Max wattage? USB C difference?

[FlyingTexan]

What’s the max wattage the MagSafe port can take? What about USB-C or is there no difference between the two. Since I travel a ton I’ve always ran my MacBook Pro off something like a 65w GAN multiport charger. With my iPhone being USB C and my iPads being USB C I could use one cable to charge everything if in a bind and the GAN chargers were always so much smaller than the Apple ones. Being able to charge two or three items at a time was nice.

But I’m wondering how much wattage the USB C or the MagSafe port can really handle. I’m buying mine with 128GB so I can run LLMs on it natively which I’m seeing some reviewers say it can peak at 150w. That’s a pretty substantial leap over the 96w adapter it comes with. I’m worried about using LLMs and draining the bat even with it charging.

 

[axantas]

That’s a pretty substantial leap over the 96w adapter it comes with. I’m worried about using LLMs and draining the bat even with it charging.

This is the main point I recently came accross. You can use an "underpowered" charger to charge almost anything, if it is only charging - it will take ages, as long as you are not operating the device. Otherwise, you are indeed harming the battery.

I think Apple is aware of that: Charging an iPad with an old 5 Watt iPhone charger while using it, displays the message "not charging".

Anyway - it is something you should avoid.

EDIT:Typo...

 

[ab22]

MagSafe or a suitable USB-C cable are both capable of safely using a 140W charger.

If you buy without the option & wish to switch from 96 to 140 - an Apple Store will usually upgrade the charger within 14 days, maximum cost being the retail price difference

 

[FlyingTexan]

MagSafe or a suitable USB-C cable are both capable of safely using a 140W charger.

If you buy without the option & wish to switch from 96 to 140 - an Apple Store will usually upgrade the charger within 14 days, maximum cost being the retail price difference

I’ll take a look but I didn’t see an option I thought that was only for the 16”

 

[ab22]

I’ll take a look but I didn’t see an option I thought that was only for the 16”

I believe so too, but unless policy changed very recently - a store can exchange adapters for the difference in cost.

 

[FlyingTexan]

I believe so too, but unless policy changed very recently - a store can exchange adapters for the difference in cost.

Apparently doesn't matter. The 14" due to it's cells and how they charge is limited to 93 watts of power. No matter what you plug it into. They need to let it run off a powerbrick like other laptops then.

 

[jaytv111]

Magsafe 3 is basically the same as type-C on the same laptop. Only time it’s different as I recall is on 16 inch M1 and M2 versions, because Magsafe was able to take 140 watts but type-C only 100 watts, but I think they fixed that in the M3 and later. 100 is still plenty. And for 14 inch, no difference, Magsafe 3 should be same as type-C, limited by the charger connected.