MagSafe saved my laptop 2x

jerryk · Jul 4, 2017

Interesting. I can't ever remember tripping over, or having someone trip over, the power cord of any laptops.

Strelok · Jul 4, 2017

That’s an issue if you have your charging cable in a position that people can easily trip over it. So my suggestion is don’t plug your laptop in across the room

lockerc18 · Jul 4, 2017

jerryk said:
Interesting. I can't ever remember tripping over, or having someone trip over, the power cord of any laptops.

I've lost a brand new printer because of someone tripping over the power cord. And I can't remember how many times MagSafe has saved my Mac, but it's a lot. I get the move to USB-C, but Apple dropped the ball by not having at least a MagSafe adapter for the new Macs. And the Griffin adapter isn't the answer.

jerryk · Jul 4, 2017

lockerc18 said:
I've lost a brand new printer because of someone tripping over the power cord. And I can't remember how many times MagSafe has saved my Mac, but it's a lot. I get the move to USB-C, but Apple dropped the ball by not having at least a MagSafe adapter for the new Macs. And the Griffin adapter isn't the answer.

Maybe you ought to be a little more careful how you place cables if people are tripping over them. I like a neat looks so try to keep most of the cables for printers and comm gear tied into bundles that get tucked away. This also keeps my cat from trying to play with them.

Freakonomics101 · Jul 4, 2017

I thankfully don’t have the tripping over cord issue but I do have the problem of the charger pulling out of the computer, a lot. My Windows laptop, it happened all the time. It wouldn’t power on without a charger and when it unplugs, the computer shuts off. Can’t tell you how irritated I got with it lol. I love the MagSafe feature but if they’re getting rid of it, that’s not a smart move.

lockerc18 · Jul 4, 2017

jerryk said:
Maybe you ought to be a little more careful how you place cables if people are tripping over them. I like a neat looks so try to keep most of the cables for printers and comm gear tied into bundles that get tucked away. This also keeps my cat from trying to play with them.

Thank you for the scold. If you work long enough with electronics, you will eventually run into this situation, no matter how clean your installation is. I've seen very neatly tied-down enet cables yanked out of racked servers because of accidents. Stuff happens, in professional data centers as well as in normal consumer environments. In our case, we needed to print out a lot of photos, and wanted more space. So I took the small ink-jet printer out of my regular neat office and put it on the dining room table. During printing, a certain someone missed the fact that the printer was actually plugged into an outlet, and very accidentally tripped over it. That ripped out the printer power connector. And, oh, we found out that printers don't bounce very well, either. My replacement for that was a color laser printer which is way too heavy to be portable, so that issue won't happen again, especially with the very neat cabling for it.

IllIllIll · Jul 4, 2017

lockerc18 said:
I've lost a brand new printer because of someone tripping over the power cord. And I can't remember how many times MagSafe has saved my Mac, but it's a lot. I get the move to USB-C, but Apple dropped the ball by not having at least a MagSafe adapter for the new Macs. And the Griffin adapter isn't the answer.

Yeah too bad you didn't buy a printer with MagSafe.

jerryk · Jul 4, 2017

lockerc18 said:
Thank you for the scold. If you work long enough with electronics, you will eventually run into this situation, no matter how clean your installation is. I've seen very neatly tied-down enet cables yanked out of racked servers because of accidents. Stuff happens, in professional data centers as well as in normal consumer environments. In our case, we needed to print out a lot of photos, and wanted more space. So I took the small ink-jet printer out of my regular neat office and put it on the dining room table. During printing, a certain someone missed the fact that the printer was actually plugged into an outlet, and very accidentally tripped over it. That ripped out the printer power connector. And, oh, we found out that printers don't bounce very well, either. My replacement for that was a color laser printer which is way too heavy to be portable, so that issue won't happen again, especially with the very neat cabling for it.

Sorry if I came off as scolding. That was not my intent.

Also like the color laser printer. Wish I had one, but can't justify it.

Pentad · Jul 4, 2017

I always felt MagSafe was one of the most innovative features Apple ever brought to their notebooks. Before I started my own company, I was a university professor and I can tell you that MagSafe saved many of notebooks each week. Students would be hanging out in lounge areas, labs, and in my office, and people were always tripping over their each other's cords. MagSafe saved my MBP more than once when I was teaching.

As a father and pet owner, MagSafe saved a few MBPs at home as well.

I was surprised that other companies did not try to copy it (or license it). What a shame that Apple discarded such a useful feature.

jerryk · Jul 4, 2017

Pentad said:
I was surprised that other companies did not try to copy it (or license it). What a shame that Apple discarded such a useful feature.

Microsoft uses a Magsafe like connector on their surface products.

windows4ever · Jul 4, 2017

Magsafe has saved me a few times with my Macbooks. No matter how careful you are, just when you least expect it, things happen.

They make 3rd party "breakway" type power cables for USB-C but I don't think they'd be quite as good since the breakaway point is not on the laptop itself.

