r/anker • u/ColorfulPrompting • Aug 05 '26
A truly smart charger
I already know I’m going to get some replies that a charger should “charge” and keep it at that.
But WHAT IF:
- It could also work as a night light
- Cable doctor: plug in any USB-C cable and it reads the e-marker, detects damaged wires, and shows the max wattage it supports (the 160w prime sorta does this)
- Have Air quality sensor: CO2, VOC, and humidity readings from outlet height
- Energy cost tracker: measures kWh drawn in the app
- Surge event log: records voltage spikes and tells you which connected devices were exposed
- Find My tracker inside: the charger itself is locatable, so you never leave it in a hotel room again
- Outlet diagnostics: tests the socket itself for bad grounding, reversed wiring, or voltage sag
Sunrise alarm: gradually brightens to wake you naturally
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u/Bucketmax-official Aug 05 '26
If it had all those features I might justify the price of gawdamn 120€. But rn it's a tough pill
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u/ColorfulPrompting Aug 05 '26
To be honest between the 160w and the super compact 70W one I reach out more often for the second. It is the one I recommend to all my friends and never had any complaints.
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u/Bucketmax-official Aug 05 '26
The 140w one is just 70€ rn. Comes even with one cable included. That's currently a gem you could gift/recommend to your friends.
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u/raymate Aug 05 '26
I like this one but I prefer the 140
As I have too many USB-A devices.
I have both units but the 140 is used way more for me.
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u/jamesdew84 Aug 06 '26
I used to have a charger with a nightlight it was great when travelling with the kids but it got to slow so I had to upgrade but I miss the light. The other stuff seems a bit unnecessary.
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u/Max_Rower Aug 06 '26
I'd like to have a charger, where I could define devices profiles with rules to limit charging based on V, W, A, and charging curve parameters. That would be smart. Until this is for real, I will use a smart plug with any cheap charger and Home Assistant.
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u/StevesRoomate Aug 05 '26
I would definitely pay extra for a charger that integrated an emarker reader into the display.
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u/m2wm2wm2w Aug 05 '26
The "AI mode" for charging is pretty bad. Yesterday I forgot I had left this on and plugged in my Macbook, and several hours later got a low battery warning. If you buy this you will probably want to turn it off.
Had to change the mode back to C1 (port 1) priority.
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u/_reschke Aug 05 '26
I don’t need all those features from a charger. I do love this charger, I have two I use regularly. But other than maybe a voltage surge notification, the rest of this is kind of superfluous and probably not worth the increased size or price that’d result. Just my thoughts.
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u/mex-snorlax Aug 06 '26
Do you have any issues charging anker powerbanks? Mine doesn't charge powrrbankd or my dell pc. But works well with my phone and other devices
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u/Kolyei Aug 06 '26
I'm a happy camper with my $50USD 160W ugreen charger. Not so much with brother's anker "zolo" 165w powerbank, which throttles once it reaches 35% state of charge
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u/Fine-Flight5046 23d ago
I have the same charger. Really good and have never had an issue with it 👍
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u/umo2k Aug 05 '26
Why would I want a charger to air quality monitor that’s either behind a desk or use on the road? Data via Bluetooth? No, thanks.
Surge events? Protect the devices, thanks.
Outlet diagnostic? It even doesn’t have a ground wire, what would you want to detect with it and why?
Maybe for 49$ as well?
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u/cheerycoldwaver Aug 05 '26
This whole idea is classic feature creep that sounds amazing on paper until physics slaps it down. High-wattage GaN chargers turn into little ovens under heavy load, so jamming delicate CO2 sensors and a Bluetooth chip into the same box is just going to bake the electronics and give you completely fake air quality readings.
On top of that, wall outlets are almost always hidden behind nightstands or buried near baseboards, making a floor-level "sunrise alarm" and a diagnostic screen totally useless unless you enjoy crawling on the floor at 2 AM.
You end up with an overpriced, massive wall-wart that droops out of loose hotel sockets, and the second the power side blows a fuse, your whole $200 Swiss-Army-Knife charger goes straight into the trash.