If you've followed Apple evolution as long as I have, you know nothing is permanent when it comes to ports. I'm as shocked as anyone by the return of not only these classic-but-useful ports, but also the long-dead MagSafe power connector. If everything comes back in style eventually, it must be time for HDMI ports and SD card slots to return. If these are indeed the last days of MagSafe, I’m going out in style with this $37 BND 85W MagSafe 2 Replacement Power Adapter Charger w/ 5 USB Ports for Apple MacBook Pro.Thunderbolt USB-C x3, HDMI, SDXC card, MagSafe 3 To summarize: Yes, this is an awesome solution for charging not just a MacBook Pro but a bunch of USB things like iPads and iPhones, but maybe you shouldn’t buy it because Apple might be getting rid of MagSafe and it isn’t “MagSafe Compliant” – nothing not made by Apple is. That would be a shame because the technology has saved a few of my Macs from being thrown onto the floor. It isn’t clear why Apple has stopped threatening all of these unlicensed third party makers of MagSafe power adapters, but perhaps MagSafe is on the way out. Lately however, tons of Magsafe adapters have been showing up on Amazon and elsewhere. Apple even went so far as to sue battery maker Hyper for making a MagSafe battery which forced them into a complicated workaround (interestingly, the MagSafe cable included here works with the excellent Hyperjuice batteries!). Originally Apple protected its MagSafe products pretty vigorously even though it is a dumb charging port standard, unlike Lightning for example. The catch is that obviously this isn’t an Apple approved MagSafe implementation and therefore I must add that this could burn your neighborhood down or something. When you charge a bunch of things, like the iPad Pro and MacBook Pro at the same time (image below), things get a little warm – but if I recall not any warmer than the power adapter it replaced.įor me, this is just to tide me over for a few months while I wait for Apple’s new MacBook Pros, but I could see using this as a secondary or travel MagSafe Adapter. The MacBook charger which plugs in via a dedicated 4.5A x 19V = 85.5W port doesn’t slow down and is on a different circuit from the USB ports. Keep in mind that this thing only directs 4.5A of power to the USB section which means even though this thing has 5 ports, you will only be able to fast charge (>2A) about 2 USB devices at a time.
My 2013 15″ Retina MacBook Pro charges just as fast as it did with the Apple MagSafe 2 adapter and I’m able to keep a number of USB devices plugged at the same time or when my MacBook isn’t around. It shipped quick in easy to open packaging and the product feels solid.
What the heck, I’ll give it a try…Ī week in, all is well. For less than half the price of a discounted $77 Apple MagSafe Adapter this $37 charger includes 5 USB ports and gets solid 4.3/5 star reviews. As I was looking for options on Amazon, I came across an interesting product: The “BND 85W MagSafe 2 Replacement Power Adapter Charger w/ 5 USB Ports for Apple MacBook Pro”. So I thought I’d get a little creative and save a few bucks at the same time. But clearly Apple has some redesigned MacBook/Pro/Airs coming later this month and they will likely be charged via USB-C, at least in some cases. So that means I only need MagSafe to power this 2013 MacBook Pro for at least a few more weeks before it gets relegated to backup machine, kid’s computer or sold off when I get Apple’s new OLED/USB-C creation. So what to do? Typically I’d buy a new Apple Magsafe 2 adapter.
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