Four months ago, I was drowning in charging bricks. Apple's 96W monster for my MacBook Pro, a separate 20W for my iPhone, another for my iPad. The cable management nightmare was real. Then I bought the Anker 735 GaNPrime 65W, mostly out of curiosity about this GaN technology everyone was talking about.
The Size Difference Is Absurd
Let me start with what hits you immediately: this thing is tiny. I put it next to Apple's 67W charger, and the Anker is maybe 60% of the size. But here's the thing that actually matters - it has two USB-C ports AND a USB-A port. Apple gives you one. For more money. The math doesn't make sense until you hold both in your hands.
I measured it obsessively because I'm that kind of person: 2.7 x 1.6 x 1.3 inches. It fits in that little pocket in my backpack where nothing else useful ever goes. That alone changed how I pack for work trips.
Real Power Output Testing
Anker claims 65W total, but here's how it actually breaks down in my daily use:
- Single device on USB-C 1: Full 65W (I verified with a USB power meter)
- MacBook + iPhone simultaneously: 45W to laptop, 20W to phone
- All three ports used: The power distribution gets creative, but everything still charges faster than I expected
The dynamic power allocation actually works. When my MacBook hits 80% and slows its charging, I've watched the iPhone suddenly get more power. It's not magic - it's smart engineering that delivers on its promise.
The Heat Question
GaN chargers run cooler than traditional silicon chargers. That's the theory. In practice, the Anker gets warm - definitely noticeably warm - when charging my MacBook Pro at full tilt. But it's never been hot enough to worry me, even during 8-hour workdays where it's constantly feeding juice to multiple devices.
I left a thermometer on it during a particularly demanding session. Peak temperature was around 52 degrees Celsius (125 degrees Fahrenheit) on the surface. Warm to touch, but nowhere near concerning. My old Apple charger ran hotter.
Four Months of Daily Abuse
This charger has been plugged in at my desk every workday since September. It's traveled with me to Seattle, Austin, and Vancouver. It's been shoved in bags, dropped on hotel floors, and generally treated without any special care.
Zero issues. Not a single weird behavior, no reduced charging speeds, no physical damage despite my carelessness. The prongs are still solid, the ports still grip cables firmly.
What Works
- Genuinely compact - fits anywhere
- Three ports means one charger for everything
- Dynamic power distribution is smart
- Build quality has survived my abuse
- Price is reasonable for what you get
What Could Be Better
- Gets warm under heavy load
- No included cables (budget extra)
- USB-A port is only 22.5W max
The Bottom Line
I bought this as an experiment. It became my only charger. That says everything. At around $50-60 depending on sales, it's replaced about $150 worth of Apple chargers in my daily life. The desk is cleaner, the travel bag is lighter, and everything still charges as fast as I need it to.
If you're running a multi-device Apple ecosystem and you're tired of cable chaos, this is the solve. Not perfect, but genuinely excellent.