D-Link 140W GaN Charger reviewed: compact power

A networking company enters the exciting world of chargers, and while it seems confusing, the result is better than you could expect. Is D-Link a welcome addition to GaN chargers?

Brands rarely surprise. Typically when they do surprise, it’s because something has changed.  D-Link, as I noted in my review of the DPP-201 Power Bank, is a company best known for networking gear – switches, routers, mesh kits and the like.

However, it’s pretty clear that D-Link has some ambitions to take on the home power space with devices like Power Banks and chargers. That’s a surprise, and not what we had on the networking gear manufacturer bingo card.

And yet here we are.

If you want the really simple and short version of this review, here it is: the D-Link DCF-141 140W GaN Charger is… a charger. It will charge your gadgets.

Can I go now?

(Editor: No. Get back to your reviews desk, Alex.)

Yes, sir. Sorry, sir.

It’s true though, that it’s a charger, and in many ways, like the DPP-201 the most remarkable thing about it is the D-Link branding that it bears. 

There are some very good reasons why it makes a lot of sense to buy a reliable brand name charger… so how does the D-Link DCF-141 140W GaN charging brick compare?

Design

It’s a charger. It looks like a charger. It smells like a charger.

Were I to put it in my mouth, I suspect it would also taste like a charger. But aside for being unhygienic and ill-advised, let’s just say it’s a charger one more time for the cheap seats and move on please.

The D-Link DCF-141 140W GaN Charger is a small charger – very typical for the gallium nitride tech known as “GaN”, because that’s one of the benefits of that particular technology – and the only other note of interest I can throw in here is that unlike some multi-port chargers you can buy, it has a fixed plug head, rather than providing a grab-bag of different plug head styles to cover international travel needs. 

If you want to travel with D-Link’s 140W GaN Charger, you’ll have to bring an adaptor to move it away from the AS/NZS 3112 standard. It does omit the earthing pin from that standard, which at least suggests that it should be internally double insulated.

D-Link has three chargers in its GaN range, and the DCF-141 sits in the middle of the pack at $129.95. The cheapest model is the DCP-101 at $99.95, while the king of the power hill is the DCF-241, which will set you back $249.95.

They all look like chargers, though spending more money does get you more charger in very specific ways. 

Both the $99.95 DCF-101 and $129.95 DCF-141 have 3 USB-C output ports and a sole USB-A port for charging, while the top-tier DCF-241 gives you for USB-C outputs and a single USB-A output.

Given that USB-C is the main port of choice for these days, that’s actually okay.

In terms of power output you also get variance for your money, with the cheapest model topping out at 100W, the mid-tier model I’ve tested capping out at 140W and the top tier being able to output a maximum of 240W, though both it and the DCF-141 will only push 140W maximum through any one port.

Here’s where matters get slightly mathematically complex, because you can’t pull full power from any given port; that’s reserved for the top two USB-C ports on the D-Link charger specifically.

If you’re mixing and matching cables and ports, it gets even more complex. How complex, I hear you ask? More than you might expect, because port power differs dramatically depending on the combination.

That’s… a lot of combinations, and if you are looking to feed more power-hungry devices it’s well worth keeping in mind that the top two ports – USB-C1 and USB-C2 – are the ones that can push out power at higher rates as long as you’re not using too many other ports. 

If you want the full-fat power experience of the D-Link DCF-141 140W GaN Charger, you’re only going to see that with a single USB-C cable plugged into either of the top two ports. 

None of this is D-Link’s fault; once again we have to blame those pesky laws of physics.

Performance

I plugged things into the D-Link DCF-141 140W GaN Charger.

They charged. It did not catch fire, though extended use did lightly raise its surface temperature. GaN chargers are slightly better at that kind of temperature management, so this was something I expected.

While that might seem like a glib assessment of the D-Link DCF-141’s capabilities, it’s absolutely the case.

Charge rates you get with any given device will vary depending on whether they’re direct mains powered or battery powered, with many systems with USB-PD compatibility varying charge to keep things safe for all elements of charging, but I had few complaints here.

As an example, I could charge up a MacBook Air M4 quite happily with it, and likewise I could use the fixed cable from a Google Home Speaker to power it through the D-Link 140W GaN without issue. With all ports occupied charging a variety of phones, rechargeable USB-C batteries and a single laptop, charging was a little slower, which is exactly in line with D-Link’s claims.

The comment about fires above is also an important one to bring to mind, because the reality is that if you look online, you can very easily find chargers much cheaper than this one, typically from no-name brands that you might also find at some markets.

While it’s not quite the point of this review, I’ve got to tell you in no uncertain terms: do NOT just buy the cheapest charger you can find. It might be cheap, but you could pay for it with your life. There are cases in Australia of people being killed by cheap chargers. 

Buying a known name brand that has both a reputation and a reason to ensure that they’re meeting Australian electrical safety standards might cost you a little more cash, but that’s far better than risking electrocuting yourself or your loved ones.

What we loved

The D-Link DCF-141 140W GaN Charger is simple, and it works for charging. It quite literally does do what it says on the box. 

It’s difficult to complain when you get that.

What needs work

My escape plans from this desk, because I feel like this review is done.

(Editor: it mostly is.)

Final Thoughts (TLDR)

While I remain somewhat lightly amused by the fact that D-Link is shifting its brand into the home electrical space, given that so very many of its networking products don’t use USB-C power sockets, there’s little to complain about with D-Link’s DCF-141 140W GaN Charger. 

It’s a basic USB-C charger with four ports that work… and that’s it. It gives you power, and the power to control how your power is distributed. All the compact power, or as much as you can fit into a 140W GaN package. Recommended.