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USB-C Passthrough charging - will new adaptors support 85 watts?

redsteven

redsteven

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 22, 2006
561
7
So it sounds like all of the existing multiport USB-C adapters (both Apple and other companies) offer pass-through charging at a max of 60 watts (correct me if I'm wrong).

Is it POSSIBLE to build multiport adaptors with passthrough charging that carry the 85 watts the new 15" MBP would need? Or is this a hardware limitation?

thanks
 
redsteven said:
So it sounds like all of the existing multiport USB-C adapters (both Apple and other companies) offer pass-through charging at a max of 60 watts (correct me if I'm wrong).

Is it POSSIBLE to build multiport adaptors with passthrough charging that carry the 85 watts the new 15" MBP would need? Or is this a hardware limitation?

thanks
Click to expand...
Pretty sure the existing adapters were built for the rMB, where 60W was plenty. I really doubt it's a hardware limitation.
 
I'm going to order a 15" MBP so I guess I'll wait until closer to the ship date before I order any adapters to see if a better multiport adapter shows up on the market then.
 
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Are you planning on using the other three ports then? I think the reason Apple hasn't bothered to make a higher wattage Multiport adapter already is that the market would be very small considering you can just use another port if required. :)
 
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Brookzy said:
Are you planning on using the other three ports then? I think the reason Apple hasn't bothered to make a higher wattage Multiport adapter already is that the market would be very small considering you can just use another port if required. :)
Click to expand...

No, but it's a matter of ease of use. Right now I have an early 2011 MBP. When I get home from work, I plug it in to (1) power, (2) display port, (3) USB hub, (4) audio.

Would be great to do (1) power/video/usb hub, (2) audio. While going down to 3 plug-ins (if the multiport only combined video and USB for me) would still be a worthwhile improvement, it wouldn't be AS impressive.
 
Any news on this? Does anyone know if this is a physical limitation? Or nobody has bothered to produce one yet?
 
redsteven said:
Any news on this? Does anyone know if this is a physical limitation? Or nobody has bothered to produce one yet?
Click to expand...
Some of the Thunderbolt 3 docks hitting the market in the next couple of months should support 85+ watts of charging.

However, be aware that 60w is sufficient to both run and charge your 15" MBP in all but the most strenuous of situations (multiple external monitors plus the internal display at full brightness with full CPU & GPU load).
 
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I think it's possible and I read in another post someone said the lead time on new usb-c hubs would be March. So even with the new Macs coming out in November, the fastest they could design, test and mass produce them and get them out to the public it would be at the earliest March.

Although there's a KickStarter for a hub that supports 100 watts and they are releasing the early bird (sold out) in Feb with the rest coming in March.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hypershop/hyperdrivetm-compact-thunderbolt-3-usb-c-hub-for-m

I think we will see a lot of the major manufacturers release in March. I know Satachi is working on hub to fully support the higher wattage.
 
Sounds good. Thanks guys.
I'll probably start with a cheap multilink adapter from monoprice and then if I do find the charging to be too slow (and it annoys me too much to disconnect the power from that adapter and plug it straight into the MBP when needed) then I'll pick up one of those new adapters next year.

Thanks again.
 
direct from apple the 87W usbC wall charger pn=mnf82LL/A and comes with out the charger cord.

the charger cord:
good idea to get the 6foot usbC charger cord which is like $30. Likely Apple will be back ordered on the charger cable but for $3.00 more you can get the usbC data cable which is $3.00 more.

with a 6' charger cable + the 87W wall brick your out $100
do you believe this gold star Apple charger is really 87 watts


-be very careful with the on line Apple store as all those new adapters are not managed as needed on the web site. Likely you will not get a email confirmation invoice because whatever. Easy to figure this on line situation gets confused.
-likely your local mall Apple store will have many its out of stock

i would buy the blue label chargers form Amazon and call it done
 
I am aware that Apple makes 87 watt chargers - the computer comes with one :)
My question in the OP was regarding the multiport adapters... since the ones currently in production (INCLUDING those made by apple) do not support more than 60 watts of PASSTHRU charging.

Also, I'm not really sure what you mean by the following:
jeyf said:
-be very careful with the on line Apple store as all those new adapters are not managed as needed on the web site. Likely you will not get a email confirmation invoice because whatever. Easy to figure this on line situation gets confused.
-likely your local mall Apple store will have many its out of stock

i would buy the blue label chargers form Amazon and call it done
Click to expand...
 
FYI... the monoprice multiport HDMI adapter that puts through 60 watts of pass-through charging DID result in my computer shutting down from low battery after a few hours of playing Battlefield 3 in bootcamp. So in that case I just have to disconnect the USB-C charger form the multiport adapter and plug it directly into the MBP
 
redsteven said:
FYI... the monoprice multiport HDMI adapter that puts through 60 watts of pass-through charging DID result in my computer shutting down from low battery after a few hours of playing Battlefield 3 in bootcamp. So in that case I just have to disconnect the USB-C charger form the multiport adapter and plug it directly into the MBP
Click to expand...
Do you use an external keyboard to game? I was playing some CS:GO on my 2016 MBP in MacOS and it just feels weird to game with this type of keyboard. I was of course using an external mouse, but I think a proper keyboard would feel much better for gaming vs the built in one.
 
scotty588 said:
Do you use an external keyboard to game? I was playing some CS:GO on my 2016 MBP in MacOS and it just feels weird to game with this type of keyboard. I was of course using an external mouse, but I think a proper keyboard would feel much better for gaming vs the built in one.
Click to expand...

I use an external apple extended keyboard (which I LOVE) and a Razer Taipan mouse and a cheap 20" AOC external monitor
 
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