Using a less heavy power adapter for the 15’’ 2018 MBP?

[jlc1978]

A lot of workflows on the 15 inch MBP will be fine using lower-power adapters. It's just once you get the fans running using more intense applications, or a lot of applications simultaneously, that you'll notice a more significant difference in the battery uptime/recharge rate.

It would be interesting to see actual current draw under high and low load conditions, for various wattage chargers including those with a greater wattage than the Apple supplied one. It makes sense that under high loads the higher wattage charger should perform better in such conditions.

 

[alecgold]

Yeah, exactly the same conclusion that I arrived to: First, there are no reputable brands producing 87W adapters at this moment. Second, this 2018 MBP was expensive (just a bit below 4000€), and I don't like the risk of reducing its life.

However, if at some point a reputable brand releases a 87W adapter and it's considerably lighter than the Apple one, I'd try it out.
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Yes, I got it to the limit: My bag was already very light (just 250 grams!!), but I found an even lighter one (200gr). I'm saving just 50gr in the bag, but every gram counts. I also got rid of more stuff I never use (the ethernet adapter and cable, for example).

At this moment I believe my bag weights the same as when I carried my MBA with the bag full with other things. Not bad, but it could be better if some reputable brand offers a lighter 87W adapter.

I don’t know if you are using a backpack or a shoulder bag. If you are using a shoulder bag I would suggest you start using a decent back back immediately. No matter how much heavier the backpack is it will probably save you a lot of back pain.
If you are already using a backpack, do you mind making a list with everything you carry on it and it’s weight. That way you’ll have a good overview of what is what and how much it weighs.

You could use a 29W usb-c Power adapter from an iPad Pro, but it will only charge your MacBook Pro very slowly. If you were to use it, it would most likely slowly drain the battery.
If you were to use a 45 W charger, probably you wouldn’t drain your battery with light use.
I did often use a 61 W charger from a MacBook Pro 13 inch on my MacBook Pro 15 inch. In most cases it will charge my MacBook Pro 15 inch slowly during regular use.
By using apples power adapters I’m reasonably Certain that won’t damage my laptop. They are more Expensive, but in the past apples power adapters have proven they are much more stable and their output. Hereby reducing the risk of power spikes and damage to the electronics of your laptop. All cheap USB chargers I really bad at this.

 

[Appledoesnotlisten]

I don’t know if you are using a backpack or a shoulder bag. If you are using a shoulder bag I would suggest you start using a decent back back immediately. No matter how much heavier the backpack is it will probably save you a lot of back pain.
If you are already using a backpack, do you mind making a list with everything you carry on it and it’s weight. That way you’ll have a good overview of what is what and how much it weighs.

You could use a 29W usb-c Power adapter from an iPad Pro, but it will only charge your MacBook Pro very slowly. If you were to use it, it would most likely slowly drain the battery.
If you were to use a 45 W charger, probably you wouldn’t drain your battery with light use.
I did often use a 61 W charger from a MacBook Pro 13 inch on my MacBook Pro 15 inch. In most cases it will charge my MacBook Pro 15 inch slowly during regular use.
By using apples power adapters I’m reasonably Certain that won’t damage my laptop. They are more Expensive, but in the past apples power adapters have proven they are much more stable and their output. Hereby reducing the risk of power spikes and damage to the electronics of your laptop. All cheap USB chargers I really bad at this.

I have many chargers and MacBooks, so speaking from the experience:
61W is almost always good enough for the 15".
When I travel, I take this 40W Anker with me to charger my phones and it also slowly but surely charges MacBook overnight or when it's idle. This 40W could probably work as the main charger for my needs, if I had do minimize the total weight of my package.

 

[asiga]

I don’t know if you are using a backpack or a shoulder bag.

Neither. Shoulder bags are really bad for the back (they really hurt). And backpacks don't meet the portability requirements that I need (you need to take it off when you seat, and putting it on and off implies a bit of uncomfortability --enough for making you think twice if you really need to open it for doing something).

