AUKEY Minima 27W USB-C PD Charger REVIEW Tiny Yet Mighty | Mac Sources9.5
Tags: Aukey, Apple, Charger

Enjoy extreme portability with the Worlds Smallest 27W Power Delivery Charger from AUKEY

Whether you are a modern student looking to power a portable device, a businessman on-the-go, or simply a portable gamer, you likely have had need of a USB-C output source. I have several multi-USB-A HUBS, a few USB-A to USB-C cables but it seems that I can never find the correct charging cable when needed. Since the Nintendo Switch and IPad Pro 11" utilize USB-C charging, I have been on the lookout for a portable USB-C charger to add to my Switch POWERA Messenger bag and to my Timbuk2 Messenger bag. The AUKEY 27W PD Wall charger seemed like the perfect device for my on-the-go power needs.

The AUKEY 27W PD Wall Charger arrived in a 2 3/4 inches long by 1 11/16 inches wide by 1 11/16 inches thick tan cardboard box. Similar to many of the AUKEY devices that I have reviewed, the packaging lacked pizazz and excitement. The main cover panel displayed the company name along the top left, the “27W PD Wall Charger” product name along the middle, and a 7/8 inches wide by 3/4 inches tall ink-outline image of the AUKEY wall charger. Other than a vague product description and ink outline, the cover did not provide much information about the product. Turning to the remaining surfaces of the packaging, I found both side panels provided a recycling logo and “Go Green with AUKEY,” while the back panel remained blank. The front panel showed the two color options for the 27W PD Wall charger and that I had received the white charger. The bottom panel listed the PA-Y19 model number, the company address, www.aukey.com email address, support@aukey.com address, many of the standard product manufacturing labels, and a white sticker. Hopefully, you remembered what you purchased from Amazon because the packaging did not provide any product specifications or details. To learn more about the product you will need to either peruse the internet or to open the packaging.

I lifted the lid of the packaging and was greeted by a brilliant white 1 5/16 inches tall by 1 3/16 inches wide charger. The front panel had a single “PD” USB-C outlet along the bottom and grey “AUKEY” centered along the top. Similar to OEM Apple charging cubes, the side and top panels of the 27W PD AUKEY charger had a sterile-white appearance. The back panel had a retractable Type-A wall socket and the bottom panel provided the product specifications: Model PA-Y19, 100–240V/0.65A 50/60Hz input, 27W PD 5V/3A, 9V/3A, 12/V/2.25/A, 15V/1.8A, 20V/1.35A output, Made in China, and manufacturing labels. Hidden beneath the internal cardboard, the company provided a 2 1/8 inches wide by 1 5/8 inches tall 24-Month Product Warranty card, and a similarly-sized hexalingual instruction manual (English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, and Chinese). Each language was allotted eight pages to detail the package contents, product specifications, information about power delivery, product-how-to, product care, and warranty/customer support.

To test the output, I plugged the Type A socket into a standard wall outlet and then a DROK USB-C Multimeter into the single USB-C PD port. I plugged an AUKEY USB-C to USB-C cable into the Multimeter and the other end into the USB-C port on my Nintendo Switch. The Multimeter read 14.9V/0.8–0.95A throughout most of my tests but did reach 15.0V/1.09A at one point. As a second test, I plugged the USB-C cable into my iPad Pro 11" and found the multimeter read 5.08V/1.42A and then switched to 14.9V/1.7–1.77A. Starting at 10:46 PM with 13% power, my iPad Pro 11" charged to 21% by 10:54, and then to 28% by 11:01. For my third and final test, I plugged a USB-C to Lightning cable into my iPhone 11 Pro Max and found that it read 8.95V/2.34–2.55A. Starting at 11:20 with 35% power, my iPhone charged to 57% by 11:34 PM, and then to 69% by 11:43 PM. My only complaint about the highly-pocketable, 1.55-ounce charger was the single output port. With so many devices to keep charged, trading an entire outlet for a single USB-C output did not seem like a fair trade. However, what the device lacked in power output ports, it made up for in output power. Thanks to the newer Gallium Nitride tech, it has become possible to gain more power than a standard silicone charger and in a smaller footprint.

Learn more about the AUKEY 27W PD

Follow AUKEY on Facebook and Twitter.