It’s time. Trading in my Apple USB C Charger

[RumorConsumer]

I’m a fanboi. Super dedicated. And Apple chargers kinda suck. Maybe contradictorily i think they’re some of the best OEM chargers out there but the experience is still terrible. Add the 3 prong extension cable instead of the duck head with no built in cable management and you have this springy mess of crap every time you open your bag. I went for a 61w GaN technology adapter from Ravpower and a Cable creations 10ft cable. Charges my 2019 mbp 15” just fine, and would only cease doing so if i put a major strain on the machine with full bus powered accessories hooked up. So far so good. Ugh and no white turned brown cables this time

Type USB C-C Cable, CableCreation... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ESX3G50?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

USB C Wall Charger, RAVPower 61W... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TC53ZYD?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share


I hope Apple gets on the GaN train the water is warm.

 

[leman]

Oh, that’s very cool! Didn’t know gallium nitride transistors are now used in this way. Hope Apple adopt this in their next charger tech. Smaller, lighter chargers are always a plus.

 

[ISKOTB]

61w how fast does it charge your 15"?

I’m a fanboi. Super dedicated. And Apple chargers kinda suck. Maybe contradictorily i think they’re some of the best OEM chargers out there but the experience is still terrible. Add the 3 prong extension cable instead of the duck head with no built in cable management and you have this springy mess of crap every time you open your bag. I went for a 61w GaN technology adapter from Ravpower and a Cable creations 10ft cable. Charges my 2019 mbp 15” just fine, and would only cease doing so if i put a major strain on the machine with full bus powered accessories hooked up. So far so good. Ugh and no white turned brown cables this time

Type USB C-C Cable, CableCreation... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ESX3G50?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

USB C Wall Charger, RAVPower 61W... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TC53ZYD?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share


I hope Apple gets on the GaN train the water is warm.

 

[RumorConsumer]

61w how fast does it charge your 15"?

As fast as the 87w during normal operation. There was an article recently that showed them within 3% of each other which got me thinking.

 

[AZhappyjack]

I’m a fanboi. Super dedicated. And Apple chargers kinda suck. Maybe contradictorily i think they’re some of the best OEM chargers out there but the experience is still terrible. Add the 3 prong extension cable instead of the duck head with no built in cable management and you have this springy mess of crap every time you open your bag. I went for a 61w GaN technology adapter from Ravpower and a Cable creations 10ft cable. Charges my 2019 mbp 15” just fine, and would only cease doing so if i put a major strain on the machine with full bus powered accessories hooked up. So far so good. Ugh and no white turned brown cables this time

Hardly a "springy mess of crap" in my bag. And it charges my MBP just fine, thank you very much. I also use my charger in a conference room setting, so I appreciate the 3 prong extension cable, instead of the duck head plug.

 

[jerryk]

I am not seeing how this charger works any cleaner with an extension power cable. If you are comparing the longer USB cable and charger with no AC extension cable then it is not a fair comparision since that same longer USB cable will plug into the included Apple charger.

Also can you change the wall plug when you work overseas like the original Apple charger? Or do you have to use some sort of plug adapter? Those adapters put the charger an inch away from the wall and cause the charger to fall out of the socket.

 

[MrGunnyPT]

I am not seeing how this charger works any cleaner with an extension power cable. If you are comparing the longer USB cable and charger with no AC extension cable then it is not a fair comparision since that same longer USB cable will plug into the included Apple charger.

Also can you change the wall plug when you work overseas like the original Apple charger? Or do you have to use some sort of plug adapter? Those adapters put the charger an inch away from the wall and cause the charger to fall out of the socket.

I agree.

I do understand the compact factor of it thou

 

[RumorConsumer]

I am not seeing how this charger works any cleaner with an extension power cable. If you are comparing the longer USB cable and charger with no AC extension cable then it is not a fair comparision since that same longer USB cable will plug into the included Apple charger.

