Apple’s latest MagSafe Charger gives sooner wi-fi charging than its predecessor when used with an iPhone 16. Nevertheless, it doesn’t stay as much as Apple’s declare of powering up the latest iOS handsets as rapidly as a USB-C cable.
I examined the brand new energy puck with an iPhone 16 to see how briskly it could actually cost, and the way heat it makes the handset. Right here’s what I came upon.
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Apple’s iPhone 16 MagSafe Charger (2024) assessment
Whereas longer battery life is likely to be the holy grail for iPhone house owners, the flexibility to rapidly cost up a depleted system offers some solace. Lately, Apple slowly however steadily elevated the speed at which iPhones can cost. However quick top-ups include some vital trade-offs. MagSafe wi-fi charging is handy — juicing up an iPhone is so simple as placing the system down. The choice, plugging in a cable, is hardly an ordeal, nevertheless it’s not as straightforward as wi-fi charging.
Apple’s innovation of including magnets to the charging mats opens up a world of prospects, together with the numerous good charging stands available on the market. However there’s little doubt wi-fi charging acts slower than plugging a USB-C cable into the iPhone. Then through the launch of the iPhone 16 collection Apple stated it eliminated the limitation by introducing a MagSafe charger as quick as a cable. So I bought one and examined it.
Desk of contents:
Charging puck on a cable
Photograph: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The Apple MagSafe Charger is actually a wi-fi charging mat on the finish of a USB-C cable. It’s a really primary design nevertheless it works. I maintain one on my bedside nightstand secured in an Elago Charging Tray.
Like many Apple equipment, the one coloration choice is white. However a minimum of it matches my AirPods charging case. You do get a alternative of cable size: 1 meter or 2 meters. And the cable is extra rugged than the cruddy ones Apple used years in the past.
Apple says the MagSafe Charger helps charging at as much as 25W on the iPhone 16 fashions, which is able to cost an iPhone 16 to 50% in half-hour (when plugged right into a 30W adapter or greater, in response to the specs web page for the iPhone 16).
So whether or not MagSafe or USB-C, the utmost charging pace for the iPhone 16 fashions is identical: half a cost in half an hour.
iPhone 16 MagSafe Charger efficiency
However does the brand new MagSafe Charger work on the similar pace as a USB-C cable?
Nope.
To be clear, Apple says the wi-fi charger helps charging at as much as 25W on the iPhone 16 fashions. Utilizing a multimeter for USB cables, my testing confirmed that Apple truly understated the system’s capabilities: it operated at as much as 29W with my iPhone 16 Plus. Apple’s unique charging puck tops out at 18W. I used a 50w charging brick for these exams.
Sadly, the highest charging pace is barely energetic when the handset’s battery is low — round 20% or much less. Above that, my exams present the system attracts beneath 20W.
The ultimate outcome: half an hour of charging pushed my iPhone 16 Plus battery degree up 33%. That’s nicely under the 50% Apple claimed. Nonetheless, two hours of charging took my handset from 13% to 100%.
The limiting issue is likely to be warmth. Wi-fi charging all the time warms up the iPhone, and my digital thermometer says mine rose to 90 levels and stayed there constantly through the charging course of. I feel the system might have slowed down its personal charging to keep away from getting any hotter.
And simply so there’s no confusion, the additional pace enhance requires each the brand new puck and the brand new handset. When used with an iPhone 15, Apple MagSafe Charger (2024) tops out at 18W. And the max charging charge of Apple’s unique MagSafe puck with the iPhone 16 collection can also be 18W.
Wired versus wi-fi
Photograph: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Ignoring wi-fi charging for a second, Apple additionally claims that half-hour of charging with a USB-C cable sending 20W raises an iPhone 16 battery degree by 50%.
Confirmed.
My testing discovered that my iPhone 16 Plus can cost at 28W after I use the USB-C port. That’s greater than Apple says something about, and about 5W over the iPhone 15 collection. And a take a look at run discovered that half an hour of charging will increase the handset‘s battery by a full 50%.
However to succeed in that purpose, I needed to begin with the battery beneath 20%. Going from a battery degree of fifty% to 100% takes about 1.5 hours.
Comfort versus pace
An vital side of each wired or wi-fi charging is that charging speeds decelerate tremendously as your iPhone’s battery degree approaches 100%. As my testing reveals, at that time each wired and wi-fi charging happens at about 10W or much less. Meaning the efficiency benefit of USB-C goes away, however the comfort of MagSafe actually kicks in.
So, ultimately, whether or not you flip to USB-C or wi-fi charging ought to depend upon how you utilize your iPhone. When you cost the system as soon as a day, and also you want the quickest cost doable, then USB-C remains to be the best way to go.
However in the event you work at a desk, get your self a MagSafe charger and sometimes place your iPhone on it. Your system will all the time be able to go, you received’t must idiot round with a cable, and you’ll even benefit from iOS’s wonderful StandBy mode.
iPhone 16 MagSafe Charger (2024) remaining ideas
I like wi-fi charging, and I want Apple’s new puck had lived as much as the claims of efficiency on par with USB-C. Whereas it is faster, wired charging nonetheless wins the race.
That stated, the 2024 model of Apple MagSafe Charger works nicely with an iPhone 16 or earlier. And whereas it’s an enchancment on its predecessor, the distinction isn’t vital sufficient to switch the unique model with the brand new one.
★★★☆☆
Pricing for Apple’s new MagSafe Charger
The worth for Apple MagSafe Charger (2024) relies on the cable size. And it’s an official product so that you’re paying the Apple Tax. The 1-meter model prices $39 and the 2-meter variant goes for $49.
Purchase it from: Amazon or Apple
These hyperlinks go to the 2024 model with the pace enhance for the iPhone 16 collection. The older model stays available on the market, so watch out you don’t purchase it unintentionally. Undoubtedly don’t pay full value for the older model.
Apple didn’t present Cult of Mac with a assessment unit for this text. See our opinions coverage, and take a look at extra in-depth opinions of Apple-related objects.