Ideally, I don't want a bag, and that was my choice when I got my MBA years ago: I use a sleeve instead, with minimal handles. The lightest I found is 200gr, but if you know of any lighter one, please tell. A sleeve with minimal handles is perfect because it's far more comfortable than a backpack. Example:

Colleague: Did you send me the project by email?
You, using a sleeve with handles: Nope, but don't worry, let me send it now.
You, using a backpack: Nope, but do you mind if I send it in ten minutes when I arrive home?

The same happens when you go into a train or a plane (no need to take your backpack off), etc, etc...

Note: quite a few sleeves with handles come with a strap for using them as a shoulder bag, but of course I threw that strap away in every sleeve I got (shoulder bags are really bad for the back, I dislike them to the root).

If you are already using a backpack, do you mind making a list with everything you carry on it and it’s weight. That way you’ll have a good overview of what is what and how much it weighs.

I did. As I said, I think the total weight right now is similar to the total weight I had with the MBA when carrying extra stuff in the bag.

You could use a 29W usb-c Power adapter from an iPad Pro, but it will only charge your MacBook Pro very slowly. If you were to use it, it would most likely slowly drain the battery.
If you were to use a 45 W charger, probably you wouldn’t drain your battery with light use.
I did often use a 61 W charger from a MacBook Pro 13 inch on my MacBook Pro 15 inch. In most cases it will charge my MacBook Pro 15 inch slowly during regular use.
By using apples power adapters I’m reasonably Certain that won’t damage my laptop. They are more Expensive, but in the past apples power adapters have proven they are much more stable and their output. Hereby reducing the risk of power spikes and damage to the electronics of your laptop. All cheap USB chargers I really bad at this.

Yeah, I think I'll wait for the moment, hoping for a lighter 87W alternative not too far from now.

 

[alecgold]

Neither. Shoulder bags are really bad for the back (they really hurt). And backpacks don't meet the portability requirements that I need (you need to take it off when you seat, and putting it on and off implies a bit of uncomfortability --enough for making you think twice if you really need to open it for doing something).

Ideally, I don't want a bag, and that was my choice when I got my MBA years ago: I use a sleeve instead, with minimal handles. The lightest I found is 200gr, but if you know of any lighter one, please tell. A sleeve with minimal handles is perfect because it's far more comfortable than a backpack. Example:

Colleague: Did you send me the project by email?
You, using a sleeve with handles: Nope, but don't worry, let me send it now.
You, using a backpack: Nope, but do you mind if I send it in ten minutes when I arrive home?

The same happens when you go into a train or a plane (no need to take your backpack off), etc, etc...

Note: quite a few sleeves with handles come with a strap for using them as a shoulder bag, but of course I threw that strap away in every sleeve I got (shoulder bags are really bad for the back, I dislike them to the root).


I did. As I said, I think the total weight right now is similar to the total weight I had with the MBA when carrying extra stuff in the bag.


Yeah, I think I'll wait for the moment, hoping for a lighter 87W alternative not too far from now.

If you want to go really, really light, you should find something that is made from DCF, Dyneema Cuben Fibre with some foam padding. That stuff is incredible: waterproof, incredible strong for it’s weight, incredible light and eeehm, oh yes, incredible expensive.
I have a SDR D3 Duffel that is 39 liters, double layered and weights 515g/1.13lb
Don't ask about the price. they also make a tote and a satchel, but they're not my cup of tea.

