[GaN PD 27W] iUniker Raspberry Pi 5 Power Supply, 5.1V 5A
![[GaN PD 27W] iUniker Raspberry Pi 5 Power Supply](https://k4s.uk/posts/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/31hZXzT4AEL.jpg)
[GaN PD 27W] iUniker Raspberry Pi 5 Power Supply, 5.1V 5A 27W PD Power Supply USB-C Raspberry Pi Power Supply for Raspberry Pi 5
RP1
Raspberry Pi 5 is built using the RP1 I/O controller, a package containing silicon designed in-house at Raspberry Pi.
USB 3 has more total bandwidth, for much faster transfer speeds.
Camera and DSI display connectors are interchangeable, so you can have one of each, or two the same.
Picked up as I have a stable of Raspberry Pis and needed a replacement power supply for my 4 (Still waiting to be able to justify a 5).
This provides a good, stable power output and I’ve not encountered any issues with power cycling or unexpected shutdowns.
Happy to recommend
I got this purely to power my Raspberry Pi 5 Once I finished putting it all together for the emulation station I just wished I’d know that you needed a power supply I didn’t realize it never came with one but that’s just me apart from that it does exactly what it’s supposed to do .
his power supply feels well built and appears to provide stable power to the pi5 and i have not encountered any low power warnings or interruptions to the operation of the device.
it’s more expensive than the standard supply but as stock levels for all things rpi seem to be constanly in flux lately if this is your only option then it’s certainly a viable one.
I sent for this product to use with my Raspberry Pi 4, which only requires a 3A power supply, but getting a 5A supply ensures future proofing for when I upgrade to the Pi 5.
The power supply itself is relatively compact, it doesn’t have an earth pin but it does carry the double insulation symbol which gives some reassurance. The captive lead is 120cm in length and has a reassuring thickness to it for something that claims to deliver 5A at 5V. The strain relief is quite short though.
The power supply uses GaN semiconductors, which are more efficient than Silicone ones and therefore generate less heat, it can supply 5A at 5V, or 3A at 9V, or 2.25A at 12V or 1.8A at 15V.
During testing I was able to draw 4.7A @ 4.97V which is pretty impressive given that the output had only dropped by 130mV from the no load state. I was also able to fast charge a power bank at 25W which is pretty close to the maximum stated power of 27W. The power supply did get slightly warm during testing at near maximum load but it was nothing to get concerned about.
The price is a little on the expensive side in comparison to the official charger, hence the reason for dropping 1*.
In terms of the voltages and currents this will supply, it is identical to the official Raspberry Pi 5 power supply, down to 1/100th of an amp, including the unusual ability to supply 5A of 5V – most USB C supplies only promise 3A at that voltage.
Depending on where you look for the official one, this one is either a chunk more or a bit less expensive.
Works really well with my pi 5 and have even used it on a pi 4. Haven’t noticed the dreaded power warning messages when running Raspberry Pi OS desktop on either of them.
Well made, chunky plug and solid feeling cable.
Much better than my previous method of power using usb cables. This actually outputs the correct amount needed for the pi 5.
Definitely recommend for those in need of stable power.
This is one of those rare occasions where the none-original product is more expensive than the original. The reason might be the scarcity of branded Raspberry Pi 5 power supplies – I have been waiting since early October for mine.
Another reason could have been the use of GaN (gallium nitride) semiconductors which are presently more expensive than silicon, but offer the advantages of smaller size and lighter weight for an equivalent power output, exceeding the performance of silicon in speed, temperature and power handling – but there are rumours the branded Pi PSU also has GaN.
The Raspberry Pi 5, builds on the performance of earlier models and with each increment the demands on the power supply have increased. It was possible to supply the earlier models with an iPhone charger, but those days are long gone.
The total power drawn from the four USB sockets on a Pi5 is normally limited to around 600mA, but this is automatically increased to 1.6A when a USB-C PD power supply is detected, hence the desirability of using a supply such as this. It opens up the possibility of connecting power hungry devices to your Pi without the need for additional PSUs.
The electrical specification of this supply is exactly the same as the one recommended by the Raspberry Pi foundation: input 100-240V AC 50/60Hz 0.6A max, output 5.1V/5A, 9V/3A, 12V/2.25A, 15V/1.8A. It even has the same 120cm 18awg attached cable.
Having an attached cable might be seen as a disadvantage by some, but it does ensure that the wire being used is up to the job of delivering the power without too much voltage drop. The performance of USB-C supplies is strongly influenced by the quality of the cable connecting them and an additional, unnecessary, pair of contacts in the current path is always best avoided. Because of its thickness the cable is stiff and the bends imparted in packing it are hard to straighten out – when it is plugged into your diminutive Pi5 it really is a case of the tail wagging the dog!
This supply differs from the Pi original, being smaller and having a cable which leaves from the top, rather than the bottom. This might be a deciding factor if you have issues with the direction of wiring on your socket strips etc. One of my pictures shows the iUniker PSU side-by-side with the Pi original for comparison.
As the supply is USB-C PD it is also capable of delivering the full range of voltages and currents listed above providing it receives the right signals. This makes it useful as a general purpose supply and I have added a picture of the voltages and currents supported that were detected by my USB analyser.
Other results from my tests are also shown in the photographs. My dummy load is only rated to 15W so I was lucky to get 18.3566W out of this supply. The voltage was well maintained at a current of 3.52A; actually showing an increase over the no load value of 5.11V. Noise was consistent with what is expected from a switch-mode power supply.
The only reason not to recommend this PSU for your Raspberry Pi 5 and all the other things it can power, is the price which is 43% higher than the branded product.
I have had the official chargers for the Pi4 and Pi3 and can say that the quality of this charger exceeds those. The USB power cable used is top quality and the charger unit itself is very compact. Highly recomend.