Anker Prime Charging Station (8-in-1, 240W) Review: A Slim, Smart Desktop Hub for Photographers

Chargers are the gear no one thinks about — at least until there is a need. Anker sent their Anker Prime Charging Station (8-in-1, 240W), a smart charger with app control. Who might benefit from this? And why might they need app control?

What It Is

The Anker Prime Charging Station (8-in-1, 240W) is a desktop hub that packs serious charging capability into a surprisingly small footprint. You can configure the AC outlets, monitor, and schedule with the app. Here are the key specs:

• Total power: 240 W, enough to handle all your devices effortlessly
• Ports: 8 total — 2 AC outlets, 4 USB-C ports, and 2 USB-A ports
• USB-C max output: 140 W per port, enough to rapidly charge high-demand devices like a 16-inch MacBook Pro, hitting 53% in just 30 minutes
• Dimensions: 3.07 × 5.43 × 0.71 inches; includes a pop-up outlet for easy access
• Input voltage: 100–240 V

It's an update from the Anker Prime 6-in-1 Charging Station (140W). Here are some of the key differences:

• Power: 71% increase in power, from 140 W to 240 W
• Ports: More ports — 6-in-1 (2 AC, 2 USB-C, 2 USB-A) for the old one; 8-in-1 (2 AC, 4 USB-C, 2 USB-A) for the new one
• Size: The desktop part is actually smaller despite more ports and power — 6.3 inches long vs. 5.43 inches
• Safety monitoring: Upgraded from ActiveShield 2.0 (3 million temperature checks per day) to 3.0 (6 million checks per day)
• Surge protection: The updated version has 300-joule surge protection; the older one did not
• App/Wi-Fi control: A new, added feature
• Wall adapter: The new version has a larger wall adapter with a five-pin proprietary connector, expanded from three-pin on the older model

What It Is Not

While the desktop part is relatively small, the unit as a whole is not being pitched as a travel charger. It's intended to be more of a desktop charger, albeit a small one. To get the desktop part of the charger smaller, more electronics were put into the wall adapter, which is why it is larger than its predecessor.

That said, I did actually test this by taking it on a trip. For road trips or domestic travel where you don't need to watch your weight very carefully, it's good. For backpacking through Europe, it would be too large. The wall adapter is large, measuring 4.06 × 3.07 × 1.25 inches and weighing 21.32 ounces — over a pound and a third. The desktop station itself weighs 8.11 ounces, so the adapter is more than twice the weight. And as mentioned above, the five-pin connector is proprietary.

Also, you don't want to lose the power supply with the connector. As of this writing, Anker does not seem to sell this separately on their website, and there are no third-party power supplies on Amazon or elsewhere. Since it is a new product, it might be available by writing to Anker's customer service.

Everything charged up quickly, as Anker mentioned it would. Being able to plug all devices into one hub was fantastic. I did notice that even when the unit was not charging, it would remain quite warm — more than I would have expected. However, it never got hot, even when charging multiple devices and running a laptop.

Packed With Power

The AC ports have 120 W at 10 amps, suitable for computers and, yes, a coffee maker and other small appliances. To make the desktop charger smaller, Anker made it so the AC ports pop up when in use — a clever feature.

There are two buttons to turn the AC on and off. You can also turn the AC on and off remotely via the Anker app. You could schedule the outlets to simulate occupancy, such as turning lamps on and off to suggest someone is home, or use it to automate pet feeders, water fountains, or smart pet doors.

The two USB-A ports on the side have a max output of 12 W.

If you want faster charging, you would use one of the four USB-C ports.

The charger is capable of outputting 240 W total across multiple devices. If you have one device plugged in, it's full speed ahead — the USB-C will offer 140 W. Plug in more than one device, however, and that changes due to its automatic power allocation, a safety feature. The system will automatically reduce USB power to protect itself.

You can change this power allocation default, called Smart Dynamic Allocation, to Recommended Mode for High-Power Equipment. This offers three modes for reallocating resources. Anker does a good job of describing its power allocation on the website.

Cables and Charging

Of course, depending on your device, you might need to purchase higher-rated cables to take full advantage of the Anker Prime Charging Station's speed. For example, most Lightning-port iPhones have a ceiling, typically around 20–27 W. The cable matters less than if you have a MacBook, which would require 100 W.

Using my garden-variety 18 W USB-C to Lightning cables, I was able to charge my iPhone 14 Pro to 50% in 36 minutes.

What Does the Anker App Do Exactly?

The app is clean, well-designed, and easy to navigate. To use the Prime Charging Station remotely, you first need to pair the device. This can be done via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. I would recommend Wi-Fi. Bluetooth, which is not my favorite form of wireless technology, seems absurdly short-range with this unit. Several times, I had to reconnect the unit after going to the bathroom in my house, about 50 feet away. It even lost connection once while the phone was in the same room.

Connecting the unit to Wi-Fi, on the other hand, is considerably more stable. I can see readouts or control it anywhere in the house, unlike with Bluetooth. And as a bonus, I can control the unit if I am away.

Who Would Benefit Most From Using It?

The Prime Charging Station is designed for people who have a desk surrounded by devices — such as photographers (of course!), professionals, remote workers, and anyone juggling a laptop, phone, tablet, earbuds, and accessories simultaneously.

I would say it also works for people who are traveling but don't have overriding concerns about size and weight, such as someone traveling by road or perhaps domestically by air. In the hotel, I found it very convenient to have one hub to run or charge my laptop, phones, and camera battery chargers. Being able to fast-charge a laptop like a MacBook Pro while using seven other ports is pretty great. While it supports universal input voltage (100–240 V), I personally would find this too heavy and bulky for most international travel unless you are reasonably stationary and intend to set up a desktop hub for a while. For true travel, Anker's Nano or GaN series would be lighter options.

I also like that the unit provides constant temperature monitoring and 300 joules of surge protection. This might come in particularly handy with sketchy hotel or airport outlets. This might also work for gigging musicians who are either running a laptop or otherwise need a reasonably stable power supply and surge protector.

Concerns

The connection between the station and its wall adapter is proprietary. It uses a wider five-pin connector than its predecessor. It feels solid. However, if you lose or damage that adapter, you can't easily replace it. And as mentioned above, I cannot find a replacement power supply on Anker's website or on Amazon.

Also, if you wish to use a cable management hole that often comes with newer desks, you might have difficulty fitting the five-pin proprietary connector through some of them, as the connector is approximately 2 inches across. You might want to measure your desk's cable hole before purchasing.

Bottom Line

The Anker Prime Charging Station (8-in-1, 240W) is a desktop charger with some strong features and a slim design that doesn't take up much real estate on a desktop or hotel table. The unit is built solidly and has outstanding controls and features, including surge protection, temperature monitoring for safety, many inputs, and fast charging. Although some might not find the app control useful, there are some genuinely useful applications for it, including configuring the allocation of power, monitoring, and more. Being able to schedule a timer for the AC outlets can also be useful for a variety of purposes outlined above, including turning lamps on and off and automating feeders or water fountains for pets.

If you are a photographer or other creative professional who wants one hub to rule their desktop, charge everything quickly, and keep it safe, this delivers.

Several of the images are used with the permission of Anker.