ultrabooks, and any modern phone at full speed. If you also need to fast-recharge a large power bank at the same time, consider the 100W model.
Do GaN chargers work with all phones?
Yes. GaN chargers use USB Power Delivery (PD), which is compatible with all modern USB-C phones. Samsung users should look for PPS support for Super Fast Charging 2.0 – the Anker Prime 67W and the 100W Smart Display both support PPS.
What wattage GaN charger do I need?
For phones only: 30 to 45W is enough. For a laptop and phone together: 65 to 67W. For a laptop, phone, and power bank recharging simultaneously: 100W.
Are GaN chargers safe to use on flights?
Yes. GaN chargers are wall plug adapters, not batteries, and are not restricted by airline carry-on battery rules. Take them in your carry-on or checked luggage. For guidance on travelling with power banks, see our guide to taking power banks on planes.
Which GaN charger is best for pairing with a power bank?
If you need to recharge a high-capacity power bank (such as the Anker 737 or A1695) at full speed, choose the Anker 100W Smart Display. Both banks accept 65W input and the 100W charger handles that alongside a second device simultaneously.
Final verdict
The right GaN travel charger depends on what you actually plug in. For most travellers, the Anker Prime 67W covers everything without overcomplicating the decision. For serious multi-device travel or if you carry a high-capacity power bank that needs fast recharging, the 100W Smart Display is worth the extra cost.
For a complete overview of options, this guide to the best GaN chargers for travel covers everything from a pocket-sized single-port to a 100W three-port unit, with a clear recommendation for every type of traveller.
For the full picture on power banks to pair with any of these chargers, see our best power banks for 2026 guide ➡️
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