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Huge, apparently. I just spent a bit over $7,000 for a top-spec model and was surprised to read that it comes with a 140 watt power adapter. Prior to my curren

Huge, apparently. I just spent a bit over $7,000 for a top-spec model and was surprised to read that it comes with a 140 watt power adapter. Prior to my current M1 MBP, my daily driver was a maxed-out 16" MBP. It's a solid computer, but it functions just as well as a space heater. And its power adapter is only 100 watts.

jerrysievert 5y ago
the power supply is for charging the battery faster. the new magsafe 3 system can charge with more wattage than usb-c, as per the announcement. usb-c max wattage is 100 watts, which was the previous limiting factor for battery charge.
- robert_foss 5y ago
  USB-C 3.1 PD delivers up to 240watts.
  - aetherspawn 5y ago
    That's with 2 connectors right? I have a Dell Precision 3760 and the one connector charging mode is limited to around 90W. With two connectors working in tandem (they snap together), it's 180W. The connectors never get remotely warm .. in fact under max charge rate they're consistently cool to touch, so I've always thought that it could probably be increased a little bit with no negative consequences.
    - wlesieutre 5y ago
      Single connector, the 3.1 spec goes up to 5A at 48V. You need new cables with support for the higher voltages, but your "multiple plugs for more power" laptop is exactly the sort of device it's designed for. It was announced earlier this year, so not in wide use yet. PDF warning: https://usb.org/sites/default/files/2021-05/USB%20PG%20USB%20PD%203.1%20DevUpdate%20Announcement_FINAL.pdf https://usb.org/sites/default/files/2021-05/USB%20PG%20USB%2...
      - jsjohnst 5y ago
        I’ve not seen any manufacturer even announce they were going to make a supported cable yet, let alone seen one that does. I might’ve missed it though. This will only make the hell of USB-C cabling worse imho.
        GeekyBear 5y ago
        The USB Implementers Forum announced a new set of cable markings for USB 4 certified cables that will combine information on the maximum supported data rate and maximum power delivery for a given cable.
        wlesieutre 5y ago
        Currently I think there aren't any, and the MBP will only get its full 140W capacity using the magsafe cable.
- gumby 5y ago
  USB Power Delivery 3.1 goes up to 240 W (or, I should say, “will go up” as I don’t think anybody is shipping it yet)
- SpelingBeeChamp 5y ago
  Color me skeptical. I believe you (and Apple) that the battery can be charged faster, but I am currently rendering video on an M1 MBP. Its power draw: ~20 Watts. That's a lot of charging overhead.
  - nilsbunger 5y ago
    The 16” has a 100wh battery, so it needs 100w of power to charge 50% in 30 minutes (their “fast charging”). Add in 20w to keep the laptop running at the same time, and some conversion losses, and a 140w charger sounds just about right.
    - SpelingBeeChamp 5y ago
      That actually sounds on the money. I hope you're right!
- cpuguy83 5y ago
  The other end of the new MagSafe is usb-c, which gets plugged into the power adapter.
  - simonh 5y ago
    Sure, but it's an Apple cable plugging into an Apple socket. They don't have to be constrained by the USB-C specs and could implement a custom high power charging mode. In fact I believe some other laptop manufacturers already do this.
tantony 5y ago
They support fast-charging the battery to 50% in 30 minutes. That's probably the reason for the beefy charger.
- hrrsn 5y ago
  I'm surprised the fast charger isn't a separate purchase, a la iPhone.
  - eyelidlessness 5y ago
    I’m not particularly surprised. They have little to prove with the iPhone, but have every reason to make every measurable factor of these new Macs better than both the previous iteration and the competition. Throwing in a future-model-upsell is negligible compared to mixed reviews about Magsafe 3 cluttering up reviews they otherwise expect to be positive.
  - dzhiurgis 5y ago
    Yeah I'd prefer that. Converted everything to quality 6ft braided usb-c cables, bought a separate multiport charger. Will have to sell original one...
    - josephg 5y ago
      Just in case people missed it - the magsafe cable connects to the power supply via usb-c. So (in theory) there's nothing special about the charger that you couldn't do with a 3rd party charger, or a multiport charger or something like that.
      - 2muchcoffeeman 5y ago
        Might be a power limitation. I have an XPS 17 which only runs at full performance and charges the battery with the supplied 130W charger. USB C is only specced to 100W. I can still do most things on the spare USB C charger I have.
easygenes 5y ago
I have a top-spec 15” MBP that was the last release just before 16”. It has 100W supply and it’s easy to have total draw more than that (so pulling from the battery while plugged in) while running heavy things like 3D games. I’ve seen around 140W peak. So a 150W supply seems prudent.

