Brand · Camera accessories, one crossover charger
SmallRig: a camera brand that built a 240W charger.
SmallRig has made camera cages, rigs, tripods and V-mount batteries since 2012. It is not a charger company. It is here for one product — a 240W four-port PD 3.1 adapter that turned out to be one of the most useful desk bricks on the market for people who have never touched a camera.
Why a rig company built a charger
The problem being solved is a location shoot: a laptop editing proxies, camera batteries charging over USB-C, an on-camera monitor, a phone running as a remote, one wall outlet. That is a 240W-class problem, and before PD 3.1 there was no single-brick answer. The same brief describes a lot of desks that have nothing to do with video, which is why the unit turns up in our GaN hub and multi-port guide.
This is not a charger range, though. The catalogue is overwhelmingly camera hardware, with no ladder of 30W, 45W and 65W adapters below it. You are buying one product, not a brand relationship.
What 240W actually buys you
240W is the ceiling of USB-C PD 3.1 Extended Power Range. No consumer device draws it alone — the highest single draw in circulation is 140W. 240W is a budget you allocate across ports, and this is how a realistic allocation looks:
| Device | Rail negotiated | Draw |
|---|---|---|
| MacBook Pro 16″ fast charging | 28V (PD 3.1 EPR) | 140W |
| iPad Pro | 15V or 20V | ~30W |
| iPhone at peak | 9V | ~27W |
| Camera battery over USB-C | 5V or 9V | ~18W |
| Total drawn simultaneously | ~215W | |
That is the case for the category in one table: everything charges at full speed at the same time, from one outlet. On a 100W four-port unit the same set of devices forces the laptop down to a trickle. The rails themselves are explained in 240W USB-C and EPR, and the tier below is compared in 140W vs 240W.
The pick, and its two rivals
- 240W
SmallRig 240W 4-Port PD 3.1 — best value
The best value in a lineup of essentially one: 140W-capable on the top port, four ports total, and enough headroom that nothing throttles. The reason this brand is on a charger site.
- Output
- 240W total
- Ports
- 3× C, 1× A
- Standard
- PD 3.1 / 28V
- 140W
Alternative: UGREEN Nexode 140W
If one laptop is the whole job, 140W costs less and takes less desk space. You lose the ability to run a second high-draw device at full speed.
- Output
- 140W total
- Standard
- PD 3.1 / EPR
- Ports
- 2–3× USB-C
- 140W
Alternative: Anker Prime 140W
The premium 140W option with a documented allocation table and a broad retail and support footprint.
- Output
- 140W total
- Ports
- 3 ports
- Standard
- PD 3.1
Port-by-port measurements: SmallRig 240W 4-port review. Where 240W sits in the range: 240W power adapters.
Who should skip SmallRig
Almost everyone, honestly. If your biggest device is a phone, a tablet or a MacBook Air, a 65W three-port unit from UGREEN or Anker does the job for a fraction of the money. This is a desk object, not a travel one, and it comes from a camera company with one crossover product rather than a charger brand with a warranty channel. Buy it only if you genuinely run a 140W laptop and three other devices at once — check what wattage you actually need first.
FAQ
Is the SmallRig 240W charger only for camera gear?
No. It is a standard USB-C PD 3.1 adapter, so it charges laptops, phones and tablets exactly like any other. The camera-rig origin explains the port count and the total wattage, not a compatibility limitation.
Does any device actually use 240W?
Not on its own — no shipping device asks for more than 140W. The rating is a shared budget, so several devices can each hold their own peak at the same time.
What cable does a 240W charger need?
One e-marked for 5A and rated to 240W. Lower-rated cables cap the link at their own rating with no warning on screen.
Is a 240W charger safe for a phone?
Yes. The phone negotiates its own profile — typically 9V at under 30W — and never sees the higher rails. A larger adapter only adds headroom, as explained in our guide to using a higher-wattage charger.