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EU Didn't Stop Apple From Including Charger With M5 MacBook Pro
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Your qualm should be with the EU.
The article says EU law requires a version without the charger. That means either only selling the charger separately or selling two versions--one with the charger and one without.
But it's unrealistic to expect retailers to double their USB-powered SKUs on stock. Logistically it makes much more sense for retailers to sell the charger only separately.
So the charger being sold only separately is a result of EU law. As long as it remains in effect, expect no charger to become standard for all devices going forward. Either this was the law's intention or the law was not well thought out.
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Microsoft also doesn't include a charger, since March, 2025:
www.windowscentral.com
Microsoft no longer includes a power supply with Surface Pro 11 in some regions — now you have to pay extra for one
Microsoft is now complying with an EU initiative that allows the Surface Pro 11 to ship without a power supply, instead charging extra for it as an optional accessory.
www.windowscentral.com
Just received my Asus XBox Ally X... without a charger. I'm guessing more companies will follow suit: 'the law says we need to also sell these devices without charger, so we will. Why would we include a free charger... are you crazy?' - all CEO's, probably
No it’s not not. Apple IS penny pinching. The price reduction matches very well the change of the exchange rate between USD and EUR (YoY -7%). Actually the exchange rate dropped even further than the price dropped so Apple has increased its margin even more.
And that’s not even taking into account that the charger is not included.
For a MacBook Pro that’s ridiculous.
They do offer to include it though. When you add the M5 Macbook Pro to the basket it suggests to add a charger, as well as Applecare. So if you want one they'll include one in your order.
By the way, these 20-30W phone chargers where you might have many of them in your house will also charge a Macbook. For example I have one compact "nano" charger that I use for my M4 Macbook Pro as well as my iPad and iPhone. The days where you absolutely needed a separate bulky Macbook charger are long gone.
Exactly, I have been asking in this thread multiple times for an explanation how this is bad for EU customers but all the replies merely state it's "crazy", it's "bad", or they point out that Apple increased prices in the UK. And yes the UK has seen a price increase but the UK has seen many of those because their economy isn't doing so well. And it still doesn't answer what's so bad about letting customers choose if they want a charger.
The answer is that I bought travel adapters over the years and a dedicated standalone USB-C charge station on my desk and since I bought those separately there isn't a device to give them away with. Furthermore, I have over a dozen USB-C devices around the house like flashlights, gaming consoles, and whatnot, and many of these came with a USB-C charger. Obviously I have no use for that many chargers so they end up in a drawer. There's also my Macbook USB-C charger in there too as it's very bulky and I don't have a need for it. I will of course give that away with the Macbook if I ever sell it.
If the charger is free many customers will just add it anyways since it's free. And other manufacturers are actually doing this with this exact outcome. For example Valve sells their Steam Deck without a charger but also with a charger at no extra cost. And you know what the communities on various platforms all say? They ask why the version without the charger isn't cheaper and that they see no point in getting less for the same amount of money.
So if Apple did what you are asking we would immediately have a thread on this forum about how Apple is greedy for not giving customers a discount if they buy the Macbook without the charger.
Did they tell you that beforehand or were you surprised about it? Because Apple does tell you at the top when configuring a M5 Macbook Pro that there won't be a charger and when you add the Mac to the basket it even suggests adding a charger. So Apple gives you the choice and not needing a charger means you pay less. That's very different from buying a Ally X at full price and only finding the charger missing when you unbox it.
If you are taking that into account why stop there and forget about inflation? The cumulative rate of inflation since the new Macbook Pros launched in 2021 is certainly over 15% yet coming from the M1 Pro the current M4 Pro at Apple MSRP hasn't increased in price and the M5 Macbook Pro is considerably cheaper. Why do you only take into account what fits your narrative? Or is inflation not important but the exchange rate is?
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Apple didn’t reduce the price, it barely matched the loss of the USD to EUR. In USD converted the price very slightly increased. Less the charger, that gives a nice increase in margin for Timmy.
Then I stand corrected and fail to see what the problem is. Just buy a charger at the same time!
Look at the YoY change in USD to EUR exchange rate and do the math. The price slightly increased in USD converted and there is one less charger.