jerrysievert 5y ago

the power supply is for charging the battery faster. the new magsafe 3 system can charge with more wattage than usb-c, as per the announcement. usb-c max wattage is 100 watts, which was the previous limiting factor for battery charge.

robert_foss 5y ago
USB-C 3.1 PD delivers up to 240watts.
- aetherspawn 5y ago
  That's with 2 connectors right? I have a Dell Precision 3760 and the one connector charging mode is limited to around 90W. With two connectors working in tandem (they snap together), it's 180W. The connectors never get remotely warm .. in fact under max charge rate they're consistently cool to touch, so I've always thought that it could probably be increased a little bit with no negative consequences.
  - wlesieutre 5y ago
    Single connector, the 3.1 spec goes up to 5A at 48V. You need new cables with support for the higher voltages, but your "multiple plugs for more power" laptop is exactly the sort of device it's designed for. It was announced earlier this year, so not in wide use yet. PDF warning: https://usb.org/sites/default/files/2021-05/USB%20PG%20USB%20PD%203.1%20DevUpdate%20Announcement_FINAL.pdf https://usb.org/sites/default/files/2021-05/USB%20PG%20USB%2...
    - jsjohnst 5y ago
      I’ve not seen any manufacturer even announce they were going to make a supported cable yet, let alone seen one that does. I might’ve missed it though. This will only make the hell of USB-C cabling worse imho.
      - GeekyBear 5y ago
        The USB Implementers Forum announced a new set of cable markings for USB 4 certified cables that will combine information on the maximum supported data rate and maximum power delivery for a given cable.
      - wlesieutre 5y ago
        Currently I think there aren't any, and the MBP will only get its full 140W capacity using the magsafe cable.
gumby 5y ago
USB Power Delivery 3.1 goes up to 240 W (or, I should say, “will go up” as I don’t think anybody is shipping it yet)
SpelingBeeChamp 5y ago
Color me skeptical. I believe you (and Apple) that the battery can be charged faster, but I am currently rendering video on an M1 MBP. Its power draw: ~20 Watts. That's a lot of charging overhead.
- nilsbunger 5y ago
  The 16” has a 100wh battery, so it needs 100w of power to charge 50% in 30 minutes (their “fast charging”). Add in 20w to keep the laptop running at the same time, and some conversion losses, and a 140w charger sounds just about right.
  - SpelingBeeChamp 5y ago
    That actually sounds on the money. I hope you're right!
cpuguy83 5y ago
The other end of the new MagSafe is usb-c, which gets plugged into the power adapter.
- simonh 5y ago
  Sure, but it's an Apple cable plugging into an Apple socket. They don't have to be constrained by the USB-C specs and could implement a custom high power charging mode. In fact I believe some other laptop manufacturers already do this.

tantony 5y ago

They support fast-charging the battery to 50% in 30 minutes. That's probably the reason for the beefy charger.

hrrsn 5y ago
I'm surprised the fast charger isn't a separate purchase, a la iPhone.
- eyelidlessness 5y ago
  I’m not particularly surprised. They have little to prove with the iPhone, but have every reason to make every measurable factor of these new Macs better than both the previous iteration and the competition. Throwing in a future-model-upsell is negligible compared to mixed reviews about Magsafe 3 cluttering up reviews they otherwise expect to be positive.
- dzhiurgis 5y ago
  Yeah I'd prefer that. Converted everything to quality 6ft braided usb-c cables, bought a separate multiport charger. Will have to sell original one...
  - josephg 5y ago
    Just in case people missed it - the magsafe cable connects to the power supply via usb-c. So (in theory) there's nothing special about the charger that you couldn't do with a 3rd party charger, or a multiport charger or something like that.
    - 2muchcoffeeman 5y ago
      Might be a power limitation. I have an XPS 17 which only runs at full performance and charges the battery with the supplied 130W charger. USB C is only specced to 100W. I can still do most things on the spare USB C charger I have.

easygenes 5y ago

I have a top-spec 15” MBP that was the last release just before 16”. It has 100W supply and it’s easy to have total draw more than that (so pulling from the battery while plugged in) while running heavy things like 3D games. I’ve seen around 140W peak. So a 150W supply seems prudent.