Anker’s making its smallest charger even smaller and cheaper at $22.99. The new Anker 511 Nano 3 charger is a 30-watt single USB-C charger that’s designed for fast charging an iPhone or iPad and can even power a MacBook Air — all with a charger that’s about the size of Apple’s old 5W charger it used to include with iPhones.
Just like last year’s model, the Nano 3 is a gallium nitride (GaN) charger that can output more power from smaller and cooler packaging. It doesn’t use the company’s new GaNPrime tech introduced in July, but the Nano 3 does have foldable blades that make pocketing it less stabby.
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Compared to Apple’s 30W USB-C charger, the new Nano 3 is about 70 percent smaller, according to Anker. It also can charge an iPad Air up to 20 minutes faster compared to Apple’s included 20W charger.
The Nano 3 is available now on Anker’s website and Amazon for $22.99 and comes in black, white, blue, green, and purple colors. Anker is also selling matching Lighting cables that use a blend of plastic and plant-based materials for $18.99 (3ft) and $21.99 (6ft) each, as well as USB-C versions for $16.99 and $19.99, respectively. Unfortunately, bio-based plastic blends still aren’t biodegradable when they eventually hit the landfill, and even though their sources are renewable, experts warn that the crops the materials come from could lead to more water use and greenhouse gas emissions than regular plastics.
