Chargeasap Zeus review: This 270W GaN charger is a portable powerhouse

Chargeasap’s Zeus Charger is a powerful multi-device charger that offers 270W of power in a compact form factor.

Chargers are rarely the kind of things to get excited about, but every now and then we let ourselves get carried away just a little.

Phones, tablets, Steam Decks, and laptops all need juice, and while there are plenty of options that can charge multiple devices at once, a new Kickstarter might just be offering the best option yet — with the Zeus Charger from Chargeasap the world’s smallest GaN (Gallium Nitrate) charger with 270W output. But, should you back it?

Key specs

• 1x USB-A ports (36w), 3x USB-C (100w and 140w)
• Price: $109
• Where to buy: Kickstarter

What’s in the box: Zeus Charger, region-specific adapters, fabric carrying case

Design

The Chargeasap Zeus Charger is a compact device that has a rounded, rectangular outer casing with ports at one end, and space for an included AC adapter at the other. That may sound silly since if you’ve seen a charger before, you’ll know what to expect, but with all the ports at one end, you may be wondering if there’s a danger of overcrowding (many chargers such as this offer ports on the side). In our testing, though, it’s perfectly sized to avoid cables getting in the way of other cables.

It’s surprisingly weighty, too, and feels well-built. While the Zeus Charger has a glossy finish right now, the team at Chargeasap told Dexerto that it’ll be switched to a matte option during mass production following a survey of backers.

Chargeasap also noted that the adapter would be easier to remove and switch for other options, but in our time with it, we never felt it was overly difficult to adjust. If you’re a MacBook user, the white color certainly feels “Apple-appropriate”, too.

Performance

Once upon a time, it was enough for a charger to simply, well, charge. With the advent of fast charging, plus power-hungry devices like the Steam Deck, things have gotten a little more complex – and demanding.

Thankfully, the Zeus charger is more than prepared. There are four ports on the back of the charger, with two 100W USB-C ports, as well as a 140W option. There’s even room for a USB-A port with 36W on the other side.

Wondering how quickly things are charging? The Zeus offers a small OLED display that shows output per port, up to a total of 270W.

If you’ve got one of the latest MacBook Pro or similar with fast charging, you’ll not only be able to charge it at full speed, you can charge three of them at once, and still have room for an iPhone or Nintendo Switch.

Should you buy it?

It feels a little like a watershed moment for portable charging, and it’ll be interesting to see how the team at Chargeasap evolves it over time. Regardless, this is one of the most fully-featured and impressive chargers that we’ve seen come to market.

The Kickstarter is still actively rolling, so there’s plenty of time to jump on board. At $119 for a single charger, it’s arguably not the cheapest, but comparatively, to collecting a bunch of chargers to do the same thing, it’s actually more affordable than you’d think – and well worth a look.

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