Charging and Chargers Questions

[catfish743]

What are the minimum specs you need for charging bricks and cords over USB C for something like the new MBP. This feels a little dumb to ask, but I held on to magsafe for so long on my old MBP, I'm not sure of the new paradigm shift with USB C.

My last mac was a '13 MBP that used Magsafe 2. I had a charger for work, a charger for home, and a travel charger and that was handy for the set up I had. With the switch over to USB C, I'm sure there has to be a minimum wattage and amperage for a charger to charge a MBP, and/or the increase the battery level while it's plugged in and on. Since I had been restricted to the old Apple-only charger, I just don't know now. Everything I google seems to be about the requirements for Quick Charge but I'm just asking about charging in general. What will/won't work and are there any things I should avoid to avoid damaging the battery? My MBP came with the 140W Power Adapter, but I think part of that spec is for the Quick Charge over Magsafe, and that's not necessary in all circumstances for me.

Again, weird question to ask, but I'm new to laptop power delivery in these newer small form factors.

 

[Sanpete]

Your 16"? I've read of people using fairly small power bricks for them, less than I thought would work, but it depends on how heavy your use will be (including screen brightness), if you want it to charge while you use it.

Here's another thread on it:

65 W USB-C Charger + 2021 16” MBP?

For the past few years, I’ve been using a Lenovo laptop at work which is powered by a USB IF Certified 65W USB C PD Charger. Could I use this to charge my new 16” MBP, or is it too underpowered? I’d rather not have to lug the Apple charger back and forth, and my work charger is zip-tied to...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[ChpStcks]

I've been using the anker gan nano II 65w charger since day 1... actually still have the oem 97w charger and magsafe cable still in the box

 

[catfish743]

Your 16"? I've read of people using fairly small power bricks for them, less than I thought would work, but it depends on how heavy your use will be (including screen brightness), if you want it to charge while you use it.

Here's another thread on it:

65 W USB-C Charger + 2021 16” MBP?

For the past few years, I’ve been using a Lenovo laptop at work which is powered by a USB IF Certified 65W USB C PD Charger. Could I use this to charge my new 16” MBP, or is it too underpowered? I’d rather not have to lug the Apple charger back and forth, and my work charger is zip-tied to...

forums.macrumors.com

Yeah I went with the 16" for the extra real estate (I'm a space hog). I've been surprised with myself, in most settings inside I actually have kept the screen brightness at 50% or below, just depending on how much ancillary light there is. I suspected the majority of the bricks for phones won't work, but I figured there's probably a scale of sorts where, like you said, it'll charge if not being used, but might deplete less over time being plugged in, or charge just not charge as quickly if it was idle.

Thanks for the link to the other thread, I'll look there too.

I've been using the anker gan nano II 65w charger since day 1... actually still have the oem 97w charger and magsafe cable still in the box

Anker has always been good to me and that was one of the chargers I was looking into. I'm interested to hear that your 97w charger is still in the box. I will admit I was a bit surprised by the size of apple's brick. That's one of the areas where they seem to not mind about size where a lot of other companies have had them beat.