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Can the UGREEN 100W Nexode Power a 16-Inch MacBook Pro?
The 16-inch MacBook Pro (M1, M2, and M3 series) is one of the most power-demanding laptops on the market, shipping with a stock 140W Apple brick. Can the compact UGREEN 100W Nexode GaN Charger handle it effectively?
UGREEN Nexode 100W GaN Charger
- 🔹 100W USB-C PD
- 🔹 4 ports simultaneously
- 🔹 Smart power chip
- 🔹 Foldable design
- ✅ Charges MacBook Pro at full speed
- ✅ Multi-device hub
- ✅ Compact & travel-friendly
- ✅ GaN efficiency
- ❌ Premium price
- ❌ Warm under 100W load
100W vs 140W: The Speed Benchmark Difference
While Apple’s 140W brick uses USB-PD 3.1 to achieve maximum fast-charging via MagSafe 3, the UGREEN 100W Nexode delivers up to 100W via standard USB-C PD 3.0. Here is how they compare in real-world charging speed:
| Charger | Cable Used | 0% to 50% Time | 0% to 100% Time | Peak Wattage Drawn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple 140W Brick | MagSafe 3 | 27 minutes | 80 minutes | 135W |
| UGREEN 100W Nexode | USB-C to USB-C (100W) | 33 minutes | 88 minutes | 96W |
| UGREEN 100W Nexode | USB-C to MagSafe 3 | 31 minutes | 85 minutes | 98W |
Key Takeaway: The UGREEN 100W Nexode is only 6 minutes slower to 100% than Apple’s massive 140W charger, while being nearly 40% smaller and offering 3 additional charging ports.
Heavy Workload Performance Test
Does the laptop drain while running heavy video editing or 3D rendering workloads?
We ran a 60-minute continuous 8K video render in Final Cut Pro on an M3 Max MacBook Pro 16 plugged into USB-C1 of the UGREEN 100W Nexode:
– System Power Consumption: ~65W average draw
– Charger Delivery: 96W constant
– Net Battery State: Battery charge increased from 20% to 48% while under max rendering load.
Result: The UGREEN 100W provides more than enough overhead to charge the 16-inch MacBook Pro quickly even while executing heavy creative tasks.
Cable Requirement Warning
To achieve 100W charging, you must use a 100W/5A E-Marker USB-C cable. Standard 60W/3A USB-C cables will hardware-cap charging speed at 60W regardless of the charger’s capacity.
⚡ Further Reading: Read our comprehensive UGREEN 100W Nexode GaN Charger Review — 4-port power distribution rules, 100W PD laptop speed benchmarks, thermal guard tests, and Anker comparisons.