Also can you change the wall plug when you work overseas like the original Apple charger? Or do you have to use some sort of plug adapter? Those adapters put the charger an inch away from the wall and cause the charger to fall out of the socket.

I look in my bag and instead of two long unruly adapters I see one obediently coiled wrapped cable. Its obviously different just looking at it in my bag. Also the size and weight reduction is huge.

 

[jerryk]

I look in my bag and instead of two long unruly adapters I see one obediently coiled wrapped cable. Its obviously different just looking at it in my bag. Also the size and weight reduction is huge.

I understand what you are saying and seeing, but it would not work for me. The charger size is smaller, but at the cost of reduced power. Hopefully someone will have a 87W version that is also smaller. But, there is reason 15" MBPs come with larger 87W chargers. I can watch my 15" MBP battery drain when training ML models and using a 60W USB C adapter.

And if the power extension cable taking up too much space you can use a longer 2 meter USB-C cable. But, then that does not address overseas travel and having to use different wall outlet types where getting a new duck head would.

(Update output from 97 to 87 after seeing idark77's post and reading the side of my charger)

 

[vemac575]

Looks like your trying to make the subjective, objective. Glad it works for you, but most anybody here isn't going to have the "issues" you seem to not like with the OEM charger.

 

[idark77]

Just my opinion:
The power supply or charger of MBP 15" 2016-2017-2018-2019 is 87W but the power is not the only parameter to look when you want to buy a new power supply. When you need a new power supply there are other important parameters to look for:

• Dropout Voltage
• Efficiency
• Transient Response
• Line regulation
• Load Regulation
• PSRR ( Power Supply Rejection Ratio)
• Output Noise
• Insulation Voltage
• Temperature

For example cheap chargers have not good insulation so they could pose safety hazard or bad Load regulation can burn your Thunderbolt PD ICs etc...
All Apple Power Supplies are second to none.

 

[zhenya]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GBYVF4Q?aaxitk=Sr.MXKcPtaPyuCE1X5d8gQ

Literally the size of two of the small iPhone chargers stacked. Made by one of the largest manufacturers of OEM chargers, so quality and safety is a given. And includes a cable.

 

[ISKOTB]

You probably right since  MBP aren't cheap, but I used the older version of this one and I had no issues with my older MBP.  15" adapters are way too big these days.

Just my opinion:
The power supply or charger of MBP 15" 2016-2017-2018-2019 is 87W but the power is not the only parameter to look when you want to buy a new power supply. When you need a new power supply there are other important parameters to look for:

• Dropout Voltage
• Efficiency
• Transient Response
• Line regulation
• Load Regulation
• PSRR ( Power Supply Rejection Ratio)
• Output Noise
• Insulation Voltage
• Temperature

For example cheap chargers have not good insulation so they could pose safety hazard or bad Load regulation can burn your Thunderbolt PD ICs etc...
All Apple Power Supplies are second to none.

 

[geolee11]

If you run anything that stresses a 15” MacBook Pro such as building code or anything that turns on the discrete GPU, you are likely going to need the 87 W brick. The battery was still draining when I was running builds attached to a 60 W Thunderbolt dock. Of course, this was what I noticed on the latest 2019 MacBook Pro and since it’s a company issued laptop, I probably should use the OEM brick anyway. I also noticed this on my personal 2018 MacBook Pro as well though. At least for my personal Mac, I hope they can shrink down an 87 W charger soon.

 

[RumorConsumer]

If you run anything that stresses a 15” MacBook Pro such as building code or anything that turns on the discrete GPU, you are likely going to need the 87 W brick. The battery was still draining when I was running builds attached to a 60 W Thunderbolt dock. Of course, this was what I noticed on the latest 2019 MacBook Pro and since it’s a company issued laptop, I probably should use the OEM brick anyway. I also noticed this on my personal 2018 MacBook Pro as well though. At least for my personal Mac, I hope they can shrink down an 87 W charger soon.

Probably only something we’d notice. Sadly it will be a quiet upgrade when it happens in 5 years.