MEGATech Video Reviews: Energen 5-Port USB Charger with Quick Charge 3.0

One of the most pressing, albeit likely not one of the most profound problems facing the average Joe or Jane today is the need to charge an increasingly large collection of devices. To make matters worse, a good number of these gadgets need to be charged on a daily basis, if not even more frequently. What’s a hyper-connected modern citizen to do? The Energen 5-port USB Desktop Charging Station could be the solution you are looking for, happily dishing out the juice you desire.

By Our Powers Combined…

Announced late last month, the Energen 5-port USB charger has a pretty clearly defined purpose. There are five USB ports, all of which can be used to charge your various portable gadgets, from smartphones to smartwatches, tablets to fitness trackers. If it can be charged via USB, it’ll work here.

Curiously, Energen didn’t try very hard to come up with an original name for this product. Maybe they recognize that desktop chargers are more of a commodity. You’ll also find the naming to be a little inconsistent depending on where you look. I suppose you can’t blame them, but it does create for a little bit of market confusion.

The actual device itself, though, is perfectly functional and useful. There are five USB ports in total, four of which offer up to 2.4A of output with the top port supporting Qualcomm’s QuickCharge 3.0 technology. It’s backwards compatible with earlier versions of QuickCharge too.

Hands-On Video Overview

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXDSDoNYCOo]

Two characteristics struck me immediately about the Energen 5-port USB charger. First, it’s smaller than I thought it would be. While it’s easy enough to extrapolate its dimensions based on its relative size compared to each USB port, I still thought it was quite small. It’s roughly the size of a slightly larger deck of cards. I also appreciate how it comes as a vertical stand, which should help to minimize its footprint on your desk.

The second thing that struck me was the quality of the build and components. Yes, it’s just made of plastic, but it doesn’t feel especially cheap. There’s a little bit of heft to it and it feels solidly built. I would have liked a rubberized bottom for better grip though. And in using the charger over a period of time, I didn’t notice the usual electrical “hum” that you might get with some cheaper USB charging stations. That’s a huge plus and an indication of the higher quality components housed within.

Big Things in Small Packages

Some of the greatest strengths of the Energen 5-port USB charger also lead to some of its greatest weaknesses. There is a support for Qualcomm QuickCharge 3.0 — I was able to get more than 50% on my ZTE Axon Pro in about 35 minutes, and that’s only on QC 2.0 — but you only get it through one USB port. The others run the standard 2.4A, which is still far better than 1.0A, but it’s no quick charger.

The smaller size means that this USB hub can almost disappear on your desk. That’s good. On the flip side, it also means there is absolutely no device management or cable management. This is quite unlike the decidedly larger Gelid Zentree or the Gelid Fourza, both of which come with short ribbon cables and spaces to place your devices while charging.

With this USB hub, you could still end up with a rat’s nest of cables. And it doesn’t come with any USB cables either, so you’ll need to supply those on your own.

MEGATechie Quick Charge My Life or MEGATechie No Big Hub-Bub?

They’re certainly not trying to reinvent the wheel here. With a name like the Energen 5-Port USB Charger, they’re not exactly building up a big product brand either. This is a purpose-built appliance, not unlike your toaster. And just like your toaster, there are good USB charging hubs and bad USB charging hubs. And this is one of the good ones.

The simple design is minimalist and elegant, the compact size is terribly convenient, and the five ports of charging power mean you can top up multiple devices at a time, all humming along without the annoying electrical hum. It’s too bad that only one port supports Quick Charge, but that’s still one port more than many other similar chargers.

Offered in your choice of blue and white or pink and white, the Energen 5-Port USB Charger is listed at $24.99 and is available now.