Sterkenburg · Jul 4, 2017

I think the move to USB-C was the correct decision, but MagSafe was no doubt a useful feature and I'd lie if I said I'm not missing it. **** can happen and even the most expert and careful user can pull off a clumsy move every now and then.

What partially makes up for it is the ability to charge from both sides: it helps tremendously in placing the cable in a proper way, thus decreasing the chance of an accident. With my old MBP, I often had to wrap the cable around the desk in an awkward or uncomfortable way because the plug was on the wrong side. I also find the USB-C plug to be pretty easy to disconnect with a firm/sudden pull, you would need really bad luck to drag the weight of the whole laptop for more than a few inches (but this is anecdotal and I don't want to devise any practical experiment to support my impressions

)

What I definitely do not miss are the crappy cables that came with the MagSafe chargers, which invariably frayed every couple of years forcing you to throw away the entire power adapter. The replaceable, removable cable that comes with the new chargers is a godsend.

ajcgn · Jul 4, 2017

Sterkenburg said:
I think the move to USB-C was the correct decision, but MagSafe was no doubt a useful feature and I'd lie if I said I'm not missing it. **** can happen and even the most expert and careful user can pull off a clumsy move every now and then.

What partially makes up for it is the ability to charge from both sides: it helps tremendously in placing the cable in a proper way, thus decreasing the chance of an accident. With my old MBP, I often had to wrap the cable around the desk in an awkward or uncomfortable way because the plug was on the wrong side. I also find the USB-C plug to be pretty easy to disconnect with a firm/sudden pull, you would need really bad luck to drag the weight of the whole laptop for more than a few inches (but this is anecdotal and I don't want to devise any practical experiment to support my impressions )

What I definitely do not miss are the crappy cables that came with the MagSafe chargers, which invariably frayed every couple of years forcing you to throw away the entire power adapter. The replaceable, removable cable that comes with the new chargers is a godsend.

I wouldn't be surprised if someone here comes on and scolds you for being careless with the crappy cable that came with the magsafe charger.
Mine has been wrapped with electrical tape for years now.

New_Mac_Smell · Jul 4, 2017

maflynn said:
I know in various threads, a few members dismissed my complaints about the loss of magsafe, marginalized what I thought was a nice feature and basically said it was a non-issue.

I know for many it may not be needed, but I'm traveling, and in two separate occasions as I was working, someone tripped over the cord and if it wasn't for magsafe, my laptop would have ended up on the floor.

Well it didn't save you getting a laptop without MagSafe?

Myself, my dog, or some other random, has tripped over the USB-C cable a few times. Each time it has flung straight out of the computer and hit them on the leg. Remember the weakest point of any connection is the break point, so it will always be the point that the cable/computer connect. In normal situations (Tripping etc.) the force will be such that the cable snaps out, if you gently pull it, it will pull the computer along with it though.

So I've found in normal use cases, it's not a problem. Although I still route my cables in a way as to minimise the risk, something I've always done anyway both for my computer, and for whoever may trip over it and hurt themselves.

Sterkenburg · Jul 4, 2017

ajcgn said:
I wouldn't be surprised if someone here comes on and scolds you for being careless with the crappy cable that came with the magsafe charger.
Mine has been wrapped with electrical tape for years now.

I don't mind because that's not really the point. You should not have to replace an expensive, perfectly functioning power adapter just because a section of a cable is damaged. It was, simply put, a bad design that could be improved in a straightforward way, and I'm glad they finally did it.

ilian92 · Jul 5, 2017

MagSafe was fantastic and has also saved my old Mac a number of times. Never had an issue with the cable as others in almost 6 years of using the laptop, and overall it's a very convenient feature to have. You may never need it, but the one time you do you'll be thankful for it.

Apple obviously wanted USB-C for charging and accessories etc, to be able to connect a single cable to your computer at all times and get everything. Maybe the design didn't quite allow for MagSafe either, but I'm sure if they wanted to fit it in they would have found a way.

I guess they just viewed it as dispensable, and having the ability to charge on either side helps with the tripping risk. In the end I think it's something that you can work around, but there are situations where it's probably best to unplug and use on battery if there's a risk of someone tripping over the power cord. Lost some convenience, gained some by having it USB-C. It's a trade off but one I think we can live with, even if it would probably have been better to have both somehow.

New_Mac_Smell · Jul 5, 2017

ilian92 said:
MagSafe was fantastic and has also saved my old Mac a number of times. Never had an issue with the cable as others in almost 6 years of using the laptop, and overall it's a very convenient feature to have. You may never need it, but the one time you do you'll be thankful for it.

Apple obviously wanted USB-C for charging and accessories etc, to be able to connect a single cable to your computer at all times and get everything. Maybe the design didn't quite allow for MagSafe either, but I'm sure if they wanted to fit it in they would have found a way.

I guess they just viewed it as dispensable, and having the ability to charge on either side helps with the tripping risk. In the end I think it's something that you can work around, but there are situations where it's probably best to unplug and use on battery if there's a risk of someone tripping over the power cord. Lost some convenience, gained some by having it USB-C. It's a trade off but one I think we can live with, even if it would probably have been better to have both somehow.

