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darngooddesign

macrumors P6
Jul 4, 2007
18,362
10,114
Atlanta, GA
...That said, I do welcome an extra charging port. I have this portable monitor that I sometimes use with my M1 MBA at my desk. Plugging in a usb-c cable to it uses 1 port. Plugging in another usb-c cable to charge my MBA uses the second. This doesn't leave any room for other accessories such as hard drives. So MagSafe basically adds a third port to the MBA (albeit one that can only be used for charging) and I guess that's always better than nothing.
It's not giving you one port that can only be used for charging, it's freeing up one port that can be used for anything, and that's a lot better than nothing.
 

Apple_Robert

Contributor
Sep 21, 2012
35,653
52,439
In a van down by the river
Definitely don't need MagSafe when docked at my desk since my Thunderbolt dock provides sufficient power. But when on the go, will definitely preferentially use MagSafe instead of USB-C. Also ordered an extra MagSafe cable to keep by the sofa.
I ordered an extra MagSafe cable today as well. Much easier to have two cables than having to mover one around all the time and keep up with it.
 
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exoticSpice

Suspended
Jan 9, 2022
1,242
1,952
I don't think MagSafe on the Air M2 can do fast charging. I was reading some reports online a few days ago that for fast charing USB-C might be the only way to go. This was before the NDA for reviews lifted, I am now waiting for confirmation regarding fast charging over USB-C and / or MagSafe, but so far I can't find any definitive information.
MagSafe also does fast charging on the M2 Air but you need 67 watts or higher brick
 
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thv

macrumors regular
May 12, 2022
185
212
Do I use the charger they sold me with my mac? Yes, often. Not all of us are connecting it to an external display. I love the feature, would buy another if not for the $. I have caught my leg on a cord multiple times & have a dog who isn't incredibly smart 🐶
 
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Sterkenburg

macrumors 6502a
Oct 27, 2016
556
553
Japan
Not as often as I did on my old 17" MBP, but that's just because I have a TB4 dock and the battery on the M1 Max 16" is so good that when I take it off the desk it is often the case that I never need to charge again for the rest of the day. A good problem to have lol.

Aside from that, I prefer MagSafe when on the go and I welcome its return.
 
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JahBoolean

Suspended
Jul 14, 2021
552
425
Not as often as I did on my old 17" MBP, but that's just because I have a TB4 dock and the battery on the M1 Max 16" is so good that when I take it off the desk it is often the case that I never need to charge again for the rest of the day. A good problem to have lol.

Aside from that, I prefer MagSafe when on the go and I welcome its return.
Ditto, the battery on apple Silicon is something else.
 

DrCC

macrumors 6502
Nov 21, 2021
257
184
Canada
MagSafe also does fast charging on the M2 Air but you need 67 watts or higher brick
Has anyone tried if fast charging works with a 3rd party 67W+ power bricks? Apple providing a 67W charger is nice, but 3rd party chargers can be way smaller compared to what Apple provides.
 

tmoerel

Suspended
Jan 24, 2008
1,005
1,570
I don't think MagSafe on the Air M2 can do fast charging. I was reading some reports online a few days ago that for fast charing USB-C might be the only way to go. This was before the NDA for reviews lifted, I am now waiting for confirmation regarding fast charging over USB-C and / or MagSafe, but so far I can't find any definitive information.
This is probably incorrect. On a 16" Macbook Pro it is actually the opposite: USB-C charging is limited to 100W while MagSafe is the only way to fast charge at 140W. As 100W seems to be the actual limit on USB-C charging then the Macbook Air M2 should easily be able to fastcharge on both.
 
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pshufd

macrumors G4
Oct 24, 2013
10,146
14,573
New Hampshire
I charge my MacBook Pro on a table next to a recliner. Others walk by and it's theoretically possible for someone to trip on the cable. I also like that I can put it on the charger in the dark and don't have to worry about USB-C cables bending. So I love MagSafe. I also have an Anker dual-port 40 Watt USB-C charger that I can take on trips and use with MagSafe by just bringing the cable.
 

xraydoc

Contributor
Oct 9, 2005
11,023
5,485
192.168.1.1
Has anyone tried if fast charging works with a 3rd party 67W+ power bricks? Apple providing a 67W charger is nice, but 3rd party chargers can be way smaller compared to what Apple provides.
On my 14" MacBook Pro M1 Pro, a 100 watt Anker USB-C charger connected via MagSafe 3 charged at (according to CoconutBattery) up to 76 watts.

