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filmboy

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 1, 2013
48
11
My brand new Macbook Air just bit the dust after I tripped over the cord. Researching magsafe adapters online, there are a lot of options out there: 4 to 10 (sometimes gold-plated) connector tips, some L-shaped, and the reviews are all over the map. I'm interested in power ONLY, not data transfer. Anyone have good luck with a particular, current magsafe adapter that works well with a 2020 Macbook Air model? Cheers.
 
Look at this website, if you have not done so already.


I just order the iSkey Magnetic USB-C Adapter – Best USB-C Magnetic Charger Connector. I should get it Saturday. I'll let you know my thoughts once it arrives and I install it.
 
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Look at this website, if you have not done so already.


I just order the iSkey Magnetic USB-C Adapter – Best USB-C Magnetic Charger Connector. I should get it Saturday. I'll let you know my thoughts once it arrives and I install it.

Thats what I have (for my 2017 MBP 15"), it works.. but its not as strong as the MagSafe 2 from my 2015 model. No real complaints.. but since it seems bulky even though its only a small adapter, I stopped using it. Your mileage may vary though - it has a ton of great reviews.
 
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Look at this website, if you have not done so already.


I just order the iSkey Magnetic USB-C Adapter – Best USB-C Magnetic Charger Connector. I should get it Saturday. I'll let you know my thoughts once it arrives and I install it.

Thanks so much. Surprising that there are so many models, yet nearly all of them block the second USB-C port. Regardless, it's the power cable that I'm most concerned about, not my periferals. So if I need both ports, I can simply remove the power cable. I look forward to your review of the iSkey.
 
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Its interesting - the 20 pin versions are all basically the exact same design and suspect they are probably all made by the same OEM, but they just have different labels on it. I ordered the Iskey version from Amazon. It even comes with this pry tool to get the male part of the adapter out of the TB port. Only con really is price, at 25 a pop, it becomes an expensive proposition when you need a few. I bet Aliexpress will have the same OEM version for cheaper.
 
Please let me know how this works for you; strength of magnet, to what extent it may block the port next to it, and which device you're using it for, etc.

Cheers.
[automerge]1597206176[/automerge]
How did this work for you: strength of magnet, blockage of second port, etc.

Cheers.
 
Its interesting - the 20 pin versions are all basically the exact same design and suspect they are probably all made by the same OEM, but they just have different labels on it. I ordered the Iskey version from Amazon. It even comes with this pry tool to get the male part of the adapter out of the TB port. Only con really is price, at 25 a pop, it becomes an expensive proposition when you need a few. I bet Aliexpress will have the same OEM version for cheaper.

Oh for sure - look at AliExpress, that's where they are getting them all from.
 
Please let me know how this works for you; strength of magnet, to what extent it may block the port next to it, and which device you're using it for, etc.

Cheers.
[automerge]1597206176[/automerge]
How did this work for you: strength of magnet, blockage of second port, etc.

Cheers.

strength of magnet is great, feels almost like the original MagSafe. The male adapter doesn’t stick out too far from the thunderbolt port, about the size of a nano receiver from Logitech foe their mice/keyboards.

im using it on a 2020 13” MBP. The adapter does not impede use of the adjacent port foe standard width cables. For instance, I only have one adapter now so if I need to charge the machine with a power adapter that doesn’t have the magnetic adapter, the standard Apple white USB-C charging cable fits perfectly in the adjacent port.

I haven’t tested the data transfer capabilities of this yet. I doubt I’ll be using it for that anyway. This product is much better than the Griffin? Version which I tried a couple of years ago and is much cheaper.
 
Oh for sure - look at AliExpress, that's where they are getting them all from.

interestingly, most of the suppliers on AliExpress are selling for prices within 3-4 dollars of the Amazon price when you factor in shipping, all with at least a 1-3 month wait. Not sure if it’s worth that....
 
interestingly, most of the suppliers on AliExpress are selling for prices within 3-4 dollars of the Amazon price when you factor in shipping, all with at least a 1-3 month wait. Not sure if it’s worth that....