But if a minimalist briefcase/folio is your style, perhaps you shouldn't read any further:
At this moment my daily user is a smallish duffel that is made from one of the sails that was used in the 34th America's Cup. It's an amazing fabric, all crumpled and crackled but it's amazingly strong.
Duffle holds an enormous amount of stuff for it's size (24L)
It holds a Bōle folio with my MacBook Pro 13" and iPad Pro 10.5 with keyboard and pencil.
Roost laptop stand, Apple Keyboard and touch pad in a neoprene pouch.
Ti water bottle, some food and candy for me and somebody else (always share).
It also holds two medium sized cubes with loads of stuff:
Outlier linnen towel, swimming shorts, swimming speedo, toiletries (why? Half of my days I travel by car/train in a 150mi radius and if I have the chance, I go to a pool and swim for an hour).
Power adapter, 5 different cables, screen cleaning fluid and microfibre cloth, bunch of asthma medication, 20Ah power bank, rain coat, down jacket, B&O E8, Phonak ComCom, Leica Monovid and other nicknacks.
And on Fridays it holds a 4 pound book, grueling.
Without book, water/food, the whole shebang weights just over 5kg.

I know others use a trolley, but I really hate those things.

When I'm away for several days, everything gets stuffed into the 40L duffel with an extra big cube that holds my clothes and it just weights a hair over 10kg without book, water & food.

But you might like the look of the Bōle Folio even though it has no handles:
https://shop.boletannery.com/collections/frontpage/products/portfolio
It looks so simple, but is really clever, has clean lines, nothing to fail and with some care, use and time it becomes brilliantly older: it gets a patina, wabi-sabi-like character.
But at 729gr it's not something you might like?

 

[asiga]

If you want to go really, really light, you should find something that is made from DCF, Dyneema Cuben Fibre with some foam padding. That stuff is incredible: waterproof, incredible strong for it’s weight, incredible light and eeehm, oh yes, incredible expensive.
I have a SDR D3 Duffel that is 39 liters, double layered and weights 515g/1.13lb
Don't ask about the price. they also make a tote and a satchel, but they're not my cup of tea.

But if a minimalist briefcase/folio is your style, perhaps you shouldn't read any further:
At this moment my daily user is a smallish duffel that is made from one of the sails that was used in the 34th America's Cup. It's an amazing fabric, all crumpled and crackled but it's amazingly strong.
Duffle holds an enormous amount of stuff for it's size (24L)
It holds a Bōle folio with my MacBook Pro 13" and iPad Pro 10.5 with keyboard and pencil.
Roost laptop stand, Apple Keyboard and touch pad in a neoprene pouch.
Ti water bottle, some food and candy for me and somebody else (always share).
It also holds two medium sized cubes with loads of stuff:
Outlier linnen towel, swimming shorts, swimming speedo, toiletries (why? Half of my days I travel by car/train in a 150mi radius and if I have the chance, I go to a pool and swim for an hour).
Power adapter, 5 different cables, screen cleaning fluid and microfibre cloth, bunch of asthma medication, 20Ah power bank, rain coat, down jacket, B&O E8, Phonak ComCom, Leica Monovid and other nicknacks.
And on Fridays it holds a 4 pound book, grueling.
Without book, water/food, the whole shebang weights just over 5kg.

I know others use a trolley, but I really hate those things.

When I'm away for several days, everything gets stuffed into the 40L duffel with an extra big cube that holds my clothes and it just weights a hair over 10kg without book, water & food.

But you might like the look of the Bōle Folio even though it has no handles:
https://shop.boletannery.com/collections/frontpage/products/portfolio
It looks so simple, but is really clever, has clean lines, nothing to fail and with some care, use and time it becomes brilliantly older: it gets a patina, wabi-sabi-like character.
But at 729gr it's not something you might like?

The lightest I found is 200gr, and it was quite cheap (11€ in the street shop). It's this one. And it's hard to compare the weights of these bags in online shops because most of the times they don't mention the weight, or it's inaccurate, or it doesn't specify if the weight includes the shoulder band (which I won't use), etc, etc... so I went to the street shop, compared the weights of all bags by hand (of course a bit inaccurate because it was by hand, but I'm almost sure there wasn't any bag lighter than 200gr at the shop).