1899 euros for a laptop and it does not even come with charger?
Unreal.
Unreal.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
New MacBook Pro Does Not Include a Charger in the Box in Europe
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I just skimmed the link and it appears they're defining "Common Charger" as a charger with a USB connection. That's not a common charger. Chargers are rated in watts and this new MacBook Pro apparently needs at least a 70-watt charger. An iPhone / iPad charger is considerably lower than that. My iPad Air M2 charger, while having a USB-C connector, is only 20 watts which is insufficient to charge this MacBook Pro (if it isn't damaged by the computer it would take a lot longer to charge).There is a law about power adapters for laptops and it starts in April 2026, which assuming this laptop will still be the newest one sold then kind of makes sense.
EU common charger rules: Power all your devices with a single charger
The EU has implemented a universal charger for electronic devices to reduce waste. All new devices sold in the EU must now support USB-C charging.commission.europa.eu
If they don't specify the power output of a charger they haven't achieved the "Common Charger" goal. Maybe someone who understands the law can say otherwise?
im conflicted on this. seems as stingy as hell, but we are falling over chargers at home. recently got my daughter a 100W Anker charger for £28. it has 2 x USB-C and a USB-A. Its better than my apple charger tbh.
So the EU enacts a rule that states:
and Apple complies with the rule and somehow it's their fault that there are no chargers in the box? You can still buy one if you need one.
As has been pointed out, the M5 is 100 euros cheaper.
I suspect people would complain if Apple offered a bundle version that is priced at the cost of the non-bundled Mac plus a charger.
You can thank Portugal's 21 elected members of Parliament for that.
Apple only takes the machine, not cable or charger when trading in.
From my understanding and reading o the directive, the whole intent was to standardize on the USB-C spec, not the brick. The spec covers a broad range of wattages and power delivery methods, and even includes non-power delivery cables as well. It really is only a physical layout and pinout as a standard.
and Apple complies with the rule and somehow it's their fault that there are no chargers in the box? You can still buy one if you need one.
As has been pointed out, the M5 is 100 euros cheaper.
I suspect people would complain if Apple offered a bundle version that is priced at the cost of the non-bundled Mac plus a charger.
You can thank Portugal's 21 elected members of Parliament for that.
Apple only takes the machine, not cable or charger when trading in.
From my understanding and reading o the directive, the whole intent was to standardize on the USB-C spec, not the brick. The spec covers a broad range of wattages and power delivery methods, and even includes non-power delivery cables as well. It really is only a physical layout and pinout as a standard.
Laptop chargers? Also, if this is really about the environment / EU law then why not make it available at no cost for those who need it?
So what they achieved is a common connector standard and not a common charger standard.
I understand that option and don't really disagree with it. But the cables get a little dirty and have been used a lot on other devices. A replacement cable is good thing in my opinion. Valid arguments can be made both ways.
sure but what if you wanted to sell your old laptop when you buy a new one - or enjoy the convenience of plugging in your laptop in two places without having to unplug and carry the thing around - I bought extra chargers for that purpose alone
If they cared about the environment they would stop encouraging people to upgrade their phone every year.
Nice bit of extra margin on top of the 30-40% they are already pocketing on these machines though
Nice bit of extra margin on top of the 30-40% they are already pocketing on these machines though
Nope. All my trade-ins have been through Apple. Apple does not require the chargers or cables when using a trade in. Apple will take them but just throw them away (recycle is Apple's term).
It does not "need" a 70 watt charger. Using a lower wattage will charge the machine at a lower rate. I use a 35 watt charger on my M4 Pro MBP Pro and it charges just fine while I am sleeping.
The three 70 watt chargers are used for traveling and keeping in my vehicles. One stays in my travel bag so I can charge my iPad, iPhone, watch and MacBook using one adapter. The other two are kept in my vehicles which have 110V outlets in the vehicle and allows me to charge multiple devices, such as couple of iPhone, iPad and powers the camera.
Last edited:
So you don't need another charger. What would you do with another charger if you purchased this new machine?
So Apple is needlessly specifying a 70 watt charger?
Also, I did say: "...if it isn't damaged by the computer it would take a lot longer to charge..."
Unless the device can sense and adapt its current draw to the adapter using too low a wattage can possibly damage it or cause it to overheat potentially causing a fire risk.
No, it can't.
Identify your Mac power adapter - Apple Support
Learn which power adapter and cable comes with your Mac laptop and how to check the wattage of a connected power adapter or display.
If your Mac uses USB-C to charge, you can charge your Mac laptop with any USB-C power adapter or display. For the best charging experience, you should use a power adapter or display that provides at least the minimum wattage of the power adapter included with your MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, or MacBook. Learn how to check the power of a connected power adapter or display.
From the directive:
It is therefore necessary to harmonise the charging interfaces and charging communication protocols for specific categories or classes of radio equipment that are recharged by means of wired charging.
All sorts of chargers can be sold, the only requirement, for chargers used in the devices covered by the directive, is they use USB-C and if they have certain power levels the support the appropriate protocols. There is no requirement for a common charger in the sense it will output enough power to charge a device or even maintain a charge level while the device is in use.
It also lets you leave out USB-C ports and go wireless only.
In Germany 100€. 70W is 65€ and 96W is 85€. It’s a little cheaper compared to base M4 MBP even if you add the biggest charger.
Anyways, it speaks volumes about apples reputation how people immediately believe it and enrage
Yes, it can. That's why fuses and circuit breakers exist. To protect devices from damage and against overheating (which can lead to fire damage). Given the lower voltages used by laptops it's unlikely to cause a fire hazard but damage is a real possibility.
Exactly my point.. By standardizing on a common connector end users will think that any adapter that utilizes that connector is the same as every other one, which is not the case.
I can envision people buying one of these and using their iPhone adapter and, setting aside any damage / fire hazard risks, experience a situation where the laptop cannot perform up to its design specification.