How do you charge your MBA?

[Torty]

So what I did with my MBP Pro 2012:

I had it on my desk connected to magsafe and external monitor. When I wanted to have it on the couch in the living room I grabbed it and put it on the desk back after use and let it charge. (This happened very seldom cause I have an ipad for the couch)
Found out that the battery health stays in very good condition in doing so. Even it's plugged all the time.

Now my new MBA M3 15" has 3 times longer battery life than the MBP had. I would also like to use it more often on the couch, it's now faster than my ipad air 3 and comes with a bigger screen.
So I can could use the MBA like an ipad: Leaving MBA in living room till battery needs to be charged. For charging I would put it on my desk.
Experience is that this kind of usage degrades the battery cause it will get a lot of cycles.

I can get another magsafe and another USB-C charger and leave it in the living room. -> Battery would be always charged with some unplugging if I swap from desk to living room.

I can safe some money and get another USB-C charger and USB-C to USB-C cable and connect the MBA on my desk via USB-C. -> Are the USB-C connectors robust enough to survive the plugging and replugging while powered? Lighting cables e.g. tend to get black connectors after time cause of the spark you get when plugging while powered.

Another question: I have a 12W apple charger in my living room. Does magsafe work via USB-A to USB-C adapter with such a 12W charger? It seems the MBA only needs 5W while in usage.

I would like to reduce the stress on battery and connectors and still be able to use the MBA on my desk and couch in the most comfortable way.

Thanks for any feedback!

 

[Shirasaki]

I suggest to not stress over battery health unless your situation limits your ability to get battery replacement (via a fee or free under AppleCare+).
As for USB-C connector, you don’t need to worry about unplugging and plugging. It is designed with “hot plug” in mind. However, I doubt USB-A to USB-C cable would provide enough juice to MacBook Air without itself draining battery during heavy load to keep the machine operable. The charging speed may also be too slow.

 

[Torty]

I suggest to not stress over battery health unless your situation limits your ability to get battery replacement (via a fee or free under AppleCare+).
As for USB-C connector, you don’t need to worry about unplugging and plugging. It is designed with “hot plug” in mind. However, I doubt USB-A to USB-C cable would provide enough juice to MacBook Air without itself draining battery during heavy load to keep the machine operable. The charging speed may also be too slow.

I see thanks. Charging speed would be not a topic cause I would take the charged mba from desk to living room so it would need the power only to run which is about 5Watts only.
I could try it but don’t wanna break anything.
Designed for hot plugging: Need to deep dive into how it works. If something is checked before the power is “released” it would be fine.

Btw non wearing parts in a car are designed to last 15 years / 300.000km but how often parts break before that?
And apple is apple and therefore practically not repairable. Would like to avoid to have broken connectors, the air only has 2 of them.
.

 

[Torty]

Found that and I think it’s safe to charge the MBA via USB-C: https://hackaday.com/2023/01/09/all-about-usb-c-power-delivery/

 

[StoneJack]

I just charged MBA m2 for almost two years now using USB-C gan chargers *65 and 100W, sometimes also Xiaomi 67W, when battery would be below 50%. After 2 years of intensive use, battery health is still 100%. Very impressive machine indeed.

 

[krspkbl]

That's a lot of thought and effort into charging it.

I don't use the included 35W charger brick that came with it. I just plug the USBC/Magsafe cable into my 40W anker nano pro that I use for my iphone, watch, and airpods.

Usually I am in bed or at my desk when it needs charged so the plug is right beside me. If i'm out an need to top it up a little then I have my portable battery.

 

[joeblow7777]

As I say with other devices, just use it and charge it however is most convenient for you and don't worry about it. Chances are the battery will last for many years no matter what you do, and in a worst care scenario if it doesn't last as long as you need it to, it can be replaced.

All rechargeable batteries have a finite lifespan, and there's nothing that can be done about that. But most of the time that lifespan is long enough for most users.

 

[za9ra22]

There's an algorithm in macOS to detect when the system is on extended charge, and which allows the battery to exercise at around 80% instead of maintain 100. This means there's no real concern about leaving it plugged in for long periods - it'll take care of itself. Unless you pull the cable out accidentally, which I suspect resets the algorithm. Just make sure 'optimized charging' is turned on in your battery control panel.

I tend to use it on battery when I'm on the couch or off site, and charge it when it's not in use, but with the 13-inch M1 I left it plugged in almost all the time, and at 3 years, it still tells me the battery is 'normal'.

 

[arcite]

You should get 1000 cycles @ 80% health. That’s what Apple guarantees, and from I’ve found, it’s about right. Can you get more life out of the battery by hedging your battery habits? I suppose. But honestly, your battery will perform well for 4-5 years, as designed. The software does the heavy lifting. Apple has been making laptops now for 30 years, they know what they’re doing. Just use it and don’t worry about.

 

[rocketbuc]

I also have a MacBook Air and do the following:
- Use AlDente (paid version) to have the battery sail between 40 and 75% charge.
- Use 35W charger at my desk when using it with monitor and peripherals.
- Use 20W iPad charger + MagSafe cable when traveling.
- Sometimes I use 12W Apple charger + USB-C cable at the couch to maintain the charge of the MacBook and to avoid putting unnecessary cycles on the battery.

 

[thecautioners]

I don't worry about it. My M2 lives by my recliner in the living room. We have a multi port charger, 60w, on the side table. I use a USBA to USBC cable to charge it. I can't find the MagSafe charger it came with. I have anxiety over just about everything, so I'm glad I don't worry about batteries.

 

[lcseds]

On the couch, I use a Lenovo 65w USB-C adapter. At the office it's plugged into a Studio display.

 

[oasantos1]

Anker 100w multiport USC charger...

I charge my iPhone, iPad and MacBook Pro/Air.

 

[Torty]

I also have a MacBook Air and do the following:
- Use AlDente (paid version) to have the battery sail between 40 and 75% charge.
- Use 35W charger at my desk when using it with monitor and peripherals.
- Use 20W iPad charger + MagSafe cable when traveling.
- Sometimes I use 12W Apple charger + USB-C cable at the couch to maintain the charge of the MacBook and to avoid putting unnecessary cycles on the battery.

12W USB-A sounds nice 😊

 

[applesith]

I mostly use my M2 Air in clamshell mode plugged into a monitor for work and occasionally use it independently. I will sometimes unplug it overnight, and the battery will drain a bit from the dongle/dock, remaining plugged in and slowly drawing power. I notice the Air will then charge to 80% and keep it at 80%, so it seems to be managing battery charging on its own

I used to worry about this, but I use my Air because it fits my lifestyle. Depending on how long I keep it, I can always pay for a replacement battery down the road.

 

[Lioness~]

I didn't do anything in particular with my 2018 MBA, to manipulate the battery, and nothing what you others do. Quite the opposite 😃

It's charged full all the time, I found that my MBA's don't mind that at all.
When at home, it's mostly plugged in on 2 different locations. In one 70W charger mostly, occasionally with some smaller chargers that are available on various places at home.
When MBA leaves home shorter times, a charger travels with it as a companion, which depends on time.

My 2018 MBA had 70% battery vitality after almost 6 years, so she was a healthy but slow bastard when she returned to source to be replaced by the M3.
If I change anything, it would be buying a 120W charger.