If you've seen one AVerMedia product box, you've seen them all. In a familiar, likable fashion, the Core Go's box depicts the charger, lists its technical specifications, and attempts to explain its purpose with simple text printed on the front. More useful, however, is the connectivity diagram on the back, which quickly shows what devices to connect and where.
Inside the box, you'll find the charger itself, along with a high-quality, heavily braided 2-meter USB-C cable and two power plug adapters - for European and UK outlets. The charger natively plugs into US power sockets.
Closer Examination
With external dimensions of 66 × 62 × 36.6 mm, the AVerMedia Core Go is nearly palm-sized. It feels surprisingly hefty, though, weighing 220.5 grams. The electronics are encased in a textured plastic shell that provides a secure grip from all sides. In addition to the tested gray variant, the Core Go is also available in white.
The Core Go features two foldable flat prongs that plug into US wall sockets. They tuck neatly into the side of the device, making it highly portable. EU and UK power plug adapters are included, but they cannot be folded, which significantly reduces the device's everyday practicality. These adapters slide onto the folded prongs easily but are frustratingly difficult to remove. EU and UK users will likely keep them attached at all times, accepting the larger footprint of the Core Go - an imperfect solution, but better than constantly installing and removing the adapter and the risk of misplacing it.
The AVerMedia Core Go features four ports. The top one is the "primary" USB-C port, capable of delivering up to 100 W (20 V / 5 A) of power output and supporting USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode. This feature is essential if you plan to use the HDMI 2.0 passthrough, which can output 4K video at 60 Hz. To make this work, you must use a fully featured USB-C cable that supports video and connect it to a source with a USB-C DP Alt Mode port, such as modern laptops, smartphones, and handheld consoles. When these conditions are met, your source will pass the video signal to the integrated HDMI port while simultaneously charging its battery through the same USB-C connection.
If you have any peripherals connected to the USB Type-A port (mouse, keyboard, microphone), they will also work on the device you have connected via the "primary" USB-C port. As for the "secondary," bottom USB-C port, it can only be used for device charging. It too is designed for outputting up to 100 W of power, assuming you're not using the primary USB-C port.
Here's what you can expect in terms of power output, depending on whether you're using one, two, or all three USB ports to charge your devices. To achieve the full 100 W power output, only one USB-C port can be used at a time. When both USB-C ports are in use, their charging power is limited to 45 W each.
Performance
The AVerMedia Core Go is a GaN charger with USB Power Delivery 3.0 support.
GaN (Gallium Nitride) charging technology replaces traditional silicon-based chargers. GaN is a semiconductor material that allows for faster and more efficient power conversion. GaN transistors generate less heat and have lower energy loss compared to silicon, making charging more energy-efficient, as well as potentially faster, because of better power handling (higher wattage in a smaller form factor). Their heat management is also better, simply because they generate less heat, which enables them to be physically smaller, while offering high charging performance. Because of all these benefits, GaN is starting to make its way into PC power supplies – the recently introduced Asus ROG Thor Platinum III uses GaN MOSFETs, to name one – but that's a story for some other time (and a different reviewer).
To test the power output of the AVerMedia Core Go, I used a combination of the WITRN C5 USB voltage/current meter and the ATORCH BW150 electronic load with a PD 3.1 trigger module. The two devices were linked using the supplied 2-meter USB-C cable, since I also wanted to check its behavior in practice.
USB-C Power Output Test
Top USB-C Port
Bottom USB-C Port
Power Delivery @ 20 V / 5 A
99.77 W
98.61 W
Maximum Sustainable Load
20 V / 5.4 A (107.7 W)
20 V / 5.1 A (101 W)
Maximum Measured Temperature
49°C
47°C
When loaded with 20 V of voltage and 5 A of current, which is the specified maximum of the Core Go, the charger was outputting 99.77 W through its primary USB-C port. There was 94.7 W of power available at the receiving end of the supplied USB-C cable. Then I pushed the Core Go beyond its limit. The charger remained completely stable at 5.4 A, at which point it was outputting 107.7 W (101.91 W at the receiving end). At that point its case was warm to the touch, measuring 49°C at the warmest point (up from 45°C at 20 V / 5 A).
At a 20 V / 5 A load, the bottom USB-C delivers 98.61 W of power (94.14 W on the receiving side of the supplied USB-C cable) – slightly less than the top one. The PD 3.0 trigger was tripping at 20 V / 5.2 A, so the port ended up capping at 101 W on the charger side and 96 W on the receiving end of the supplied USB-C cable.
All in all, the USB-C ports of the AVerMedia Core Go deliver what they promise and leave a bit of room to be pushed beyond their specification.
Value and Conclusion
The AVerMedia Core Go (GC313) is available online for $90.
High power output (USB PD 3.0 with 100 W charging on two USB-C ports)
GaN technology allows for efficient charging with less heat generation
Compact and portable
Integrated HDMI 4K60 passthrough
Good quality supplied USB-C cable
Requires an adapter for European and UK sockets (supplied), which makes it far less compact
One additional USB Type-A port would be a very useful addition
The AVerMedia Core Go (GC313) is a highly functional and compact GaN charger that goes beyond simple power delivery. Designed for those who need a versatile charging solution, it provides up to 100 W of USB PD 3.0 charging and incorporates additional features such as HDMI passthrough for video output and a USB Type-A port for peripherals. Its functionality and charging capabilities make it an appealing choice for users who frequently travel or work with multiple devices.
One of the standout features of the Core Go is its GaN technology, which allows it to be more efficient and compact than traditional silicon-based chargers. This means users can enjoy fast charging with lower heat output, making the device safer and more durable. Additionally, the inclusion of a high-quality braided USB-C cable and plug adapters for multiple regions adds to its value.
Performance-wise, the Core Go delivers everything it promises. In testing, it delivered stable power output even when pushed beyond its rated capacity. The dual USB-C ports provide flexibility, allowing users to charge multiple devices simultaneously. However, there is a trade-off - when both ports are in use, they are limited to 45 W each, meaning you'll have to consider what you're connecting and in which exact situation.
The HDMI passthrough feature, supporting 4K60 video output via USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode, allows users to connect their devices to an external display without needing additional adapters. However, this functionality is only available if the connected device supports DP Alt Mode over USB-C, which may not be the case for all mobile devices.
For those who primarily need a reliable and compact GaN charger with additional connectivity features, the AVerMedia Core Go seems like a good choice. It caters to a fairly niche audience that values high power output, HDMI passthrough, and multi-device compatibility. Its performance, build quality, and thoughtful design make it a worthy investment for tech enthusiasts, professionals, and frequent travelers.
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