Chargers often go unnoticed. We plug them in, connect the cable and leave them there, often hidden behind a table. Therefore, when I first saw the Anker Nano Charger 45W with displayI thought the panel was little more than a teaser. The information is already on the iPhone, and to charge it, any decent USB-C adapter should suffice.

The truth is that that first impression changed quite quickly. After several weeks of using it, I ended up looking at the charger every time I plugged in the phone, basically because it eliminates a very specific doubt: you know that the cable works, you see how much power the device is receiving and you check if the load progresses as it should. But you can do much more.

The size helps make the whole thing more convincing. Its body measures about 34×35.5×40 millimeters and weighs about 75 grams. It fits effortlessly in any backpack pocket and is barely noticeable when you carry it, it is the typical size of micro-chargers common, despite having a screen. With a really robust construction, it has a single USB-C port and reaches a maximum power of 45Wenough to quickly charge an iPhone, an iPad and some light laptops as I will comment later.

The screen ends up having a very specific use

When connecting an iPhone, The model is recognized and its battery level is displayed on the screen of the charger itself. It also reports real-time power, temperature and active charging mode. This more precise identification works with iPhone 15 and later, as well as select recent iPad Pro models. Other USB-C devices charge as well (like Androids and other devices), although the uploader offers less information about them.

On a day-to-day basis, the panel is used for something as simple as check if you have used the correct cable. It may happen that you connect the iPhone expecting fast charging and the power is much lower than usual. Just look at the screen to know. It also allows you to distinguish between a cable limitation and a normal power reduction because the battery is already quite full.

It does not replace a specific USB meter, nor is it necessary. It gives enough information to understand what is happening without turning charging the phone into a laboratory test. The panel is small, but read well from a normal distance. Besides, the top capacitive touch button It allows you to switch between views, check the temperature, modify the charging mode and rotate the interface when the plug forces you to place the charger in a strange position.

Anker has also included small animations and a kind of pet that appears from time to time. It’s something purely cute and curious with no further use – but I admit that it ends up being funny, especially since a charger is usually the most impersonal technological object in the entire backpack. Here, at least, there is some character.

45W makes sense for an iPhone and also for an iPad

Maximum power 45W It more than covers the fast charging needs of current iPhones. In my tests, I get 50% battery in around twenty minutes with an iPhone 17 Pro, starting from a low level and using a compatible cable. On occasions I have managed to recover 60% in half an hour, registering a peak close to 31W. As always, the result depends on the temperature, the model and the initial percentage.

This speed in such a small device is appreciated when you have to leave the house and discover that the phone is almost empty. You plug it in while you get ready, pick up four things or finish your coffee, and twenty minutes later you already have enough battery to get through a good part of the day.

The screen shows how the energy delivery changes during that process, and I find it interesting to understand how This charger intelligently takes care of our devices. First the fast charging phase appears, then a more stable stage and, near the end, a slow maintenance charge. Anker calls these phases Fast, Steady and Trickle. The iPhone already controls internally the power it accepts, but here that behavior is no longer hidden.

With the iPad, the results are also interesting. In one of the tests, a 13-inch iPad Pro M4 went from 15% to 60% in half an hour and reached 43W. For a MacBook Air it can serve as a compact charger, depending on the model and the work we are doing. On a more demanding MacBook Pro, the situation changes: it will charge more slowly and, under a heavy workload, it may simply maintain the percentage. Although as I say it can be useful for specific support.

Care Mode makes more sense when there is no rush

The Anker Nano offers two main modes. Auto prioritizes the speed within the limits set by the device: Care Mode, which is activated with a double press, reduces the power to better control the temperature. It is designed especially for long charges, like those we do at night.

The idea is quite reasonable. If you are going to leave the phone connected for six or seven hours, it doesn’t matter if it reaches 100% at two in the morning or at four. You don’t need all the power available. In that scenario, it makes sense to charge more slowly and prevent both the phone and the adapter from overheating.

In addition, being able to change modes avoids having to store two different chargers. During the day, when I need to recover battery quickly, I use Auto. At night I activate Care Mode and leave the phone charging more calmly. It’s a very simple gesture, but it fits well with the actual way in which we usually use the iPhone.

iPhones already have thermal management, optimized charging and internal power controls. Care Mode reduces the temperature by lowering the watts, something that could also be achieved by using a less powerful adapter. My tests show an appreciable thermal difference, but it does not allow us to determine how much this will affect the degradation of the battery after several years – although it will undoubtedly help prevent future problems.

A smart evolution of the usual charger

In orange, the new Nano Anker Display. In white, a traditional USB-C charger without a screen.

The 45W Anker Nano Charger works especially well as a compact charger for an iPhone or iPad. It takes up very little space, delivers enough power and shows information that is normally hidden. It is built with great quality, it is very comfortable to transport and it can save us from more than one trouble with its fast charging and different modes of use.

Care Mode is consistent for night charging, although it should be seen for what it is: a power reduction designed to contain the temperature. It does not guarantee that the battery will remain intact for years, but it allows you to choose between speed and quieter charging without changing adapters. All this for a price that seems very reasonable to me considering its quality and what it offers.

The purchasing decision depends, above all, on how much we value the screen. Without it, it would be another compact GaN charger with a single port. With it, it becomes easier to know what happens every time we connect the phone, understand how we are loading it and apply quick measures depending on how we want to load it. It seems like a small detail, but after getting used to it, I find conventional chargers a little more blind.

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