Thats all the Amazon resellers are doing, buying and branding from the AliExpress providers and drop shipping from the US or other countries. You're paying for the branding and faster arrival time.
 
I live in China and bought a cheap magsafe replacement online, which has 20 pins like Aboo mentioned. It doesn't actually work all that well, as for whatever reason the connection isn't stable.

However, a friend showed me this nifty solution to the magsafe replacement either not plugging in well and blocking the other USB-C port: plug it into the Power Delivery port of the USB-C dongle I have. It now works great, and I think the strength of the magnet is reasonable.
 
We actually just bought a bunch of these at work after the CTO accidentally got his foot caught on a cable and dragged his laptop, and amazingly his monitor off the desk. So far I've been fairly unimpressed, out of the 5 we bought; 1 doesn't work at all, and 2 seem a little unstable (monitors lose signal intermittently). The 4 working ones do seem to work fine for power though but we've been trying to use them with USB-C docks/port multipliers.

For our purposes, we're going to abandon getting more adaptors and instead put our efforts into making sure no one has to have cables going across the floor - power adaptors on meeting room tables rather than under them, cable management ducts for desks etc.
 
Look at this website, if you have not done so already.


I just order the iSkey Magnetic USB-C Adapter – Best USB-C Magnetic Charger Connector. I should get it Saturday. I'll let you know my thoughts once it arrives and I install it.
How is your iSkey working for you?
 
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I am also shopping for a reliable 20-pin USB C or Thunderbolt magnetic adapter to use with 2020 MacBook Pro 13" with 4 TB ports. My own research led the same, earlier mentioned observations. Many adapters sold on Amazon appear to be identical and marketed by different companies. Some reviews with 1 star rating reported laptops being "fried". Alarming.

I found three interesting options:
- www.magrig.com and but I could not find US distrubutors
- ThunderMag
- www.SnapNator.com; the Pro version looks like a good fit

What do you recommend? Any experience with the above 3 choices?
 
I had not seen any of the three you mentioned, before reading your post. I looked all three up and what I liked about them is that the profile was similar to the original MagSafe in that they connect in a perpendicular fashion. So no matter which direction the power cord is yanked, it will easily disconnect without pulling a laptop off a surface.

What I don't like is that all three are obscenely overpriced.

I've been using an iSkey for about 2 months now. It cost only $20 and works perfectly. However, the profile sits flush against the laptop. Theoretically, if the cord is yanked in parallel direction to the laptop, the entire unit will move. But it's more likely that cord would disconnect as intended. I tried some test and the cord always disconnects. The magnet is perfect: not too strong, not too weak.

A more pressing issue with the profile of the iSkey is that it is juuuust large enough to prevent plugging another peripheral into the slot right next to it and this has truly been a headache, albeit a minor one. I have a Macbook Air so I only have 2 ports. If you have a Macbook Pro, you'll be fine with three.

Good luck!
 
@filmboy, thanks for the details about ISKey. I looked at this particular adapter very closely, particularly 1 star reviews on Amazon. The same common concern - the form factor prevents the port next to it be usable. In addition, two users reported the USB port "dying" after being occupied by ISKey adapter. Another user reported the laptop was "destroyed".

I will keep looking. OEM Apple Magsafe adapter is sorely missed.
 
Although I read 1 star reviews, I think we have to look at them in context and take them with a grain of salt. I don't know if I've ever purchased anything off the internet--especially Amazon--that didn't have a few 1-star reviews. As I wrote, I've had my iSkey for 2 months, and the port it's been plugged into has been working just fine. The parallel form factor may not be ideal in terms of its size, but it works perfectly as a 'mag safe'.
 
I wish Apple still made their Magsafe charging cord.

There are several used OEM ones on eBay, in the $18 to $25 range.

I'm trading in a 2011 MBA for a new M1 Air. The trade in value is higher if I include the MagSafe charger. Usually Apple doesn't want the charger on a trade in. Not sure what they plan to do with it.
 
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