MagSafe was only really necessary when you had to have them plugged in, with battery life of ~10 hours it's much less of an issue if it's not connected to a power source. Also USB-C allows for faster charging alongside those other points. They could have implemented a magnetic connector into USB-C, however the port is used for data/power. And if someone used that magnetic connector for data and it came loose, we'd have a whole bunch of new threads dedicated to stupid Apple design choices along those lines.

macintoshmac · Jul 5, 2017

maflynn said:
I know in various threads, a few members dismissed my complaints about the loss of magsafe, marginalized what I thought was a nice feature and basically said it was a non-issue.

I know for many it may not be needed, but I'm traveling, and in two separate occasions as I was working, someone tripped over the cord and if it wasn't for magsafe, my laptop would have ended up on the floor.

In specific use cases, such as when travelling and being around unpredictable elements (read: anyone but yourself regardless of species) MagSafe is a huge boon.

When not in specific use cases, the knowledge that a disaster management feature has been built in plays good with the psyche and peace of mind, and the price these things come for.

In my ownership of MagSafe enabled 2011 15" and Mag UnSafe 2016 13" MBP, I have never one had any disaster averted because of just one reason: placement. When I am charging it, it is usually on my desk. When I am at relatives places, and I charge it, I again charge it closest to the power point and usually stick around. Again, individual use case.

TLDR:

There is no denying that Apple could have provided a Griffin style USB-C in the new notebooks for charging cable. They have literally stopped caring for the smallest of things with the largest of impacts, based solely on "how many". It is in these situations that we "think" that Steve might have pushed that famous designer to figure out a way to incorporate safety into the newest technology using the newest technology, or creating that technology and then shipping with it. It is on *that* level that innovation is dead at Apple. (apparently)

Glad to know that your notebook is safe. I do not mean to berate anyone out here or in the world, but let me share something with you. In India as well, and as I gather from around the world, people usually just connect charging cables and let them around. In classrooms, I have seen students bringing a cable out from as far away as the cable length will allow them. THAT is something I never did or do. I just take some time while my laptop charges and stay around, and like I said, plug it as close to the socket as possible so that nobody trips. I did this with the Acer laptop I had before I had MagSafe MBP and after I got the new UnSafe MBPs as well. That extra precaution just never goes out of style and out of my habit.

Again, having that feature would certainly help and it is no denying an oversight on Apple's part.
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jerryk said:
Interesting. I can't ever remember tripping over, or having someone trip over, the power cord of any laptops.

There is something called a disaster waiting to happen.

ilian92 · Jul 5, 2017

New_Mac_Smell said:
MagSafe was only really necessary when you had to have them plugged in, with battery life of ~10 hours it's much less of an issue if it's not connected to a power source. Also USB-C allows for faster charging alongside those other points. They could have implemented a magnetic connector into USB-C, however the port is used for data/power. And if someone used that magnetic connector for data and it came loose, we'd have a whole bunch of new threads dedicated to stupid Apple design choices along those lines.

Yeah 100%, I don't think USB-C and MagSafe can coexist in a single port. Just doesn't make sense. Which is why I think they decided to leave MagSafe out, as the idea of a single cable is probably more appealing. And also agree with the battery life point, plugging in isn't something you need to do all the time anymore. I can still remember having to plug in an old IBM laptop in hotel lobbies after 20 mins some 10 years ago haha.

Ma2k5 · Jul 5, 2017

The great thing about magsafe wasn't just that it can save your laptop in these cases, it is just a much more pleasant overall experience compared to fiddling with the very stiff USB-C connection every time you want to put it on or take it out of your laptop.

jerryk · Jul 5, 2017

Sterkenburg said:
What I definitely do not miss are the crappy cables that came with the MagSafe chargers, which invariably frayed every couple of years forcing you to throw away the entire power adapter. The replaceable, removable cable that comes with the new chargers is a godsend.

Agreed. Magsafe cables are the weakest link in that charging systems. I started buying those little rubber cable reinforcing bands that wrap the power supply and hold the cable straight for the 1st inch from the charger. No more cable frays or splits at the charger body

aevan · Jul 5, 2017

maflynn said:
I know in various threads, a few members dismissed my complaints about the loss of magsafe, marginalized what I thought was a nice feature and basically said it was a non-issue.

I know for many it may not be needed, but I'm traveling, and in two separate occasions as I was working, someone tripped over the cord and if it wasn't for magsafe, my laptop would have ended up on the floor.

I am not arguing here and MagSafe certainly is useful. One thing to note is that when I had a MagSafe MBP I didn't really care about the cable lying around and people did trip on it in the office. However with the new one I just take a little more care. And the fact that I can plug it on either side allows me to keep the cable entirely on my desk.

Also, the port is not that firm, I actually believe tha cable would just jank out if someone did trip, however I hope I never get to test this theory

MagSafe saved my laptop 2x

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