DR VAKU 65W GaN Charger Review: One solution for phone, laptop and headphones?

Pros & Cons

Detailed Review

First Impressions

When the DR VAKU 65W charger arrived, I was genuinely surprised by how small it was. Coming from those bulky laptop chargers that take up half your bag, this thing is barely larger than a standard iPhone charger. The white glossy finish also looks decent, but will surely scratch over time.

How I Tested This

I used this charger daily for about 4 weeks . My setup included charging my MacBook Air M1, iPhone 13, and occasionally my wife’s Samsung S21. We tested it during the brutal May heat where room temperature easily hit 38-40 degrees. Also put it through multiple power cut scenarios with our inverter, and tried charging two devices simultaneously to see how power distribution actually works.

Performance

Let me be real here. The 65W rating is the combined output, not what each port delivers. When I charged just my MacBook, it pulled around 60W and charged reasonably fast, maybe 0 to 80 percent in about 1.5 hours. But plug in your phone alongside, and the laptop charging slows down noticeably. The charger automatically splits power, and honestly, the laptop gets priority which makes sense.

The GaN technology does make a difference in heat management. During single device charging, it stays warm but not hot. However, when I was charging both MacBook and iPhone together during a hot afternoon, the charger got quite warm to touch. Not dangerously hot, but warm enough that I moved it away from my wooden desk.

Build Quality and Daily Use

The prongs fold in, which is great for travel. But the folding mechanism feels a bit flimsy after a month of use. It still works fine, just developed a slight wobble. The ports are tight initially, cables plug in securely without falling out.

One issue I noticed is that the charger sometimes takes a second or two to recognize my MacBook when plugged in. There is this brief pause before charging kicks in. Not a dealbreaker, just something I observed.

Value for Money

At around 1500 rupees, this is significantly cheaper than the Anker or Belkin 65W options that cost 2-3000 plus. Is it as refined? No. But for a student or someone who needs a backup travel charger, the value proposition is solid. Just do not expect premium brand level polish.

Score Breakdown

Key Specifications

Our Verdict