iPad Pro Still a 20W charger even for 1TB model?

[msackey]

Ok, this sounds really nutty. So Apple is still providing a 20W charger with an iPad Pro M4 1Tb model? Am I just not reading correctly or is Apple kinda insane? Furthermore, the 20W brick is rather large, especially these days for a 20W. WTH Apple?

I was searching to see if Apple provides a more compact and higher voltage brick but doesn’t seem that they make it. So I guess this is both kind of a rant and wondering why Apple is including such a larger and underpowered brick which can’t fast charge the iPad Pro M4.

My other question is what brand and model of compact charger do you recommend for an iPad Pro M4 1Tb model?

A friend of mine has a very small charger (I think from Anker, but don’t recall) that is the size of the original small chargers that came with iPods (looks like a cube) and I think it provides up to 30w? I don’t recall.

 

[Apple_Robert]

The brick is not underpowered.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/ipad-pro-m4-charging-speeds.2426520/

 

[msackey]

The brick is not underpowered.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/ipad-pro-m4-charging-speeds.2426520/

I went through the link you provided and if I’m interpreting the posts correctly, the provided 20W charger is underpowered in the sense that the iPad Pro can take up to mid-30-ish watts which at that point it can fast charge.

 

[Snørrbjørg]

There is no charger at all in the delivery with iPad Pro M4.

 

[msackey]

There is no charger at all in the delivery.

I think that is probably true in Europe. It’s not the case for models sold in the US though. If the website doesn’t re-direct you to a non-US site, this link will show what comes in the box:

Buy iPad Pro

Get $40 - $520 off the all-new, powerful iPad Pro when you trade in with Apple. Plus, get free delivery or in-store pickup. Buy now at apple.com.

www.apple.com

Included are the USB-C cable and a 20W charger.

 

[msackey]

I guess what I’m also kinda complaining about is why is Apple‘s 20W charger so HUGE! Look at the small-size that Anker has/had provided for 30W; it’s the size of those small cube bricks that used to come with iPods: https://www.anker.com/products/a2147?variant=42089534783638

 

[Apple_Robert]

There is no charger at all in the delivery with iPad Pro M4.

In the U.S. there is.

 

[Snørrbjørg]

I think that is probably true in Europe. It’s not the case for models sold in the US though.

I see. Yes im in europe.

 

[msackey]

I see. Yes im in europe.

Do you use an iPad? If so, what charger do you typically use with it?

 

[FranApple]

I have a bunch of chargers I got off of Amazon. I never use the Apple chargers that come with my Apple devices.

 

[Snørrbjørg]

Do you use an iPad? If so, what charger do you typically use with it?

Hyperjuice 70 Watt.

HyperJuice 70W USB-C GaN Travel Charger with 3 Ports

The HyperJuice 70W USB-C GaN Travel Charger can power up to 3 devices simultaneously with its two USB-C ports and one USB-A port, allowing you to fast charge your laptop, phone, tablet, or headphones. It has everything you need for global travel, thanks to its compact design and included travel...

www.hypershop.com

 

[shadowboi]

At least you get charger, a luxury item for iPhone users!

20W is ok, your battery will thank you later

 

[Yimbaz]

My guess is they’ve got a pile of 20Ws hanging around, and once they sell all those off (and the economies of scale make it just as cheap) they’ll start replacing them with smaller GaN chargers like the 35W one you can get with the MacBook Air.

 

[Reimulo]

just like the SSD prices apples chargers are stuck somewhere between 2016-18.
If you want to fully use the potential of your iPad Pro you have to use optional equipment, same with the included cable, the max data transfer of the device is ~80 times faster than that of the provided USB 2.0 cable (40GBit/s vs 480 Mbit/s).

I personally use the a2337 charger from Anker (The names of their products kinda lost their meaning a while ago).

When buying a Charger I try to make sure it also supports 20V/1.5A so i can charge my Lenovo Laptop with it aswell.

 

[UltimateSyn]

I'm not sure why the chosen storage capacity would be relevant to the included power supply wattage at all.

 

[Alameda]

Ok, this sounds really nutty. So Apple is still providing a 20W charger with an iPad Pro M4 1Tb model? Am I just not reading correctly or is Apple kinda insane? Furthermore, the 20W brick is rather large, especially these days for a 20W. WTH Apple?

I was searching to see if Apple provides a more compact and higher voltage brick but doesn’t seem that they make it. So I guess this is both kind of a rant and wondering why Apple is including such a larger and underpowered brick which can’t fast charge the iPad Pro M4.

My other question is what brand and model of compact charger do you recommend for an iPad Pro M4 1Tb model?

A friend of mine has a very small charger (I think from Anker, but don’t recall) that is the size of the original small chargers that came with iPods (looks like a cube) and I think it provides up to 30w? I don’t recall.

