Ugreen's Nexode 'robot' chargers are a fun concept with flawed execution

These chargers make me wish I had an outlet on my desk

Ugreen’s Nexode RG ‘robot’ chargers are incredibly adorable, fun little chargers. I want to love them — they’re just so dang cute! — but there’s one critical flaw that keeps these from being the best little chargers ever. That flaw is outlets.

The Nexode RG chargers are, for all intents and purposes, the same regular old USB-C bricks we’ve been plugging into walls for years. They come in two flavours: a slightly larger 65W variant with two USB-C ports and a USB-A port, or a 30W variant with a single USB-C port. Moreover, the 30W version comes in two colours, black or purple — the purple one has an adorable little bow on the back. Ugreen Nexode RG 30W purple charger with a bow. What sets these little guys apart is the design. They look like robots! And they have a tiny LED screen that lights up with a cute little pixel-art robot face when you use the charger! And they have these delightful little feet that double as a protective cover for the metal prongs on the plug! And it looks like they’re wearing precious petite headphones! And tiny Spongbob-esque pants!

The point is, these robot plugs are great, and I just want to see them, which is why it pains me so much that I need to plug them into an outlet. And where are most outlets? On the wall, somewhere below eye level, where my wonderful robot plug will live out its days in lonely misery.

The LED faces aren’t particularly bright, and the expressions can change based on charge level.

Of course, this flaw won’t be an issue for everyone. Heck, it wouldn’t be an issue for me if I had a power bar on my desk, but all my power bars are horribly ugly and are best left where they are: banished to the rat’s nest of cables beneath my desk.

Aside from that, the Nexode RG chargers are, well, just like any other charger. The chargers use GaN technology, enabling faster charging in a smaller package. Ugreen says the Nexode chargers have built-in protection for short circuits, overload, temperature and overvoltage. And as far as cost goes, they’re not significantly more expensive than Ugreen’s equivalent non-robot chargers.

Speaking of non-robot chargers, Ugreen also has a line of Nexode Pro GaN chargers with ‘GaNInfinity’ for higher efficiency and less heat, plus a ‘Thermal Guard’ system for temperature control. These come in 65W, 100W and 160W variants with a mix of USB-C and USB-A ports. The Nexode Pro chargers are a definite step up from the typical Nexode chargers with a more premium look.

If you don’t care about the robot aesthetic, the Nexode Pro chargers are the ones to get, in my opinion. The 160W Nexode Pro has become my ultimate travel charger, thanks to its four ports and high output. It can easily charge my laptop, phone, smartwatch and camera, saving me from bringing multiple bricks wherever I go.

The Nexode Pro 160W (front) is slightly smaller than the Nexode 140W (back) but delivers more power and looks nicer.

You can check out all of Ugreen’s chargers on the company’s website or on Amazon Canada. Or, if you’re looking for specific options, you can find pricing and links below (note that at the time of writing, the Nexode Pro chargers were only listed on Amazon):

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