2020 MBA supports 60+ watt power supplies

[magbarn]

Tried different power supplies today with my MBA
The top power drain is 45 watt, but Apple doesn't make a 45 watt power adapter...
Pro: Faster charging, will charge even when pulling full draw such as gaming.

1. 30 watt stock adapter
2. RavPower 61 watt GAN slightly smaller than stock adapter $22 today on Amazon...
3. Ravpower 90 watt GaN charger in between 96 watt MacBook Pro 16 charger and stock charger in size
4. 96 watt MacBook Pro 16 charger

1. Stock charger

2. Ravpower 61 watt GAN

3 & 4 were the same as the 61 watt power supply so no advantage to higher power supplies.

 

[robots3humans0]

Yeah I noticed when mine came in that the bottom case shows support for 20.3v 3a (up to 60w) charging. Like you, I can really only get up to 45w when the battery is mostly depleted but I’ll take it. I’m using an Anker 60w PD charger and anker 60w PD cables.

 

[mick2]

Good write up and interesting to know about the 45w capability of the MBA.

As an aside, I've tried using my Lenovo 65w USB-C charger with my 2020 MBA. This charged the Air fine but then randomly afterwards I keep getting a 'Battery is not charging, Power Source: Power Adapter' notification when clicking the battery icon.

Haven't had the issue so far when using the stock 30w adapter, but is intermittent so unclear for now whether is an issue with this particular adapter or the Air.

Have either of you had any problems with the Air using the RavPower or Anker PD units?

 

[magbarn]

Nope no problems at all, sometimes manufacturers don't fully follow PD specs. For example, the 29 watt adapter that came with my 2016 MB 12. It has problems charging several USB C devices as it lacks some the USB PD voltages. The 30 watt Apple charger is much more compatible. The 2020 MBA standard voltage input is USB PD 20 volt spec. Your Lenovo should have this...

 

[mick2]

Nope no problems at all, sometimes manufacturers don't fully follow PD specs. For example, the 29 watt adapter that came with my 2016 MB 12. It has problems charging several USB C devices as it lacks some the USB PD voltages. The 30 watt Apple charger is much more compatible. The 2020 MBA standard voltage input is USB PD 20 volt spec. Your Lenovo should have this...

Thanks yeah, it claims to do 20v@3.25A / 15v@3A / 9V@2A / 5v@2A, and it does charge the MBA quickly...just that after sitting at 100% for a few mins / hours it then does the 'Battery is not charging' thing and the charge indeed starts to drop as though no charger is connected.

Could be a more subtle aspect of the PD spec that is non-standard with this Lenovo charger. Or, could be an intermittent fault in the air that will appear with the standard charger at some point.

Regardless, good to know that the RavPower works fine. That looks like a superb charger for its size. Am ordering one as I type this!

 

[magbarn]

Thanks yeah, it claims to do 20v@3.25A / 15v@3A / 9V@2A / 5v@2A, and it does charge the MBA quickly...just that after sitting at 100% for a few mins / hours it then does the 'Battery is not charging' thing and the charge indeed starts to drop as though no charger is connected.

Could be a more subtle aspect of the PD spec that is non-standard with this Lenovo charger. Or, could be an intermittent fault in the air that will appear with the standard charger at some point.

Regardless, good to know that the RavPower works fine. That looks like a superb charger for its size. Am ordering one as I type this!

I did do some other experiments with another USB C power supply. It's a much older Anker 30 watt USBC. At 100% charge the MBA will switch off between charge/no charge repeatedly. It seems some USB C power adapters don't like a very small load and this causes them to trigger shutoff as the power supply thinks there's no longer a load being applied. Maybe that's what's going on with your Lenovo charger? I'm using the RavPower 61 right now with my MBA fully charged and it stays connected...

 

[vistokid]

Thank you for this! I have the RavPower 61W and I've been using it over the stock charger. It seems to be working quite well.