35W of Power Delivery: what the USB-C port really gives you
The Xtorm GaN2 Ultra 35W (model XEC035) is a two-port wall charger designed to replace a bulkier stock power brick. On paper, the pitch is simple: a USB-C port rated up to 35W of Power Delivery, and a USB-A port capped at 18W of Quick Charge 3.0. These are the two ceilings the manufacturer highlights, and they are the ones repeated, unchanged, across nearly every spec sheet published by retailers carrying this charger.
Used alone, the USB-C port is enough to fast-charge a recent smartphone or a tablet, and can top up a compatible USB-C laptop as long as it settles for 35W. The USB-A port, as a second output, covers older devices or anything without USB-C: earbuds, an e-reader or an older phone. Taken individually, neither figure is ambiguous: they are the real ceilings of each port used on its own.
Two devices plugged in together: the budget does not add up
This is the point that simply placing "35W" next to "18W" on most product pages can leave you guessing wrong. Xtorm also states, separately, a total power of 35W for the whole unit, a figure lower than the sum of the two individual ceilings (35 + 18 = 53W). In practice, as soon as both ports are drawing power at the same time, they share a single 35W budget instead of each running at its own maximum.
The manufacturer does not publish the exact split between the two ports once both are active at the same time (for instance, whether USB-C keeps priority or the power is shared evenly): that precise detail is absent from the documentation available anywhere. What is established, on the other hand, is the overall ceiling: plugging in a second device never gets you to a combined 53W. For the most common use, a smartphone on USB-C and earbuds or an e-reader on USB-A, the difference is barely noticeable, since those small devices only ever draw a handful of watts anyway. It becomes noticeable when both connected devices are themselves power-hungry, a tablet and a smartphone fast-charging at the same time for example: neither will then get its full rated power.
USB PD and Quick Charge 3.0, no PPS: compatibility has its limits
The Xtorm GaN2 Ultra supports two fast-charging protocols: USB Power Delivery on the USB-C port, and Quick Charge 3.0 on the USB-A port. That combination covers a large share of today's device base: most recent Android phones and every USB-C iPhone fast-charge fine over standard Power Delivery.
The published specifications, both from Xtorm and from every retailer checked, list no PPS (Programmable Power Supply) support, the Power Delivery variant that recent Samsung Galaxy phones need to reach their advertised top charging speed. Without PPS, a recent Galaxy falls back to a standard Power Delivery profile, slower than on a charger that supports it. The same goes for SCP, Huawei and Honor's proprietary protocol, also missing from the available spec sheets, though those brands have limited presence in the US market. This limit is worth keeping in perspective: it only affects the theoretical top speed on a handful of specific brands, not the ability to charge the device at all, which works normally over base Power Delivery on nearly the entire current device base.
GaN2 Ultra: the technology packed into 2.0 ounces
The shell measures 3.1 x 1.4 x 1.3 in (78 x 36 x 32 mm) for 2.0 oz (57 g), a compactness made possible by GaN (gallium nitride) technology, which Xtorm markets under the GaN2 Ultra name. Gallium nitride replaces the silicon used in standard chargers inside the power transistors: it runs cooler and allows for smaller components, which is how 35W fits into a volume close to that of a basic smartphone charger from about a decade ago. Xtorm claims a size reduction of roughly 70% compared with a comparable charger, a marketing claim that no independent source has put a figure on to date, though the published dimensions, consistent across every retailer checked, make the genuinely compact shell plausible.
| Model | Xtorm GaN2 Ultra 35W | Ugreen Nexode Pro 65W Slim |
|---|---|---|
| Total power | 35 W | 65 W |
| Weight | 2.0 oz (57 g) | 3.7 oz (104 g) |
| Dimensions | 3.1 x 1.4 x 1.3 in (78 x 36 x 32 mm) | 3.3 x 1.9 x 0.6 in (84 x 48 x 14 mm) |
This is not a comparison between two equivalent products: the Nexode Pro 65W Slim targets laptop charging in a flat form factor, while the Xtorm stays a small brick built for phones and small devices. It simply places the Xtorm within the current USB-C charger landscape: lighter and smaller in volume, for a noticeably more modest power output and use case.
