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Best portable charger for Macbook 12" + iPhone 6

T

tsg20

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 25, 2007
40
0
I travel a lot, and I'd ideally like to carry just one charger for the 12" Macbook and my iPhone. After reading some threads, I'm pretty confused!

Is there currently anything available that will charge the Macbook as rapidly as the original Apple charger, but has more than one USB socket? I don't mind buying a USB A to C cable if that will help.
 
Does it need to be able to charge both at the same time? If not, a simple usb-c male to usb-a female should do it, right?
 
Yes - that's my current plan. But it would be nice to be able to charge both at once if possible, e.g. overnight.
 
Keene1bj said:
Also interested. I have been looking into the below Anker product with an USB A to C cable but have also read mixed reviews as to if it will actually charge. http://www.ianker.com/product/71AN3654WS-BA
Click to expand...
If they made one with the same output at around half the size with 2 ports, that would be perfect for the sole charger brick in my travel bag.

I currently have an iPad charger brick with a USB-A/USB-C so I can only have one in the bag and switch them out as needed, with a little iPhone charger there as backup.
 
MyopicPaideia said:
I currently have an iPad charger brick with a USB-A/USB-C so I can only have one in the bag and switch them out as needed, with a little iPhone charger there as backup.
Click to expand...

How slow is that for charging the Macbook, compared to the Macbook charger?
 
tsg20 said:
How slow is that for charging the Macbook, compared to the Macbook charger?
Click to expand...
Can't say, really, sorry. It charges it up overnight though, never been tested at less than 20% battery left however, and always had a good 8 hours overnight straight charging while the computer is shutdown.

Have read about 10% per hour powered off.
 
Has anyone tried something like this?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UV4HCL0/

The Quick Charge 2.0 specification that is being used by many Android devices supports the following three output levels: 5V/2.4A, 9V/2A and 12V/1.5A. This particular charger has 1 Quick Charge 2.0 port and 4 regular 5V/2.4A ports, making it suitable for charging several devices simultaneously.
 
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Am I missing something? I use the original rMB charger with the AV adapter, charges both just fine. Must be plugged into mb to charge the phone.
 
burgman said:
Am I missing something? I use the original rMB charger with the AV adapter, charges both just fine. Must be plugged into mb to charge the phone.
Click to expand...
Nope you're not missing anything. But since the rMB charges via USB, it opens itself up to the world of 3rd party universal USB chargers. Finding one even more compact than the official Apple standard issue that also allows you to charge multiple devices directly from the wall simultaneously is pretty appealing.
 
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MyopicPaideia said:
Nope you're not missing anything. But since the rMB charges via USB, it opens itself up to the world of 3rd party universal USB chargers. Finding one even more compact than the official Apple standard issue that also allows you to charge multiple devices directly from the wall simultaneously is pretty appealing.
Click to expand...
If you say, I don't get the appeal I like one wire to adapter then a short cable to phone. Only for home use then maybe, but you said for traveling.Given the wattage requirements I don't see how the charger could be much smaller. The Google charger is huge. I also worry about aftermarket chargers following Apple's charging algorithm to maximize battery life.
 
burgman said:
If you say, I don't get the appeal I like one wire to adapter then a short cable to phone. Only for home use then maybe, but you said for traveling.Given the wattage requirements I don't see how the charger could be much smaller. The Google charger is huge. I also worry about aftermarket chargers following Apple's charging algorithm to maximize battery life.
Click to expand...
Yeah, but wouldn't it be great to be able to get that Apple brick with another USB slot or two? I'm not saying you are missing anything or are wrong at all, don't misunderstand. It's just that for a lot lf people it is appealing, that's all.
 
PittAir said:
I just saw this. The answer is simple.

Get a PlugBug

https://www.twelvesouth.com/product/plugbug

and attach it to your USB charger. I have one and I charge from the USB 3.1 type C (charger) and the USB 3.0 ports (PlugBug). I do this and both my iphone6 and rMB12 charge rapidly from the one 29W cube.
Click to expand...

What a great solution! Thanks for the link - this will keep the full 29w to the MacBook and allow an iPhone or iPad to charge simultaneously.
 
Abqpete said:
Has anyone tried something like this?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UV4HCL0/

The Quick Charge 2.0 specification that is being used by many Android devices supports the following three output levels: 5V/2.4A, 9V/2A and 12V/1.5A. This particular charger has 1 Quick Charge 2.0 port and 4 regular 5V/2.4A ports, making it suitable for charging several devices simultaneously.
Click to expand...

Here is a comment from the macbook 12'' user.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R2KYZM7OJ1ZN3/ref=cm_cr_pr_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00UV4HCL0
 
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ws07 said:
What a great solution! Thanks for the link - this will keep the full 29w to the MacBook and allow an iPhone or iPad to charge simultaneously.
Click to expand...

Yes if by great solution you mean adding the world's hugest single port most useless low wattage USB charger to your power brick.

You can get smaller 3 port quick charge 2.0 solutions from Anker / Aukey - this is a joke only for the clueless.
 
PittAir said:
I just saw this. The answer is simple.

Get a PlugBug

https://www.twelvesouth.com/product/plugbug

and attach it to your USB charger. I have one and I charge from the USB 3.1 type C (charger) and the USB 3.0 ports (PlugBug). I do this and both my iphone6 and rMB12 charge rapidly from the one 29W cube.
Click to expand...
I also travel a lot (more than half the year) and use Twelve south PlugBug to charge both my 12" MB and my 12.9 iPP simultaneously. Very happy so far especially with changeable snap-on plugs for different types of power sockets depending on what country I'm in
 
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ws07 said:
What a great solution! Thanks for the link - this will keep the full 29w to the MacBook and allow an iPhone or iPad to charge simultaneously.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but the way it fits together is pretty awful. You're better off just bringing a separate small Apple iPhone USB-A plug, than this monstrosity:

PlugBug.jpg



MyopicPaideia said:
Yeah, but wouldn't it be great to be able to get that Apple brick with another USB slot or two?
Click to expand...

In theory - yes it would be. In practice - it's next to impossible, as Apple's 29W USB-C charger is already as small as it can get, given the wattage requirements. You won't find anything smaller than Apple's charger that has multiple ports and plugs into the wall - it simply doesn't exist.

All those other 3-4 port chargers are huge and require a separate AC cable.. terrible for traveling.
 
Last edited:
Well, the plugbug works with all apple chargers (iphone, macbook, MBP etc) so I don't quite mind if someone finds the look as a "monstrosity"
For a world traveller, it is a must-have item
 
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