iMore Verdict
Bottom line: The Baseus Desktop Power Strip adds neat convenience to any office desk by offering a compact charging station for all of your Apple devices, including and especially MacBooks.
Pros
- +
Offers ports to charge up to six devices at once
- +
USB-C ports offer speeds up to 65W for charging MacBooks
- +
Compact, space-saving design
- +
Keeps cables off of the floor
- +
Velcro strap for easy travel
Cons
- -
Charging speeds reduce when multiple devices are connected
- -
Power light is always on
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Modern desktop workstations usually consist of multiple electronic devices, many of which have to be juggled and used at once. The result is a jungle of charging cables and extension cords that can create chaos on a well-organized desk. Until recently, I had all of my charger cables extending out from a huge power strip on the floor. This resulted in cables that were tugged, knocked loose, or even (in the case of my MacBook cable) run over by my rolling chair on a daily basis. Now, I've cleaned up the clutter of cables with the Baseus Desktop Power Strip.
It's a simple concept: a brick-shaped power strip with multiple USB-C, USB-A, and AC ports. The USB-C ports can charge at a speed of 65W, which is great for power-hungry MacBooks. Since it has a 1.5-meter power cord, it works as an extension cord that you can thread onto your desk without taking up too much room. This keeps my cables off of the floor and eliminates the mess and fuss associated with cables extending in every direction. Here's a quick rundown of the pros and cons of using the Baseus Desktop Power Strip:
Baseus Desktop Power Strip: Price and availability
Baseus charging products are readily available from several major retailers. This GaN3 Pro Desktop Power Strip is available at Amazon, Walmart, and Newegg. At the time of this article, Walmart is offering the best price for this unit at $56, whereas it goes for $60 at Amazon and Newegg. You can purchase it in both black and white colorways.
Baseus Desktop Power Strip: Saving the cables
The concept of a power strip isn't new; most of us have an old-fashioned AC strip behind our desks. Desktop power strips like this one from Baseus, however, have a few important features you won't find on any other standard power strips. For one thing, it's designed in a compact brick shape that can be placed in the corner of a desk without taking up too much space. And although it does have two traditional AC ports, it also features four USB ports so you can plug directly into the power station to charge almost any device.
Since it's equipped with GaN3 technology, the Baseus Power Strip offers a super fast charge of up to 65W, but it will stay cool to the touch even while charging six devices at once. This means you can fast-charge your best MacBook and your iPhone at the same time, although the charge will be a bit slower if you have both connected at once. Since the power station also offers two USB-A ports, you can easily charge older devices as well.
Since it's equipped with GaN3 technology, the Baseus Power Strip offers a super fast charge of up to 65W, but it will stay cool to the touch even while charging six devices at once.
Before I got this desktop power strip, I was plugging everything into a traditional AC power strip underneath my desk, which left cables hanging in every direction. It was common for me to accidentally unplug my charging iPhone or even knock it off, and I was also prone to running over my longer MacBook Air cable with the rolling desk chair. The desktop power strip is much more convenient because it keeps all the cables neatly organized on top of the desk without any great sacrifice to charging speeds. I'm hoping my cables will last longer too, now that they're not getting jerked or smashed every time I move my chair.
Another convenient touch to this product is the built-in velcro strip on the power cable. This makes it possible to roll the power strip up into a neat package for travel. This is now my favorite multi-device charger to bring along on family trips because my husband and I can charge all of our devices at once in the airport or in the hotel room. All we need is one AC wall outlet and we can charge the Apple Watch, the iPads, the iPhones, and the MacBook all at the same time.
Baseus Desktop Power Strip: Sharing watts
At first glance, one might think the Baseus Power strip offers a full 65W fast charge to any device, but that's not exactly true. With one device, you can enjoy the full 65W charge, but once you plug in the second device, the speed decreases. If both the iPhone and the MacBook are plugged in at once, it will charge the MacBook at 45W and the iPhone at 20W. Honestly, I don't really notice a huge difference; it's still charging both of them pretty fast in my opinion, but not quite as fast as a dedicated wall charger would do.
The only other con I could find is the little power light. It is always on as long as the power strip is plugged in. Since my home office is in my bedroom, I find this little light annoying at night. I wish there was a switch to turn the unit off without having to unplug it, but there's not. If I want to turn off the power light, I have to crawl under my desk and unplug it. This might not be an issue if your desk isn't in your bedroom, but I find it a bit bothersome.
Baseus Desktop Power Strip: Competition
There are other choices for desktop power stations that serve MacBook, but most of them are not as compact or convenient. There is the Anker MagGo 637 Charging Station that we reviewed previously, which offers many of the same benefits as the Baseus Power Strip, including multiple USB ports, AC ports, and a compact design. The Anker unit also adds the added benefit of a MagSafe wireless charging pad. While the Anker MagGo is a good alternative to the Baseus Power Strip, it is also a lot more expensive at $100. Deciding between the two will depend on your budget and how important MagSafe charging is to your workstation.
Baseus Desktop Powerstrip: Should you buy it?
You should buy this if ...
- You need an all-in-one desktop charging station.
- You use a MacBook alongside other power-hungry devices.
- You'd like a power strip you can travel with.
You shouldn't buy this if...
- You were expecting a 65W charge for all devices at once.
- You can't deal with the always-on power light.
Anyone who gets frustrated with cable clutter on their desk should use the Baseus Desktop Power Strip. If you're working with a power-hungry MacBook along with iPads and iPhones at the same time, a full charging station right on your desk will help keep things neat and organized. Especially if you need a compact power strip that you can take along on your travels, this one will offer a great solution.
Although the Baseus Power strip doesn't provide the full 65W charge for all my devices at once, I find the fast-charging GaN3 technology meets my own charging needs just as well. Even when charging multiple devices alongside my MacBook, they all charge pretty fast using this power station. I also like that it's compact and easy to carry along. This power strip has greatly reduced cable clutter and cable damage around my workspace, which is exactly what I needed.
However, if you're expecting super-fast 65W charging speeds for all devices at once or you will be easily annoyed by an always-on light, you may want to look elsewhere. Other than those two small grievances, most will likely be pleased with this convenient, portable power strip.
Bottom line: A one-stop shop for all your desktop charging needs, the Baseus GaN3 Pro Desktop Power Strip will charge your MacBook along with all your other Apple devices at the same time, and it will do so quickly.