Not surprising but still kind of amazing that only Apple fans view this as a positive change. 😄😁
Guidelines Unbundling of the charging device. You’re free to read them if you find the text to be unclear. Their sources is the legal tex ”the Directive (EU) 2022/2380 defining the requirements of the ‘common charging’ solution”
31. Can a radio equipment be sold with the charging device in-box?
Yes, as long as the consumer has also the choice of buying the same radio equipment without a charging device in-box.
The manufacturer, under the new rules of the RED introduced by the Common Charger Directive, is not required to ensure that certain ancillary features (e.g. specific colour) of the radio equipment offered without a charger are the same.
32. Does the charging device offered to the consumer separately from the radio equipment have to be identical to the charging device sold in-box?
No. As long as a compatible charging device is offered, it does not need to be the same colour, model, type, or brand as the ones sold in-box with the radio equipment.
It IS mentioned somewhere when you order it that there is no charger. I just didn't notice it when I bought it. But, ironically, during unboxing it there is a warning to 'first charge with the included charger' and 'only use the included charger'. And there is an empty box where you'd normally expect a charger. It even has the shape of the charger 😂.
Apple already ships different keyboards to the European market. They can simply choose to ship it as a custom order excluding the brick.
They already ship other chargers in store that people could choose to include.
You're doing the math wrong: US prices exclude state tax. European taxes, including countries that don't belong to the EU, like the UK, Switzerland et cetera, do include VAT. The rate varies (max is Hungary with 27%) just like in the US.
The Mac is € 100 (including tax) cheaper without the charger, and in many countries remain ≈ € 40 cheaper if people get the previously included charger from Apple.
Besides, have you seen this?
Microsoft also doesn't include a charger, since March, 2025:
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No. I don't really do much with mobile devices, aside from one laptop (not Apple). I have one USB-C power supply for it. I don't collect this stuff the way that some people here do. Aunt Millie probably doesn't have a spare 70w USB-C power supply, either.
What Apple did wrong is that they could have raised the price of the MBP and made the power supply included by default, then allowed customers to remove it for - €50/75.
Customer feels good because they think that removing the power supply made the price cheaper even though Apple had already priced it in from the start.
EU would be happy because they’d think their people are getting cheaper computers and helping the environment by reducing waste, etc.
Problem solved.
Customer feels good because they think that removing the power supply made the price cheaper even though Apple had already priced it in from the start.
EU would be happy because they’d think their people are getting cheaper computers and helping the environment by reducing waste, etc.
Problem solved.
All custom Macbook orders come straight from the country of assembly. That would turn every single Macbook order without a charger into one you wait over a week for instead of it being in stock already. Doesn't it make more sense to have stock of both the Macbook and the charger in separate boxes and just hand out one or both depending on what the customer asks for?
Imagine going into the Apple store asking to buy a new Macbook. You're ready to check out and go unbox your Mac except that the moment you tell them you don't want the charger they send you home and tell you to come collect the Mac in a week. Many people would just take the one with the charger to avoid waiting and probably feel like the extra wait for the cheaper version without the charger made no sense.
Naturally. That's why she'll be reminded at the Apple Store to add one, and if you check out online it also clearly states it and reminds you to add a charger if you need one when you add the Macbook to the basket.
I am unsure what the point here is because the customer orders a specific config with a specific color from Apple and expects to receive exactly what they ordered. The fact that Apple isn't required to ensure all features be identical is thus meaningless. Macs and chargers are all identical whether bundled or not.
This means that the baseline MacBook can be without a charger( smaller package or just empty spot) and the custome ones (extra ram, storage etc) are just either including a charger in the delivery or used the international box to include it.
Logistically it would be easier to ship more laptops and chargers as the box no longer needs the deadspace bellow to contain the charger.
The stores already have charges you could include. It’s more likely they baseline laptops in store will be without the charger and ask if you want to include one.
Apple can offer any charger. Example Anker or their own of any model type. As on their online store you can just add any other random charger they sell that you want.
No different from how when I buy my iPhone , the charger is a separate box instead of including it in the iPhone box.
Good! This is what Europeans get for the EU suing Apple every other day. It may not be mandated by EU law, but Apple is only following the "spirit" of the law. FAFO.
...and as the article points out, even the bit you quote, nothing in the EU directive requires Apple to do anything other than make the charger optional. It certainly doesn't say "drop the charger but don't pass on the savings" - which is what Apple have done in the UK and what they've probably done in the EU once you account for the rising Euro.
