Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
69,100
40,127


Popular accessory brand Anker today is announcing a pair of charging accessories, led by a new 511 Nano 3 USB-C charger using the company's latest GaN technology. The Nano 3 packs 30 watts of charging power into a package that's just barely larger than Apple's paltry 5-watt USB-A charger and 70% smaller than Apple's 30-watt USB-C charger.

anker-nano-3-charger-cable.jpg

Equipped with folding prongs for travel portability and protection, the Nano 3 is available in five color options: black, white, blue, green, and purple. It also includes Anker's ActiveShield 2.0 technology to intelligently monitor temperature and adjust charging output to prevent overheating. With PowerIQ 3.0 and Programmable Power Supply (PPS) support, it delivers optimized fast charging to a range of devices.

The Anker Nano 3 charger launches today on Amazon with a normal price of $22.99 in the United States, but there is a 10% launch discount good through September 19.

anker-nano-3-apple-chargers.jpg
Left to right: Apple 30W USB-C charger, Anker Nano 3 30W USB-C charger, Apple 5W USB-A charger

To complement the Nano 3, Anker is also launching new eco-friendly color-matched USB-C to Lightning and USB-C to USB-C cables in 3-foot and 6-foot lengths.

Engineered to stand up to over 20,000 bends in the lab, the new Anker 541 Lightning and 543 USB-C cables claim an industry-first eco-friendly design with the cable exteriors made of 40% bio-based materials derived from plants like corn and sugarcane. A color-matched cable wrap made of the same material also helps keep the cable tidy. Finally, the cables use 90% less plastic in their packaging with a pulp-based inner tray and 100% recyclable packaging paper with soy ink printing.

The 541 USB-C to Lightning cable is MFi certified, and when paired with a sufficiently powerful charger like the Nano 3, it can charge an iPhone 13 from 0 to 50% in 30 minutes. The 543 USB-C to USB-C cable features E-Marker chips to allow for communication between connected devices and chargers and supports up to 100 watts of charging power.

The new bio-based cables are also launching today with the 541 Lightning versions priced at $18.99 for a 3-foot cable and $21.99 for a 6-foot cable and the 543 USB-C versions priced at $16.99 (3-foot) and $19.99 (6-foot). Black and white versions have a 10% launch discount good through September 19.

Anker will also be selling bundles of the Nano 3 with the matching 6-foot USB-C to Lightning cable for $37.99, but only in white and purple, with the white version seeing a 10% launch discount through September 19.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Article Link: Anker Launches New 30W Nano 3 USB-C Charger and Bio-Based Charging Cables
 
Last edited:
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
Engineered to stand up to over 20,000 bends in the lab, the new Anker 541 Lightning and 543 USB-C cables claim an industry-first eco-friendly design with the cable exteriors made of 40% bio-based materials derived from plants like corn and sugarcane.
Yes sure they can survive bends, newspaper can survive that. Can it survive sunlight and heat from being left in a car? How about oils from skin or food? I'm excited if these are genuinely better for the environment AND can last at least a year. It's not better for the environment if the bio whatever that covers the wire degrades and falls off. Maybe my worries are not needed because Anker makes some really good products so we'll see. All my chargers are either Anker or Apple.
 
Could this charge and keep powered and plugged in a 2020 MBA M1?
And fast charge a S7 watch?

that's an impressive wattage for the 5w apple sized package.

might be tempting to grab one so I have almost a non existent charger while traveling that covers the bases !
 
Anker’s previous iteration of the most basic “nano” charger only topped out at 20w, right? As did the iPhone’s advertised fast charging wattage?

Maybe they are expecting the new iPhones will be able to take advantage of 30w charging.

I’m betting they will eventually be bringing out “Nano Pro” chargers in colors to match the new iPhones as well. I hope they don’t get rid of the Sierra blue one though.
 
Could this charge and keep powered and plugged in a 2020 MBA M1?

that's an impressive wattage for the 5w apple sized package
I would think so. I think the base M2 Air comes with a 30 watt charger. The only thing I don't like about that style is the prongs don't fold. Maybe the folding plug is a USA only thing because of how they are shaped? For me it's convenient to know that they're not going to scratch anything in the bag. I would shudder at the thought of that adapter accidentally being put in the same pouch as a MacBook 🤣
 
I don’t understand their math. Shouldn’t a 30w charger be 6 times faster than a 5 watt charger?
 
