Magsafe - can you still charge via USBC?

[JW5566]

Quick question (at early stages of deciding on my next laptop)... with MagSafe Macs, you obviously free up the USBC ports from charging. However, it occurs to me that buying multiple MagSafe chargers could add some expense, so I wondered, can you still charge it via USBC in one of the ports, like you would with non-MagSafe Airs? That would allow MagSafe use at home but be able to charge out and about using standard USBC.

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

Yes

 

[JW5566]

Cool - I sensed I almost answered my own question because if you had to rely on everywhere having MagSafe you'd be in trouble

 

[russell_314]

Quick question (at early stages of deciding on my next laptop)... with MagSafe Macs, you obviously free up the USBC ports from charging. However, it occurs to me that buying multiple MagSafe chargers could add some expense, so I wondered, can you still charge it via USBC in one of the ports, like you would with non-MagSafe Airs? That would allow MagSafe use at home but be able to charge out and about using standard USBC.

Yep you sure can. Also it’s not like the older MagSafe so you don’t have to buy the whole charger. You can just buy a separate cable that with work with any capable USB-C brick. Unfortunately it’s Apple so they make a fancy braided MagSafe cable that’s $49.

 

[JW5566]

Thanks @russell_314 I didn't know that - useful as I can still keep the USB ports free then even without a full-blown MagSafe charger (I frequently run 2 x external drives).

 

[russell_314]

Thanks @russell_314 I didn't know that - useful as I can still keep the USB ports free then even without a full-blown MagSafe charger (I frequently run 2 x external drives).

From what I see people doing a USB dock seems to be the way to go if you’re wanting a to use it on the desk. This way you plug-in ethernet, whatever external drives, maybe a monitor and it charges all with only one USB plug you have to mess with. I don’t do that because I mostly use mine on the go but it seems like a good idea.