Verbatim Charge n Travel 70W 2C Universal Travel Adaptor Review – Model Number – 30188

Universal travel adaptors may seem like a dull piece of technology, but they are one of the more useful things to own if you travel abroad even semi-frequently.

In the past, I have used cheap no-name brands off Amazon. I have a couple of low-powered options which are only good for slow charging devices, and they need an additional power delivery plug for things like laptops and power banks.

In recent years, more powerful models have been launched, and the Verbatim Charge ‘n’ Travel 70W 2C Universal Travel Adaptor is one of the better examples I have used. It pairs a 70W GaN III charger with two built-in retractable USB-C cables, a universal AC socket and a separate USA/Japan socket, in a unit that still fits comfortably into a carry-on. Verbatim sells it as model 30187, and it comes in blue, black and purple, though the silver-grey finish I have here looks fairly neutral in person.

Specification

The headline features are as follows:

• Universal charger with dual retractable USB-C cables.
• GaN III technology for higher charging efficiency in a compact, lightweight design.
• World-to-world travel adapter with EU, UK, USA/Japan and AUS plug formats, suitable for more than 180 countries.
• Powers up to six devices at once via the AC socket, two USB-C cables, a USB-C and USB-A port, and the USA/JP socket.
• Fast charging up to 70W.
• Certified to CE, UKCA, FCC and RoHS, with a fireproof casing and a BS1362 10A fuse included, plus a spare.
• 3D diamond design with a durable, fire-resistant polycarbonate shell.
• Compatible with PD3.0, QC4+, QC3.0, FCP, AFC, PPS and BC1.2.
• Lightweight at approximately 285g and supplied with a travel pouch.

On the technical side, the unit measures 95.8 x 58.2 x 54.3 mm and weighs around 285g. The AC input is rated at 100-250V, 50/60Hz, 1.6A, and the AC output is 100-250V, 10A max, 2500W max, dropping to 1000W at 100V. The operating temperature range is 0 to 35 degrees Celsius. None of those numbers are remarkable on their own, but together they describe a charger that can replace both a travel adaptor and a separate laptop charger.

Countries Supported

This adapter supports over 180 countries, offering EU, UK, US, Australia and China plug options, with an AC input of 100-250V, 50/60Hz.

The country support works for both input and output, so I use devices like these in the UK as well as when travelling, as I sometimes have devices with EU plugs. For US devices you need to be careful because of voltage differences. As an example, I once destroyed the base station of a robot vacuum when it tried to empty the bin on the robot, simply because the device expected a different mains voltage to the one it received. This adaptor passes the mains voltage straight through and does not convert it, so the same warning applies here.

The table below gives a quick summary of the main regions, the plug types they use and their voltage and frequency:

On paper, the adaptor itself accepts a long list of plug types, including Type A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, L, N and O, and it can be inserted into Type A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, N and O outlets. That covers the vast majority of destinations a typical traveller will visit, with the usual caveat that some countries have local rules an unearthed adaptor will not meet, so it is worth checking before you travel.

Ports

This is a GaN III charger, which is what allows it to offer a high-powered output while staying compact. The charging options break down as follows:

• USB-C1 output (PD3.0 and QC4+): up to 70W, built-in retractable cable.
• USB-C2 output (PD3.0 and QC4+): up to 60W, built-in retractable cable.
• USB-C3 output: 5V, 1A (5W).
• USB-A1 output (QC3.0): up to 60W.

The total USB output is capped at 70W, so the per-port figures are maximums rather than amounts you can draw all at once. In practice that is fine for the way most people use a device like this. The 70W USB-C1 cable will charge a typical 13 to 14 inch laptop at close to full speed, while a phone or tablet on one of the other ports tops up alongside it. The 5W USB-C3 port is the weak link and is really only suited to slow-charging accessories such as earbuds or a smartwatch dock, so do not expect it to do anything useful with a modern phone.

The two built-in cables are the part that sets this apart from a plain travel adaptor. They retract into channels along the side of the body, and having a 70W and a 60W USB-C cable permanently attached means I can leave a couple of loose cables at home. If you have ever arrived at a hotel and realised you packed the adaptor but forgot the cable, the appeal is obvious.

Design

The body uses a 3D diamond pattern across the polycarbonate shell, which is more about grip and looks than function, but it does help when you are pulling the unit out of a tight wall socket. The four regional plugs are selected using sliders on one face, each clearly marked EU, USA/AUS and UK, with the EU pins folding out from the top. The universal AC socket sits on the front, the USA/JP socket on one side, and the USB ports and retractable cables are spread across the remaining faces.