A fixed European plug: a day-one requirement, not a travel afterthought
The charger accepts a 100 to 240V input, which covers nearly every electrical grid in the world on the voltage side, US included. The friction point sits elsewhere: its mains plug is a fixed European two-pin type, with no interchangeable head, because the product is designed and sold around the European market first. Unlike US-oriented travel chargers that ship with a US blade or interchangeable heads, the Xtorm GaN2 Ultra needs a separate physical plug adapter to go into any standard US outlet, from the very first use rather than only on a trip abroad.
For a US buyer this is not a deal-breaker on its own, a basic European-to-US plug adapter is inexpensive and widely available, but it is an extra item to source and carry, and worth factoring into the real cost and convenience of this charger compared with a US-native model.
At least 85% GRS-certified recycled plastic
The shell is made from at least 85% GRS-certified recycled plastic (Global Recycled Standard), an independent certification that audits the traceability of the recycled content claimed, unlike a simple unverified marketing line. This figure appears on the product's technical spec sheet and on several retailers' spec pages checked for this review; the brand's more recent marketing material quotes an even higher figure, without stating whether it uses the same calculation basis.
Safety, warranty and reliability
Xtorm states a 6-layer protection system against overcharging, short-circuits and overheating, a standard baseline for a device left plugged in unattended. No recall or safety notice has been found to date for this specific model, and none is listed with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission at the time of writing.
The manufacturer warranty is set at 2 years, extendable to 3 years by registering the product within 3 months of purchase, a duration in line with the sector's standards. The product has been on the market since 2023, giving it a little more track record than this year's new arrivals, though no independent figures on its actual power output or thermal behaviour have been found to date, unlike some pricier, more widely reviewed rivals in this segment.
Versus the Belkin BoostCharge, the Anker 323 and the Ugreen Nexode 33W
In the roughly $23 to $54 segment of compact two-port wall chargers, how does the Xtorm GaN2 Ultra compare with three direct alternatives?
| Criterion | Xtorm GaN2 Ultra 35W | Belkin BoostCharge 42W Dual | Anker 323 (33W) | Ugreen Nexode 33W |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total power | 35 W | 42 W (30+12W) | 33 W | 33 W |
| Ports | 1 USB-C + 1 USB-A | 1 USB-C + 1 USB-A | 2 USB-C | 1 USB-C + 1 USB-A |
| GaN technology | GaN2 Ultra | Not specified | GaN | GaN |
| Recycled plastic | 85% GRS | No | No | No |
| Observed price | ≈ $41 to $54 | ≈ $23 | ≈ $30 | ≈ $26 |
On paper, the Belkin edges out the Xtorm on combined rated power (42W), but with its USB-C port capped at 30W rather than 35, and without its spec sheet stating whether that 42W total is itself shared once both ports are active, a grey area common to most compact dual-port chargers in this price bracket. The Anker 323 pairs two USB-C ports with no USB-A, leaning further into an all-USB-C setup but less convenient with an older device. The Ugreen Nexode 33W matches the Xtorm's port layout for slightly less power and no environmental argument. The Xtorm GaN2 Ultra therefore stands out less for its power, close to that of its direct rivals, than for its certified recycled content, an argument none of the other three makes, and it sits at the upper end of this price range once the needed plug adapter is factored in.
Who it suits, and who should look elsewhere
The Xtorm GaN2 Ultra 35W suits a US buyer who specifically wants this compact, certified-recycled-plastic design and does not mind adding a European-to-US plug adapter to the order, for mostly home or office use: a smartphone on the USB-C port, a more modest second device (earbuds, an e-reader, an older phone) on the USB-A port. Its compactness and certified recycled content also make it a sensible pick for anyone who cares about the environmental footprint of a small electronic accessory.
It suits less well anyone with a recent Samsung Galaxy chasing its top charging speed (the lack of PPS caps it), anyone who routinely fast-charges two demanding devices at once (the 35W budget does not add up), or anyone who would rather buy a charger built around a US plug from the start. Availability through a confirmed US retailer is not settled at the time of writing, worth checking before ordering. For heavier use, laptop charging in particular, the Ugreen Nexode Pro 65W Slim already reviewed on this site offers more power and versatility, for a somewhat higher price and footprint.