I just really like and appreciate what Anker does in the charging space. It's the company I always recommend to anyone looking for decently priced and reliable charging bricks and cables.
Also make good tablet stands.


I use this one for my 11" iPad Pro and highly recommend it.
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
Devices only pull max wattage when they are near empty, they then slow down as they approach full to protect the battery. So the math becomes a bit odd as the power draw changes over time.

Also iPhones can't pull 30w no matter how empty they are and each model differs a bit: https://www.macrumors.com/2021/09/29/iphone-13-pro-max-charges-up-to-27w-speeds/

I only have an 11 pro max (20w advertised, 22.5w max charging in tests) and getting an Anker fast charger this year felt like such a huge upgrade in itself. Don’t know how I went so long without it!

It’s my understanding that even if some of the models can pull more than 20w, that is still what they are officially spec’d at?

If Apple advertises 30w on the 14 Pro, there’s a good chance it will actually pull somewhat more than that.
 
Just be glad that those cables are usually used inside, and will therefore not become food (like engine harnesses are these days, rodents all over love the fact that they have crunchy nutritious snacks in vehicle engine compartments because all of those are 'partially organic' too!)
 
Yes sure they can survive bends, newspaper can survive that. Can it survive sunlight and heat from being left in a car? How about oils from skin or food? I'm excited if these are genuinely better for the environment AND can last at least a year. It's not better for the environment if the bio whatever that covers the wire degrades and falls off. Maybe my worries are not needed because Anker makes some really good products so we'll see. All my chargers are either Anker or Apple.
I was wondering the exact same thing, since my Apple iOS device cable exteriors reliably self-destruct after a few years of use, despite never being abused and rarely taken outside the house.
 
  • Like
Reactions: russell_314
I was wondering the exact same thing, since my Apple iOS device cable exteriors reliably self-destruct after a few years of use, despite never being abused and rarely taken outside the house.
The good thing about Anker is that even when their cables give out with regular usage, they’re pretty good about sending you a new one. They’re well-made 3rd party cables which is good in its own right, but I wouldn’t buy them if it weren’t for the very healthy lifetime warranty.
 
Anker is one of those brands you just trust.

I agree. The other one is Logitech for me.

I have a Nano 30 W charger and a dual port 65 W brick from Anker, they work so well and are so small that I have carried them with me all over the world, leaving behind the huge bricks that come with my devices.

I also have accessories from Logitech that have outlasted the devices I purchased them for, a 1080p camera that is surprisingly good and clear for its age, a wireless mouse that still works after 10 years too, they are very well made. I purchased a fancy HP mouse that lasted just over 1 year and could not get it replaced by warranty.
 
Just be glad that those cables are usually used inside, and will therefore not become food (like engine harnesses are these days, rodents all over love the fact that they have crunchy nutritious snacks in vehicle engine compartments because all of those are 'partially organic' too!)
I, fortunately, have never had rodent problems in my engine compartment, but my 94’ Mercedes C280 engine wiring harness fell apart at about 150,000 miles and I had to replace it. As I recall, it was supposed to be environmentally friendly also. My next car (also Mercedes) didn’t have that problem. I drove both to over 200,000 miles, so I suspect they sorted out being environmentally conscious and having durability.
 
Yes sure they can survive bends, newspaper can survive that. Can it survive sunlight and heat from being left in a car? How about oils from skin or food? I'm excited if these are genuinely better for the environment AND can last at least a year. It's not better for the environment if the bio whatever that covers the wire degrades and falls off. Maybe my worries are not needed because Anker makes some really good products so we'll see. All my chargers are either Anker or Apple.

You make a good point; however, I have multiple cables for multiple uses. If I thought these new cables were less resistant to environmental factors, I would tend to replace my workstation cables with these and re-purpose my existing cables for higher stress usage. At least until this material was proven out in field use.
 
  • Like
Reactions: russell_314
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.