TechStage | Inexpensive alternatives to Apple’s Macbook power supplies

As of the last update to this article, Apple power adapters still had a permanently attached cable and a proprietary and patented MagSafe connector on the other end. As well as the principle of the magnetic charging cable has proven itself: Apple had a reliable hand in the power supply market.

Anyone who wanted a second charger for the office or had to replace their defective original – the cable ends in particular were sensitive – had to buy an original product for over 100 euros. Or a China replica whose manufacturer either cannot be identified or cannot be named and who simply doesn’t care that he is not allowed to replicate the patented connector. Corresponding cheap products were already available from around 35 euros. An enormous saving, however, in our editorial department, two out of three of these replicas got out with a clear popping noise within a few days after the first use. Projected over the period of use, these power supplies were significantly more expensive than the original.

Components that are too weak or of inferior quality are often used in order to reduce production costs. This means that the devices do not perform well, whistle during operation or break down after a few hours of operation. In the worst case, overheating can even cause a fire. The choice of the power supply is therefore safety-relevant.

The current generation of Macbook, Macbook Air and Macbook Pro, but also the current iPads, are equipped with USB-C, which can also be used to supply power. Some Apple notebooks also have a MagSafe socket in the housing; In this case, a USB-C to Magsafe cable is included in the scope of delivery. Conveniently, this works with any USB-C Power Delivery adapter and not just Apple products; we also tried it with Anker USB-C power adapters.

In any case, USB-C power adapter and the right USB-C cable are enough to power the laptop. It is important that the cable supports USB-C-PD (for Power Delivery) – and can pass on enough energy. Up to 100 watts are standard; cheap cables, in particular, often do far less. Elsewhere, we show what to look out for when buying a USB-C cable.

USB cables with special functions are more of a gimmick than suitable for a laboratory. In our experiments with different power supplies, a cheap charging cable with an integrated display served us well. It may not be laboratory quality, but at first glance it gives an indication of how much energy the computer is currently using – and how much the charger is delivering.

USB-C power supplies with the PD standard are available from around 30 to over 100 watts. The power adapter supplied with the MacBook or iPad provides information about the device’s hunger for energy. Apple itself has adapters from 29 to 140 watts in circulation – 29 or 30 watts for the iPad Pro and Macbook Air, the 13-inch model currently comes with a 61-watt power supply. With the 15-inch Pro it is 87 watts, with the 16-inch even 96 to 140 watts, with the full power only being used with the Magsafe cable.

A power supply unit can always have more power than specified (or supplied). But can the power supply also deliver less watts than the Apple original?

In a nutshell: Yes, with a small but. MacBooks take what they need and what they can get. A 16-inch MacBook Pro gets 30 watts from a 30-watt power supply. If the computer draws more because the processor and graphics unit are now being heavily used, it draws the rest from the battery. In this case, the battery could be empty even though the notebook is connected. With a full battery, the 30 watts are just enough to run the computer in idle mode. If the Macbook goes into standby mode, it can also recharge the battery; but relatively slowly.

The author of these lines has been using a cheap Anker charger with 60 watts on a 16-inch Macbook Pro in the office for almost a year. That has proven itself; the computer never needed the 60 watts in office use; it is even sufficient to recharge the battery in parallel. And for very computing-intensive applications, there is a more powerful power supply.

However, the power supply is under a lot of pressure – it runs, so to speak, permanently at the rev limiter. That didn’t do anything to the anchor. In our experience with cheap China power supplies, we wouldn’t do that with every cheap one, but pay attention to the brand. Practical experience and measured values ​​can be found in our top 10: USB-C power supplies up to 65 watts.

During our research, we found a stumbling block in power supplies with USB-C. One important issue is performance per port. In some cases, especially with particularly cheap power supplies, the charging capacity is sometimes significantly lower than it appears at first glance. On Aliexpress we found a model with 65 watts for less than 3.50 euros. We were suspicious when we looked at the device’s label. Accordingly, the USB-C port has a maximum of 33 watts. Even with multiple adapters with many ports, there are often severe limitations – so keep your eyes open.

Another issue is energy efficiency. In our measurements of the “small” adapters with USB-C for smartphones and tablets, the various models achieved a value between 82 and 87 percent. We have ordered other adapters in different power classes from 60 watts and are also planning a list of the best with measured values.

Especially those who are looking for a second power supply for the office should also take a look at USB-C docks with an integrated power supply. The devices provide power to the connected computer via USB-C; at the same time, they offer various other connections – for example for network (LAN) or screen, have additional USB ports for input devices or printers and often also a memory card reader.

Unfortunately, the products are significantly more expensive than the combination of a cheap USB-C multiple adapter and a cheap charger, but they are more compact.

In the meantime, you can also supply your computer with power via the screen. A single cable with a USB-C connector transmits energy, image signal and other data, so that the monitor often even has a USB hub with additional connections for a keyboard, mouse or storage media.

If a new screen is to be purchased, we would always go for models with this function. We present more information on this in our article: Why every monitor should have USB-C.

The price comparison item below shows the most popular displays with USB-C.

Since the introduction of USB-C, it no longer has to be an original Apple power supply. For on the go, as a second power pack on vacation or in the office, it can also be a cheaper and weaker model – that’s how you really save; especially since the alternatives are in many cases even smaller and lighter than the Apple originals. We have very good experiences with Anker power supplies made.