UGREEN Nexode 200W test: Strong performance at a premium price

UGREEN offers more and more technical gadgets. As part of our test series, we have already had the opportunity to put the PowerRoam 1200 (test), a power station, and the DigiNest Pro 100W (test), an extremely practical multiple socket for the desk, under the microscope. Today, we want to put a power supply through its paces in the UGREEN Nexode 200W review, which wants to offer up to 200 watts of output power. However, not only the promised performance is high. The RRP of just under 180 Euros also makes it clear that we are clearly in the upper class here. Whether the high price for the powerful power supply with many connection options is justified, we want to check in the following.

Inhaltsverzeichnis / Table of contents

Hand on heart: how often have you bought a separate charger in your life? Personally, I can count the whole thing on one hand. Really, that's not surprising. After all, most technical gadgets have come with an accompanying power supply unit in the past. But the trend is currently heading in a different direction. For example, more and more manufacturers are not including a separate power supply unit with their smartphones. The reason given by Apple and others is to save CO² emissions. The pleasant side effect for the companies should be the saved manufacturing costs.

The main argument for not including a power supply is the fact that consumers now have a large smorgasbord of matching power supplies at home. That may well be true. However, they are often outdated and can rarely support modern features like a fast charging function. In order to be able to support modern charging technology, you cannot avoid buying a new power supply. Models like the UGREEN Nexode 200W are practical in that they offer multiple ports. In this case, you’ll find six ports that are supposed to offer up to 200 watts in combination and a maximum of 100 watts individually. Strictly speaking, then, this is a modern counterpart to the classic socket distributor.

To be honest, the appearance of power supplies plays more of a secondary role for me. However, given the high price UGREEN is charging here, let's take a look at this as well. That we are in the premium segment here can already be seen in the packaging. Here the manufacturer relies on a black package, which becomes a real eye-catcher with noble gold lettering.

Once you take off the lid, you immediately see the power supply, which is once again wrapped in a plastic sleeve. The Schuko cable, which is supposed to supply the Nexode 200W with enough power, and a suitable USB-C cable are found underneath the power supply itself. Once you lift the power supply, you’ll notice the rather heavy weight.

The Nexode 200W weighs in at a proud 513 grams. Considering the compact dimensions of 100 x 100 x 32 mm, the gadget can nevertheless be put into a backpack without any problems. However, you should be prepared that it also makes the backpack noticeably heavier. In terms of looks, UGREEN relies on a pleasingly timeless design. Thus, a color combination of black and a dark gray is used here.

In particular, the dark gray harmonizes perfectly with my MacBook Pro in the color Space Grey. I find the matte surface particularly positive. This ensures that you don't have to worry about ugly finger taps on the power supply even after many touches.

While the manufacturer's logo is on the top, UGREEN places four black rubber feet on the bottom to prevent slipping in use. For my taste, the manufacturer could have happily installed even bigger feet here. Finally, the power supply slipped a few times in the test when I wanted to plug in a cable.

The fact that the power supply is made of plastic didn't strike me negatively in the test. It is an extremely high-quality plastic, whose look and feel could definitely lead to confusion with aluminum. All in all, the gadget scores with a first-rate build quality and a chic design.

The core function of the UGREEN Nexode 200W is quickly explained. Using just one power outlet, you can connect your gadgets to four USB-C ports and two USB-A ports here. In order to be able to connect enough devices, UGREEN also sent us a PD Fast Charging Cable (USB-C to Lightning) and a USB-C to USB-C cable with a chic fabric jacket to go with the powerful power supply. The ports are easily recognizable and accessible on the front of the Nexode 200W.

For the ports area, UGREEN uses the same material as the rest of the device. This may give a more coherent overall look visually. Nevertheless, I assume that the area will collect one or two scratches over time. That can't be avoided at all with the metal parts of USB connectors. A front made of rubber or other resistant material would certainly have been better here.

UGREEN advertises a peak power of 200 watts here. However, this does not refer to a single port, but rather the total power that the power supply can output in the interaction of all ports. You have to divide the USB ports into three different groups. The lowest power is provided by the two USB-A ports. Up to 22.5 watts are possible here. The USB-C ports 3 and 4 can output up to 65 watts each. The first two USB-C ports offer the full power. Up to 100 watts are possible per port here. That is really a lot of power that definitely not everyone needs. In view of the high price, which UGREEN charges here, you should therefore consider whether you even own a device that can call up the power before buying.

Otherwise, there are many, far cheaper alternatives that provide less power. I find the fact that UGREEN cannot provide its maximum power via one of the ports somewhat surprising. In view of the premium character, this should certainly be expected from my point of view. Especially since the market would already be ready for it. After all, there are already notebooks and smartphones that can take more than 100 watts of power. This trend will go even further in the coming years, which is why a higher performance via only one USB-C port would certainly have been more future-proof. However, the limitation via PowerDelivery 3.0 also represents a kind of self-protection. After all, charging too fast is definitely a big burden for any battery.

The high power of the UGREEN Nexode 200W brings with it a decisive advantage over inexpensive power supplies. Anyone who has ever used a power supply with limited maximum power will know that there are sometimes annoying delays when the maximum is exceeded. In this case, the power has to be redistributed. If a smartphone or notebook is not charged for a second, this might not really be annoying. However, it becomes annoying at the latest when you use a monitor via the power supply, for example. After all, it can sometimes lead to image dropouts. This problem will probably only rarely occur with the Nexode 200W. After all, it only occurs when a third connection is used at the earliest. That is the case when you output 100 watts via the two USB-C ports with PD.

Since you’ll exceed the 200-watt maximum power when connecting a third device in this case, the power supply has to redistribute the power. UGREEN has summarized the power distribution in an overview. The strong performance is undoubtedly the hobbyhorse of the UGREEN Nexode 200W. However, when the power supply reaches peak performance, you shouldn't be surprised about a corresponding heat development. In the case of 200 watts output, the shell of the power supply is really very hot. Sometimes I could measure a temperature of almost 70 °C at full load. However, the temperature remains within limits when the maximum power is not used. However, UGREEN should address the high heat development once again when it comes to designing the next generation of the power supply.

Is it worth spending 200 euros on a premium power supply like the UGREEN Nexode 200W? It depends on the user. It is not uncommon that you use a high-end notebook with high input power alone or together with a work colleague? Maybe you also own a smartphone that has a rapid fast charging function with a potential charging power of 100 watts and more, which should be charged at the same time as the notebook on the power supply. Then the Nexode 200W could well be the perfect choice for you. After all, the power supply delivers everything that the manufacturer UGREEN promises. In addition to the strong performance, it also has a high build quality and a chic design. That's why you can place it visibly on your desk without any worries.

Given the sporty price, however, you have to be picky here. For example, I would have wished for a somewhat more non-slip grip on the desk in the test. On top of that, the front with the ports looks a bit susceptible to scratches. Furthermore, I wonder how long the power supply will be up-to-date. After all, there are already gadgets that can be charged with more than 100 watts. This is the limit of the maximum output power of a port of the flagship power supply from UGREEN. It remains to be said that the Nexode 200W is a powerful power supply, but it is more of a niche product for demanding users. If you don't own any power-hungry electronic devices, you can also go for much cheaper models with a clear conscience. However, if you want to use the uncompromising power of the UGREEN power supply, you can currently save a lot. At Amazon, you currently pay 142.84 Euros, which is almost 20 percent less than the RRP.

The UGREEN Nexode 200W offers strong charging power and has little reason to complain. However, you also have to pay a high price for it.

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