Review: RAVPower 61W 2-Port (1C1A) USB-C Charger
Today we’re taking a look at RAVPower’s 61W “Super-C” charger, model RP-PC105 – a two-port entry in the USB-C charger market with one USB Type-C port (Power Delivery 3.0, 61W max), and one USB Type-A port (12W max). The charger is listed at $29.99 on Amazon and is sometimes on sale for a bit less.
Unboxing + Review Video
Packaging
RAVPower ships the RP-PC105 in an impressively small box that just barely fits the charger itself in a thin plastic sleeve. The packaging befits the charger – competent, no-frills performance.
Design
The RAVPower 61W charger has an inoffensive design. It is fairly compact at 2.6 x 2.6 x 1.2 in (65 x 65 x 31 mm) and tips the scales at 5.3 oz (150 g).
Those looking for an even smallest option may want to consider some of the (pricier) GaN-based USB-C chargers on the market. RAVPower itself sells a dual-port GaN charger with similar specs (1C1A, 65W) – the RP-PC133. That charger measures 2.2 x 2.2 x 1.2 in (55 x 55 x 31.5 mm) and weighs 4.41 oz (125 g) – so it’s 27% smaller in volume and 17% lighter – but it retails at $39.99, for a 30-40% price premium over the subject of today’s review.
Our 61W charger came in a matte black finish, though RAVPower also offers a white variant. Build quality is good, and the flip-down two-prong North American power plug felt solid.
The RAVPower charger’s form factor leaves enough space for a second device to be plugged into a standard North American duplex socket alongside it. The charger has a blue LED that remains lit at all times, regardless of whether any USB devices are plugged in. Fortunately, it is quite dim and should not present a problem even in dark contexts.
Specifications
RAVPower says the charger’s USB-A port can output a maximum of 5V / 2.4A, or 12W. This is generally the fastest speed possible over USB-A without technologies like Qualcomm Quick Charge, which this charger does not have on its USB Type-A port.
The USB-C port, meanwhile, is rated at 61W over Power Delivery 3.0 – the included power profiles are:
- 5V / 3A (15W)
- 9V / 3A (27W)
- 12V / 3A (36W)
- 15V / 3A (45W)
- 20V / 3A (60W)
- 20.3V / 3A (61W)
Plugging devices into both the USB-A and USB-C ports results in the USB-C port being capped at 45W instead of 61W, while the USB-A port will continue to provide the maximum 12W output. Thus the total output of both ports when used simultaneously is 57W.
Readers familiar with USB-C devices may be wondering why RAVPower included the odd 20.3V profile, and why the resultant peak output is 61W, instead of 20V and 60W, respectively. The answer is likely that consumers with Apple laptops may be searching for a 61W USB-C charger due to Apple’s branding of some of its MacBook Pro chargers as 61W units instead of 60W (presumably for differentiation):
Test
We connected a Qway U2 USB power monitor to the RAVPower 61W charger – first to the charger’s USB-C port:
Here we indeed see the promised USB Power Delivery 3.0 support with all of the standard profiles – 5, 9, 12, 15, and 20V, for up to 60W, as well as that 20.3V profile. This port also supports Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 at 5, 9, or 12V, as well as a few manufacturer-specific proprietary charging protocols.
Of note is that this charger does not have PPS (Programmable Power Supply). PPS allows a USB-C device to negotiate charging voltage levels in between the set 5/9/12/15/20V levels. As of late 2020, the only consumer devices that rely on PPS are some of Samsung’s flagship smartphones (like the Galaxy Note 10+ and 20 Ultra), which require PPS for their fastest charging levels (25 or 45W). Without PPS, these phones will charge at 15W.
We tested with a 15″ Microsoft Surface Book 2 and were able to draw the full 60W under load. With a Samsung Galaxy Note 10+, the peak charging rate was indeed roughly 15W.
Moving on to the charger’s USB-A port, the our USB power monitor shows us:
Here we see support for Apple’s 5V/2.4A mode, for 12W charging on iPhones and iPads. But there’s no support for any other manufacturer’s proprietary charging standard, nor is there Qualcomm Quick Charge support, so most non-Apple devices will be capped at the USB Battery Charging 1.2 standard level of 5V/1.5A, for 7.5W charging.
Conclusion
Overall, the RAVPower 61W USB-C 2-port charger provides good value at its $25-30 price point. Its 61W USB-C output is sufficient to power the majority of USB-C PD-charged devices, and while it’s not the very smallest charger on the market, it’s still fairly compact. We’d recommend connecting a primary device – a laptop or USB-C smartphone – to the USB-C port for the fastest charging, and either a secondary device or an Apple device via the USB-A port.