I figure this is a pretty good rate. My MacBook Air M1 never got anything more than about 35w.

My MacBook Pro came with the 96w brick, which is currently at the office so I can't test it until sometime next week to see if it charges at any higher than 76w.
 
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t0rqx

macrumors 68000
Nov 27, 2021
1,746
4,277
Definitely use Magsafe. Usecase scenarios differ for each person depending on their setup. But like someone earlier mentioned I do not want to waste my USB-C for charging if possible.
 

blw777

macrumors member
Jun 6, 2022
96
106
Coming from USB-C charging MBPs, I ordered an extra MagSafe when I got this MBP 14". The expectation was that I'd use one at home and one when traveling, which is the arrangement I've had for years with both previous MagSafe and then with USB-C. But when it all arrived I discovered that the USB-C for the monitor provides charging too, so the original MS is the one that travels, and I can sell the additional one.

For those who don't want to dedicate USB-C for charging, the old dongle solution still works: some of the dongles have both USB-C and other stuff (USB-A, USB-C out, etc). Not the most elegant solution, but it works and was particularly necessary for some of the USB-C models that had few ports.
 

MacRail

macrumors member
May 21, 2019
61
140
If I were traveling, I would definitely use MagSafe though.
@Wizec - so that's where my head went. OK - I charge with my Thunderbolt cable while plugged into my large monitor at home. So not much use at home; so I'll use it traveling. Well - head slap, I just went on a three day road trip. "Oh crap, how do I charge my iPad mini and Kindle now?". D'oh!
 
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Mikael H

macrumors 6502a
Sep 3, 2014
864
539
My Mac is connected to a Studio Display at home, but before I got that - and if I'm ever on the move with it, MagSafe it is.
 

TightLines

macrumors 6502
Jun 10, 2022
338
464
It the only thing I use for charging my phone… i have the MagSafe puck attached to one of those stands and anytime i need a charge it gets hung on that… same goes for in-car… I have one of the pucks attached to a mount and its just like at home… if i need a charge i just snap it onto the thing… much easier than screwing with a cable each time or getting cables tangled with other things, etc… not to leave without mention that the flap that covers the charge port on me case is a fit and sealed deal to keep dirt, etc… out and each time i have to charge with a cable i have to open that cover flap… which in turn just adds wear and tear to the flap… and eventually the rubber just breaks down and the cover will break away from the case, and even before that point, the seal on that rubber flap itself gets weak and won’t stay closed… so in my case, the MagSafe charging is the ticket to solving that problem. FWIW - the case is the otterbox defender pro xt series which works with the MagSafe… it’s the best protective case on the market for the price, IMHO.
 

darngooddesign

macrumors P6
Jul 4, 2007
18,362
10,114
Atlanta, GA
@Wizec - so that's where my head went. OK - I charge with my Thunderbolt cable while plugged into my large monitor at home. So not much use at home; so I'll use it traveling. Well - head slap, I just went on a three day road trip. "Oh crap, how do I charge my iPad mini and Kindle now?". D'oh!
Plug them into your Mac, or plug them into your MagSafe brick.
 
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millerj123

macrumors 68030
Mar 6, 2008
2,606
2,719
It’s the only charger I’ve used. I’ll unplug to roam, but plug it back in to charge.
 

Coochie Boogs

macrumors regular
Mar 18, 2022
139
347
New York
Across the board, MagSafe gets used heavily. From MBP all the way to AirPods 3 to iPhone 13 to the MagSafe battery. Very glad Apple brought it back and expanded it.
 

jdb8167

macrumors 601
Nov 17, 2008
4,859
4,599
Not me. I just received my M2 MacBook Air and I haven't unwrapped either the dual USB-C power adapter nor the MagSafe cable. I plug my MBA into power when I'm in my home office and it is a single USB-C cable to a dock that also connects to a 4K display and extra ports. When I'm away from my home office I don't even bother to bring a power adapter. The M1 MBA easily lasts a full 8-10 hour day on battery and it looks like the M2 MBA is pretty similar.
 

MacRail

macrumors member
May 21, 2019
61
140
Plug them into your Mac, or plug them into your MagSafe brick.
Of course, but the point is, the only cable I used to take was a USB/C <--to--> USB/C cable. That's the only cable I needed. Now I need two - that one and a MagSafe. Minor I know, but I just hadn't thought about it.
 
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