One of the compromises Apple lists for the MacBook Neo is that it doesn’t support fast charging, and the machine is supplied with just a 20W power adapter (except in Europe).
Based on Apple’s statement, there didn’t appear to be any point in using a beefier charger with the new machine, but tests reveal otherwise …
With no support for fast charging capabilities, the supplied 20 watt adapter appeared to be the only thing you will ever need. However, when Macworld plugged it into a more powerful power brick, the site found the machine did indeed charge at a faster rate.
They started with a 20% charge and then plugged it in for half an hour using the supplied 20W power adapter before repeating the exact same experiment with a 96W one. The Neo charged twice as fast with the beefier power brick:
- 20W charger: +15%
- 96W charger: +30%
The reason for the apparent discrepancy is that Apple officially defines fast charging as providing a 50% charge in 30 minutes. The Neo isn’t capable of this no matter how powerful the charger used.
If you do want to boost the charging speed of your Neo, you don’t need to buy a particularly powerful power adapter. The site found that the machine can only draw 24 watts, so any power brick above this would deliver the same results.
European buyers might draw some comfort from this. Apple claims that EU and British legislation means it isn’t allowed to include a power brick with its devices. This isn’t an accurate statement of the law, and the company clearly just saw an opportunity to save some money. Since these owners will have to buy one anyway, they can at least opt for a slightly more powerful model that will charge their machine at a faster rate.
Photo by Jan Baborák on Unsplash
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