Apple MagSafe Is Back - What You Need To Know
Techquickie
·Techquickie
·2022-05-05
·
772 words · ~3 min read
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Aren't you tired of tripping over your laptop's power cord,
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dragging it off the table,
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watching it clatter to the ground,
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and then having to buy a new one?
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Or even worse, having your boss scream at you about it?
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Well, clearly Apple is tired of it as well.
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So they've brought back a new and improved MagSafe
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for their new lineup of MacBook Pros.
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And while the headlines were stolen
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by their new M1 Pro and M1 Max processors,
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the return of MagSafe is a pretty big deal on its own.
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In case you're not an Apple fan
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or you're just unfamiliar with MagSafe,
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the idea is that your computer's power connector
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is held in place magnetically
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instead of being plugged into a port.
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So the idea is if the connector is accidentally yanked,
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it just pops off,
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reducing the risk of your laptop being pulled onto the ground
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or even worse, onto your foot.
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Apple actually got the idea from the magnetic connectors
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that you can find on some kitchen appliances,
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like deep fryers.
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Although spilling a cauldron of hot vegetable oil
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can obviously have far more severe consequences
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than dropping a MacBook.
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But as we mentioned,
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Apple is bringing back MagSafe.
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It actually debuted all the way back in 2006
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until Apple killed it off in 2017
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with nobody knowing the real reason why.
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There have been a lot of suggested explanations.
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Apple may have wanted to transition to USB-C
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to allow a single port to transfer data
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and charge your device.
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They may have felt that MagSafe was too heavy and bulky,
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or they may have felt that it just wasn't as necessary
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as Apple transitioned away from spinning hard drives
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and towards solid state drives, which are much more,
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much more impact tolerant
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if a cord drags your laptop off a table.
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The original MagSafe had other issues too.
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Users frequently complained
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that MagSafe cables broke easily.
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And Apple also faced a lawsuit in Japan
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after an electronics manufacturer alleged
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that the connector design infringed on its patents.
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Nonetheless, not only is MagSafe back,
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but it's better than ever.
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Probably the most noticeable thing
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is that it is faster in terms of charging.
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Now, as usual, Apple's not super into
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giving us specific numbers, but they do claim that,
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that MagSafe 3, the newest version,
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will take the MacBook Pros from empty to half charged
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in only half an hour.
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And although MagSafe is a proprietary connector
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that will require a MagSafe to USB-C cable,
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the new wall chargers that the MacBook Pros ship with
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utilize USB power delivery 3.1.
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And since the cable is detachable,
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any charger that also supports that spec
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should charge the new laptops just as quickly,
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so long as it meets the minimum wattage requirements.
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The notable exception is the larger 16-inch
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MacBook Pro, as that one needs
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a special 140-watt charger provided by Apple.
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However, with upcoming USB PD chargers
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supporting up to 240 watts,
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my fingers are crossed that even the beefiest MacBooks
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will eventually play nicely with third-party power bricks.
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And that's not all.
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Apple also says that MagSafe 3 connectors
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feature more powerful magnets,
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so they should resist accidentally being yanked out
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while still being weak enough to detach
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if you do indeed trip over the cord,
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especially since the new MacBooks,
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are relatively large and heavy
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compared to their predecessors.
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Do keep in mind, though,
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that if you lose your MagSafe cord,
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you'll need to pick up another one
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if you want to fast charge,
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as while you can charge
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through the MacBook Pros USB-C ports instead,
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they only support charging at slower speeds with a cable.
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But that satisfying snap sound
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when you get to attach the magnetic cable
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just might make you forget about the extra money you spent.
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