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MarckyG

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 15, 2014
84
44
Germany
So I saw Apple has new braided USB-C cables! But the 1m cable is just 60W instead of 100W...

Now, hypothetically...
What if I only want to carry around one charger and one cable for iPhone, iPad and Mac...
What if I use the shorter 1m braided 60W cable with a 96W charger and my MacBook Pro 16inch, will that damage anything or will it just charge slower?

Somehow there is this "don't use cables that don't support the W usage"-thought in my head... But am I mistaken?
In the past, using the old (Magsafe 1 and 2) charger of the MacBook Air to charge to MacBook Pro, was okay, just slower...
I can use a USB-C cable that supports 100W with a smaller charger, 67W, to charge my beefy MacBook Pro 16inch, sure, no problem, will just charge slower.
But using a cable that only supports 60W, with a bigger charger and a computer that can pull 96W? Am I mistaken that I should NOT do this?
 

quagmire

macrumors 604
Apr 19, 2004
6,984
2,488
If the cable is only able to support 60W, don't use it on a charger and device that demands more power. The machine and charging brick does not know the cable is rated for 60W and will still send the full 96W if asked to through it.

This could lead to the wire getting damaged and at worst case scenario fire. Byproduct of electricity is heat. The wire in the 60W cable is not designed to handle the heat of the higher power draw.
 
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MarckyG

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 15, 2014
84
44
Germany
Thank you for the reply.
That is what I was suspecting... so this hunch of mine was right.
Well oh well, so better stock up on cables that support 100W instead of using the new Apple 60W one...
 
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