I’m delighted to see that you’ve discovered something to complain about.

 

[msackey]

I'm not sure why the chosen storage capacity would be relevant to the included power supply wattage at all.

It’s a just in case it matters. After all, I only recently discovered that the 1 and 2 Tb models actually have double the RAM from the other storage options AND has additional cores. Who knew. I wouldn’t have known if I didn’t look more carefully. I would have thought the only difference between the 1Tb model and lower storage options is just the storage alone.

 

[msackey]

just like the SSD prices apples chargers are stuck somewhere between 2016-18.
If you want to fully use the potential of your iPad Pro you have to use optional equipment, same with the included cable, the max data transfer of the device is ~80 times faster than that of the provided USB 2.0 cable (40GBit/s vs 480 Mbit/s).

Ok, I didn’t know that is the case also for the cable, that Apple does not supply the cable that provides the fastest possible speed per the device. Seems kinda silly especially since the cost of these iPads are quite high.

I personally use the a2337 charger from Anker (The names of their products kinda lost their meaning a while ago).

Thanks!

 

[msackey]

My guess is they’ve got a pile of 20Ws hanging around, and once they sell all those off (and the economies of scale make it just as cheap) they’ll start replacing them with smaller GaN chargers like the 35W one you can get with the MacBook Air.

Some years ago, and I feel like this was before COVID, I thought similarly. I’d have imagined that Apple has exhausted their “original” supply of 20W chargers, but maybe it’s that they are not putting money just yet into re-designing new chargers with the GaN technology.

To me, it kinda does matter to have a compact charger for a very portable device such as a tablet, because at some point if one is going to be mobile with the tablet as it ages, you’ll need to travel with a charger. Yes, ideally you can just leave the charger at home or your hotel room, but not so for tablets that have aged some and other circumstances.

 

[brofkand]

The amount of storage included in the iPad doesn't have much to do with how much power the device needs to charge.

I don't think Apple has ever included a "fast charger" in the box with their products, no matter how expensive.

Frankly at this point one should be happy to get a charger at all. It's a matter of time before they're nixed, I'm sure.

 

[TechnoMonk]

I use my iPad Pro charger for fast charging my iPhone 13 PM. If I need quick charge, I just use the MBP power adapter, but rarely. Such a non-trivial thing to complain. lol. If iPad Pro is taking 30W, it’s pushing the limits of the processor. My MBP holds and charges slowly at 30 W. If I am blasting it and consumption is around 95 W, it wont hold the charge.

 

[msackey]

Such a non-trivial thing to complain. lol.

Either you’re being sarcastic or you meant “trivial” as opposed to “non-trivial”.

Either way, it is baffling, I think, that the charger is so large when smaller ones can be made even if just for 20W.

Sure it’s trivial, but so are many things. And Apple could do better. Or heck, why bother. Just throw in those 5W cube charger that Apple used to include for phones and call it a day. 5W can charge an iPad after all, as long as it’s asleep and in low power mode. 🤷🏻

 

[[AUT] Thomas]

I simultaneusly charge my Macbook Air and Steamdeck with the 35W Charger that came with the Air... 16W/device is perfectly fine even for a Macbook as the average power draw of these devices is in the ballpark of 5-8W. That leaves 10W to go to the battery. If you charge your iPad overnight (which should be sufficient for 99% of users) I strongly recommend against fast charging.

I can recommend the Anker PowerPort Atom III Slim if you want something slim... there isn't really anything more compact than that... and unlike the bricks actually fits into most Laptop/iPad Sleeves secondary pocket.

And yes, Apple chargers are a disappointment these days... One could expect they deliver slim chargers that double as docking-station with at least some USB ports.

 

[SnowPenguin]

Even the cheapest model with 128GB should include a faster charger, in my opinion.

 

[mansplains]

I'm not sure why the chosen storage capacity would be relevant to the included power supply wattage at all.

The amount of storage included in the iPad doesn't have much to do with how much power the device needs to charge.

I don't think Apple has ever included a "fast charger" in the box with their products, no matter how expensive.

The current MacBooks are outliers.

The MacBook Air (M2 and M3) offers a choice between three power adapters. Models with 512GB+ storage remove the $20 up-charge for the dual port and fast charging options. Now, technically speaking, the storage capacity is irrelevant to the wattage, but Apple does make a distinction in this case for a $20 difference.

The MacBook Pro 14"offers a choice between two power adapters, for most models. Some models include the fast charger option as standard.

Also, the iPhone 11 Pro/Max included an 18W fast charger. This was the only iPhone model to include a fast charging power adapter, well above the garbage 5W blocks of old, and then Apple stopped including adapters with iPhone 12.