UGREEN 100W DigiNest Pro (Hardware)
Official GBAtemp Review
Product Information:
In most rooms of my house, you can glance at a given wall and find a nest of cables snaked around, consisting of power strips, surge protectors, and device chargers. At times, power bricks will be littered on the floor, usually the result of an iPad charger being unceremoniously unplugged for the sake of a laptop charger, or whichever electronic is in demand of electricity at that moment. These kinds of setups are fine, but I would jump at the chance to have a more efficient, sleeker method of charging.
UGREEN's latest product takes the concept of one of its dedicated fast chargers and combines it with that of an extension cord/power strip in the form of the DigiNest Pro. On the front, you've got three USB-C ports and a USB-A--fairly traditional--while the backside of the device sports two three-prong grounded AC outlets, and an extra bonus AC plug sits atop it all. That top plug makes the DigiNest look a little goofy if you have a bulky thing plugged into it, but for the most part, the DigiNest looks pretty sweet, especially on the edge of a desk, where you can route those back AC plugs.
The USB-C ports on the front feature PD, and even can "Super Fast Charge" devices at 100W, however, that's only if you have one USB device plugged in at a time. Should you just have a laptop or phone plugged into the leftmost port, you'll get every bit of that 100W, but anything more than that, and the GaN charger will adjust to an even split. It's a little confusing to recall what exactly each port does, though the left USB-C is easy to remember as the "best" one of the bunch, since, even if you load up the DigiNest with devices, it'll still output 65W or 45W of power.
In my own use-cases, I've found the DigiNest to be useful at my desk, where I can charge up my laptop, phone, earbuds, and smartwatch all at once, for when I need to go somewhere. It has the added feature of being able to power all three of my monitors, which is a lot easier than trying to route those three short plugs into a power strip on the floor. I also found the DigiNest to be ideal for RGB setups; the AC plugs give power to the big RGB strips, while the USB ports supply enough juice for any smaller accessories like my Tivoo, Pulse speaker, and anything else that could possibly make my room look more like a sick rave. The best part is that it has a very tactile, easy-to-reach power button that shuts the whole thing off, which is great when it's time to go to bed and power everything down, without having to kill my TV and PC too, which all used to be plugged into the same power strip, together.
For those that worry about using basic unprotected plugs for their expensive devices, worry not; the DigiNest has surge protection, the plugs are grounded, and the charger will shut off if it overheats or overvolts. Of course, UGREEN recommends keeping the AC load under 2,000 watts total, so don't go trying to charge your MacBook and iPhone while also trying to power your refrigerator, dishwasher, and power mower at the same time.
If you are trying to get the most out of the DigiNest Pro, and have each and every one of the ports utilized at all times, it handles it without missing a beat. Using a multimeter showed that even under full load with phones charging, RGBs glowing, a box fan blowing, and an air purifier going full blast, the voltage stayed stable.
Just like a lot of UGREEN's products, this is a sleek charger that simplifies life. It's a much nicer alternative to using basic power strips, or even big bulky surge protectors, but you're going to be paying for that all-in-one cool-looking convenience. There are plenty of cheaper power strips or surge protectors, but finding ones that have all the same features that this one does is a little trickier. The DigiNest retails at $129.99, so you'll have to think if it's a purchase that'll benefit you and your daily routine.
Verdict
- Provides heat, surge, overload, voltage, and other protections for your devices
- Functions as an all-in-one charger
- Built nicely, works well
- The top AC plug looks awkward and can make the plug tip over if you've got too much plugged in