At around 285g it is not the lightest charger you can buy, and it is noticeably chunkier than a bare GaN wall charger, but that is the trade-off for combining four plug standards, an AC passthrough and four USB outputs in one housing. The included zipped travel pouch is a sensible touch and keeps the unit and its retracted cables together in a bag. Build quality feels solid, with no creaking from the shell and sliders that move with a positive action rather than feeling loose.

Performance

One point worth highlighting with this adaptor, and with any high-wattage universal adaptor, relates to how the weight is balanced when it is plugged in. When I travel to Europe and use their two-pin sockets, plugging a heavy power delivery charger into the adaptor often drags the whole thing out of the socket. I normally end up propping it up with whatever I can find to keep it in place, which is not the safest arrangement.

With this model the situation is much better. The plug itself is fairly heavy, but the Type C EU pins sit at the top of the unit, so once it is plugged in the weight hangs below the pins rather than levering them out. Because the charger is built in at 70W, I also do not need to add a separate power delivery plug to charge a laptop or power bank, which removes the main cause of that problem in the first place.

In day-to-day use the 70W cable has kept my laptop topped up without any need for its original charger, and the unit stays only mildly warm under load, which is the main practical benefit of GaN over older designs. The AC socket is handy when you need to run something that is not USB, such as a camera battery charger, although the lack of an earth connection means it is for double-insulated devices only and not for anything that needs a ground wire.

Safety and certifications

Verbatim has covered the safety basics here. The adaptor is certified to CE, UKCA, FCC and RoHS, the shell is made from fire-retardant polycarbonate, and there is a BS1362 10A fuse fitted with a spare in the box. The fuse and the fire-resistant casing are the sort of details that are easy to overlook on cheaper no-name units, and they are a large part of why I would rather buy a branded product than the cheapest option on Amazon.

Two limitations are worth stating plainly. This is an adaptor and not a voltage converter, so it will not protect a 120V appliance plugged into a 230V supply. It also has no earth connection, so it should only be used with unearthed or double-insulated appliances. Neither is unusual for this type of product, but both are easy to forget in the moment.

Price and Alternative Options

The Verbatim Charge ‘n’ Travel 70W 2C Universal Travel Adaptor appears to have an RRP of £80, which makes it a premium-priced product in this category. The RRP is a touch high in my opinion, but if you shop around you can find it for much less. At the time of writing, Ballicom has it for £41 and Lambda-Tek for £47.

Verbatim also sells related models. The Charge ‘n’ Travel 100W (model 30191) offers 100W output with a single built-in cable, two USB-C ports and two USB-A ports, and is available for around £52 from Lambda-Tek.

There are further variants without the built-in USB-C cable:

• UTA-10, a 140W model with no built-in cables, three USB-C ports and one USB-A, available for around £62 from Scan.
• UTA-06, the same layout at 100W, available for as low as £46 from Cartridge People.
• UTA-05, a 65W model with two USB-C and two USB-A ports, available for around £40 from Ballicom.

Amazon is saturated with competing devices from the usual assortment of brand names. Momax offers the strongest alternatives I have found. It has a 170W model with no built-in cables for £72, and a 70W model at £40. It also lists a 100W model with a single built-in cable for £60 and another 70W model for £40.

Overall

I like universal travel chargers in general. They are a useful thing to own if you travel reasonably often, and I use them at home frequently as well, particularly with the EU-plug devices I end up with from review samples.

Upgrading from my no-name 30W universal charger to this 70W model with built-in cables has been a clear improvement. It means I can charge my laptop without an additional power delivery plug, and I do not need to worry about packing the right cables. The retractable cables, the four-region plug support and the genuine 70W output combine into a single device that covers most of what I need from a travel charger.

The one real sticking point is the pricing. The £80 RRP is too high, and I would not pay that when so many alternatives sit well below it. I would happily buy a Verbatim-branded device over the random brands on Amazon, but not at that premium.

The good news is that if you shop around you can pick it up for far less. At £40 to £45 this becomes an easy recommendation, and once you factor in the built-in cables there are few competing devices with a similar specification, the main exception being the single-cabled 100W Momax at £60 on Amazon. Weighing this up against the Momax and the 100W Verbatim 30191 variant, the 70W model at £40 to £45 looks like the sweet spot for price and performance.

James Smythe( Owner / Editor )

I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.

As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.

In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing.

I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.

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