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Do you use MagSafe to charge your MacBook?

How do you charge your MacBook?

  • I use MagSafe

    Votes: 73 62.4%

  • I use the USB-C port

    Votes: 44 37.6%
  • Total voters
    117
M

mystery hill

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Now that iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, displays, external storage, and accessories have USB-C ports, do you still use MagSafe to charge your MacBook?
 
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I also use both.
  • At my desk or in my workshop, when not connected to an external display, I have MagSafe cables
  • When using external display at my desk, the display takes care of it
  • When traveling, I have a multi-port charger and several USB-C cables that charge my MacBook among other items.
I will say, I'm certainly glad that MagSafe is an OPTION. My wife had a 12" MacBook that she used in bed, and it ended up damaging the USB-C port (the ONE AND ONLY port on that model (－‸ლ)) from the cable getting pushed around in the bedcovers. Now with her MacBook Air, the MagSafe just - disconnects if pushed the wrong direction!
 
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What I like about the MagSafe option when I am out and about is that it is MagSafe, so less risk of computer on floor, and also it charges faster with the big brick. That's apart from freeing up a USB-C port.
 
I use the UBC port but really only because it's hooked to a Studio Display most of the time. I personally love the MagSafe and use it whenever I'm not at my desk hooked to my monitor.
 
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Depends on where in the house I decide to plug it in. Magsafe in the study, but USB-C anywhere else.
 
I use my MacBook for at most a 3-4 hours at a time, and with battery life being what it is these days, I just don’t charge it very often. Back with my Intel MacBooks, I was constantly obsessing about being plugged in to AC because I was lucky to see 5 hours’ battery life. So MagSafe was a lot more of a factor back then.

But for the past 5 years, Apple Silicon has changed my MacBook use from “plugged in while working if possible” to “just charge it overnight and don’t worry about it while working”. If there’s anywhere near 50% charge I may not even bother bringing a charger with me.

So, I have a single MagSafe cable installed in one location where I use my M4 MacBook Air a lot but everywhere else, it’s more convenient to just use a USB-C cable because it also charge so many of the other things I own.

Love the design of MagSafe and I think I would use it more if I was doing the “docked laptop on desk” thing, but since I’m not it just doesn’t see much action.
 
USB-C

I suspect most people charge using MagSafe only because the cable is included in the box.

From a practical standpoint, USB-C is more common. If you're on the road, you only need to bring a USB-C cable to charge your Mac, iPhone, and iPad. At home, all power delivery docks are USB-C.
 
When I traded in my M1 Air for an M5 Air, they only wanted the laptop itself. In the UK, you don't get a charger with the M5, so I've carried on using my M1 Air's 30W charger and my trusty braided 2m USB-C cable. Nice slow, low-heat charge of the M5 Air overnight, and a charge lasts all of the following day.

I use the same cable for my iPhone and AirPods Pro when needed during the day.

Works really well.

The MagSafe cable lives in my box of cables and connectors until needed.
 
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Nope, USB-C all the way.

I use the same USB-C charger for everything. Using MagSafe would mean swapping out the cable for no real benefit.

I’ll never use MagSafe. If I had the choice to swap it out for a regular USB-C cable in the box I would.
 
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MagSafe is awesome.
If it wasn't for it, I might have crashed my MBP several times already.
This is exactly what happened to my MBA M1. I tripped over the charging cable and had to replace the screen as a result. Merely because it had a USB-C charging cable that wouldn't let go.
 
I use MagSafe if I’m recharging the laptop while it’s powered off. The light lets me know when charging has completed.

Usually I’m using USB-C though, since the charger is also used to charge an iPad, Switch 2, and other USB-C things.
 
Rarely, if ever. I primarily use it with my Studio Display, so it's always charged if I need to take it off the desk.
 
Initially, I used MagSafe charging exclusively, but once I started docking the MBP it became easier to use a single USBc cable that also charges the laptop.
 
All the Mac Laptops I owned had MagSafe, and I use it. There have been several times when it saved the laptop from being yanked right onto the floor, too. I can't imagine not having it, which is why I was so offended when Apple decided to remove it from MacBook Pros for several years. I'm so grateful that saner heads prevailed and brought it back. If I do have one complaint about the Neo, it's the lack of Magsafe. That was a lame cost-cutting decision that had nothing to do with the limitations of the A series SoC.
 
Not sure if it was meant to be used this much, but I only charge with the USB C. I think my mag safe charger is still in the box ... Oops.
 
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