One cable for two devices: trialling Anker’s dual-port cable
12.4.2026
Translation: Elicia Payne
Pictures: Jan Johannsen
When I’m on the go, I often need to charge more than one device at a time – but I don’t want the hassle of tangled cables. Anker’s come up with a solution in the form of a dual-port cable.
Even if a power supply has multiple ports for cables, it’s a hassle to have to plug in two or three. So I was over the moon when I saw Anker’s 2-in-1 cable. After using it for several months, I’m really happy with the charging and glad I don’t have to transfer large amounts of data.
Long enough and long-lasting
Measuring 120 centimetres in length, the 2-in-1 cable can easily reach from a power outlet to your sofa or desk. Past 90 cm, the cable splits, and the last 30 cm can point in different directions. This means that the two connected devices don’t have to be right next to each other.
The cable’s wrapped in nylon and looks sturdy. According to Anker, it’s designed to withstand being bent 10,000 times. If I bend it five times a day, that means it’ll last five and a half years.
For power delivery, the 2-in-1 cable supports multiple standards, including Power Delivery (PD), Programmable Power Supply (PPS) or Anker’s own Power IQ 2.0. However, PPS only works if one port’s left available. Anker doesn’t specify any manufacturer-specific standards. The power output depends on the power supply and the connected devices.
Splitting the power
With the right power adapter, I can easily charge both a laptop and a smartphone using the 2-in-1 cable. But, things get complicated when you have two laptops. Anker states that the cable can transmit up to 140 watts of power. Yet, it only reaches this value when a single device is connected. If it charges two devices, the combined maximum power output is 130 watts. And even then, only if one of the devices draws more than 100 watts. Otherwise, the combined power output remains below 100 watts.
Anker recommends using a power supply with at least 45 watts. If you want to charge a laptop, I’d suggest one with at least 60 watts, ideally 100 watts. I also charged two smartphones using a 65-watt power supply and a laptop and a smartphone using a 90-watt power supply. It’s worth noting the first device connected will receive a higher charge. As soon as one device is fully charged, the other gets full power.
Anker gives the following example: a 60-watt power adapter supplies 30 watts to a laptop and 13.5 watts to a smartphone. Under those conditions, the smartphone could reach 27 watts and the laptop would get the full 60 watts as soon as the smartphone’s charged.
Not suitable for transferring large amounts of data
I don’t plan to use the 2-in-1 cable for transferring large amounts of data. It only supports USB 2.0, which means a maximum of 480 megabits per second (Mbit/s) – and this would only apply to the first connected device. The second device can’t transmit any data at all. By comparison: USB 3.2 Gen 1 already achieves transfer speeds of up to five gigabits per second (Gbit/s) – many times faster – and the «3» or «4» at the beginning means it’s the slowest among USB standards.
In a nutshell
Handy for everyday life
Anker’s 2-in-1 cable isn’t any old charging cable, it’s one of a kind. I can charge two devices at the same time with it, and if I choose the right power adapter, it’s fast, too. That’s all I want. I’m actually willing to pay more for this than for a cable that can only charge one device. Whereas, even our Digitec cable in this length is more expensive if I buy two.
So far, I haven’t come across a similar cable from any other manufacturer – even though it’s very likely that some manufacturer out there makes something like this.
The only drawback is the slow data transfer. If I need to transfer a lot of data while I’m on the go, I’ll have to pack a second cable.
Pro
- Charge two devices with one cable
- Fast charging even with two devices connected
Contra
- Slow data transfer (USB 2.0)
Header image: Jan Johannsen
Jan Johannsen
Senior Editor
Jan.Johannsen@galaxus.deAs a primary school pupil, I used to sit in a friend's living room with many of my classmates to play the Super NES. Now I get my hands on the latest technology and test it for you. In recent years at Curved, Computer Bild and Netzwelt, now at Digitec and Galaxus.
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