Higher-End 13-Inch MacBook Pro Models Can Use an 87-Watt Power Adapter, but Won't Charge Any Faster

[VictorTango777]

Does anyone actually think that if they replace a 600 W PC power supply with an 800 W power supply and changed nothing else, the PC is now going to use 800 W all the time?

It reminds me of this episode of the Simpsons

 

[[AUT] Thomas]

Pretty sure iPhones are delivered with a USB-C to lightning cable now, not USB-A.

Well... no... my 11 came with a USB-A to lighting cable...

 

[827538]

Well... no... my 11 came with a USB-A to lighting cable...

The Pro’s definitely do.

 

[Tech198]

Even if you could take advantage of a higher wattage charger, it probably wouldn't be good for the battery long term.

Why is it "not good for the battery" using a faster charger on this Mac, as it may wear out. but its ok to perfectly use a faster charger on say a iPad, to charge quicker ? Isn't this the exact same scenario anyway?

eg.. if it's not good for the Mac, it won't be good for the ipad either, or iphone...

I always use higher wattage charger on my devices always..

 

[edubfromktown]

The size and weight difference between the different adapters is definitely noticeable. My wife complained when she had to use my MBP 15's 87 watt brick when she lost her 29 watt adapter for her Macbook 12.
I've gone to ravpower USB-C adapter for my MacBooks. Much smaller than the Apple equivalent with the same wattage. Even the 90 watt model has 2 USB C ports which come in handy as I can charge iOS devices along with my MacBook when on the road.
Starting from upper left going clockwise:
1. Apple 30 watt from 2020 MBA
2. Ravpower 61 watt Gan - smaller and lighter than Apple's 30 watt adapter!
3. Apple 96 watt from MBP 16
4. Ravpower 90 watt Gan with 2 ports - about the same size as Apple's 60 watt - slightly smaller

View attachment 913014

I noticed that the 2020 Air comes with a 30w power adapter (I sort of expected the 29w one like on MacBook 12"...).

With both the 12" and MBA, I use a slimmer/ligher RAVpower "ultrathin" 45w PD charger when in road warrior mode (locally or traveling out of town) and it works like a champ.

I also like that my UHD display does not provide quite enough power to charge my MBA so that over the course of the day it drains at a slow rate rather than overcharging (which 10.15.5 power management enhancements should address to some extent at least).

 

[AustinMac]

As someone else pointed out, there's more than just the CPU, but let's even leave that aside.
Let's say that with all components accounted for, we're running at 55W. A figured I've entirely plucked out me arse.
That is within 61W, yes... But now you're spending 55 of those 61W on just running the computer, leaving only 6W for charging the battery. With a beefier charger you might be able to charge the battery at the same speed you would've charged it with the computer being idle.

The main issue is around the USB-C ports on the side. From a product engineer's perspective, you've got to create a power supply that meets the highest demand possible for a system. The internal components might max out, as you say, around 55W including processor, screen, memory, fan, battery charge, etc. It could even be in the 40W range... For the higher end MacBook Pro 13" model there are still 3 USBC ports left to power. There is a governor for how much each port puts out...from memory it's 15W for the first device and 7.5W for additional devices. That's 30W total (assuming you've got a power input coming in one of your ports) and maybe it's a bit less or more but directionally that's accurate. So, now, you take that 55W for a system running full blast and then add on 30W for ports and that hits 85W. Even if you were at 40W for the internals, the 30W for external would put you over the 61W for the power supply. There is probably some good load balancing that happens between charging the battery and reducing USB-C output and it makes me want to run my system down (as well as my iPad and iPhone) and then plug it all in and watch what happens from an output perspective; however, regardless of how that test goes...the system is still a "power pig" when it comes to those ports on the side. Once you have exceeded the capacity for the smaller power supply brick (even in the rarest cases) then Apple engineers would have to go to the bigger brick.