NOVOO RG140 140W GaN Charger Review: One Charger to Power Your Entire Desk

This article is republished with permission from DigitalReviews, following an independent review of the NOVOO RG140 140W GaN Charger by Kevin Cheng.

In this review, Kevin takes an in-depth look at the RG140’s performance in real-world scenarios, including multi-device charging, desktop setups, and high-power charging needs.

Read the full review below to learn more about the NOVOO RG140 and how it can simplify your everyday charging setup.

People say inkjet printer ink is more valuable than gold (not wrong), but for me, I can’t seem to get enough of multi-port GaN chargers. The newest one to hit my desk is the Novoo RG140 140W GaN Charger.

The RG140 is Novoo’s new flagship charger, built for users who need maximum performance across multiple devices. Whether that’s two laptops on a workbench, a laptop and tablet while travelling, or a desk full of USB-powered gadgets, the RG140 is designed to replace several chargers with one.

Why I Keep Collecting GaN Chargers

I have children. Do you realise how often they break things because they haven’t yet learned to value them? In my family, chargers seem to be the most common casualty.

The other reason is that I’m tired of having single-port chargers lying around, each doing the absolute bare minimum by charging only the device they came bundled with. They’re inflexible and consume an entire power point just to charge a single device.

We are long past the days where USB charging is a novelty. Single port chargers need to stay in history.

What Makes a Good GaN Charger?

Three things matter to me: total power output, physical size and weight.

I really don’t want to lug something that is half a kilogram or more in weight in my bag. I already carry plenty of baggage.

At times, I need to power two laptops concurrently. Having a GaN charger that can comfortably deliver that will earn a place in my work bag.

I realise, as I write this, that this scenario is far more common today than it was a decade ago when I first started needing this level of flexibility. On top of that, it is handy to be able to share the one power brick at a work table.

Real-World Performance

The RG140, as the model number implies, has a maximum output of 140W across its ports. The full roster of ports are:

The headline figure of 140W isn’t just marketing. It means the RG140 supports USB Power Delivery 3.1 Extended Power Range (EPR), allowing compatible laptops such as Apple’s 16-inch MacBook Pro to charge at full speed while still leaving capacity for other devices.

The highest-power USB-C port can charge an Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch at its full supported USB-C charging rate, and is also suitable for high-performance Windows workstations such as the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 2 and Gen 3.

My daily laptops are both Ultrabooks, and both comfortably operate within a 65W power budget. That means I can comfortably run both simultaneously from the RG140 without carrying two separate chargers. That’s exactly the kind of flexibility I look for when I am working away from my desk.

As for travelling, I need the one charger that will handle my laptop, phone, earbuds and can still top up my battery banks at a decent speed.

The beauty of a multi-port GaN charger, is that I only need the one power adapter for my upcoming trip to China. With that in mind, I plug in everything I anticipate I will need into the Novoo RG140 to make sure I won’t be left powerless away from home.

Firstly, I had both my laptops hooked up to it for an extended period. Both machines registered the power without any complaints, so they were getting the 65W that they were expecting out of USB-C1 and USB-C2 respectively.

And that is not the best part – the best part is that the Novoo RG140 barely registered any heat. After more than half an hour on the test bench, I could feel just the barest bit of warmth on the charger.

Heat is the enemy of power electronics. A charger that remains cool under sustained load is generally a good sign that its thermal design and power conversion are working efficiently.

When I plugged my phone into the mix, the RG140 immediately redistributed its available power. USB-C2 dropped its output and one of the laptops complained that it was no longer receiving sufficient power.

Also worth noting is that when you are plugging in new devices, the RG140 does not disconnect any of the existing connections. I also didn’t detect any coil whine during testing. The RG140 remained silent under load.

Design and Practicality

One design feature I particularly appreciate is the location of the AC prongs. Rather than being positioned near the top of the charger, they’re located close to the centre of the body on the front edge.

This is beneficial in a couple of ways. Firstly, the weight is better distributed when it’s plugged into a wall socket. Secondly – and this is something you don’t appreciate until you encounter it – it has a much better chance of fitting recessed power outlets built into desks and meeting tables.

How did I find that out? Well last week I went into the office, and the other GaN charger that I have been using is far too big to fit into the recess power socket. Aside from the size, the location of the prong at the top of the unit made it impossible as all the bulk is below it.

For the record, I did try with the RG140 but it still couldn’t fit. But it got pretty close.

Things to Consider

There is little to complain about with the Novoo RG140.

I do need to point out that when you do connect four devices to it concurrently, the USB-C3 and USB-A ports will have a substantially reduced output. This is common for these kinds of GaN chargers.

The 22.5W for USB-A is about as fast as you can get it for older devices, but it will not be the best choice for devices that support USB-C PD protocols.

Novoo RG140 Review Verdict

Having a 140W rating for a GaN charger may seem like overkill for some. If you’re buying a premium multi-port charger today, I think 140W should be your starting point.

It isn’t just about today’s laptops, it is a future-proof investment as USB PD 3.1 adoption continues to grow. It ensures compatibility with the latest USB PD 3.1 devices such as the MacBook Pro 16-inch while also providing plenty of headroom for charging multiple devices simultaneously.

The Novoo brand was new to me until I got this review unit, and I have put it through the ringer and it delivers what it promises in a compact package.

The Novoo RG140 comes in different plug configurations (non-interchangeable) and has a 240W braided USB bundled in with RRP A$96. At the time of publishing, it has been discounted to $80 on their website, and on Amazon it is listed for AA$89.99 with a 25% coupon bringing it down to $67.49. That is a steal!

DRN would like to thank Novoo for providing the review unit, this one is going into the kit for my China trip.