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iPad Pro USB ports in the car how to charge ?

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max2

macrumors 603
Original poster
May 31, 2015
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No USB c ports in car :(

I know I could get a USB to USB c adapter to use with the cord that comes with my iPad Pro but does that work well?

Should I instead get a USB to USB c cable for the iPad Pro ?

Which option is better?


Would either one effect the iPad Pro battery in any way ?
 
Last edited:
max2 said:
No USB c ports in car :(

I know I could get a USB to USB c adapter to use with the cord that comes with my iPad Pro but does that work well?

Should I instead get a USB to USB c cable for the iPad Pro ?

Which option is better?


Would either one effect the iPad Pro battery in any way ?
Click to expand...
Personally I’d get the cable, because you are plugging directly into the device and the charger, there is one less step to get disconnected by mistake or from a bump in the road.
 
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I'd get the car adapter for faster charging. I've seen reports of USB to USB-C cables only charging at 5-7W on the USB-C iPads.

Now if you're driving around all day with the iPad plugged in all the time, then cable is OK.
 
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max2 said:
No USB c ports in car :(

I know I could get a USB to USB c adapter to use with the cord that comes with my iPad Pro but does that work well?

Should I instead get a USB to USB c cable for the iPad Pro ?

Which option is better?


Would either one effect the iPad Pro battery in any way ?
Click to expand...
Assuming by "USB to USB c" you actually mean "USB-A to USB-C", then (in order of preference):
  1. High output "car charger" that fit the standard accessory outlet (nee "cigarette lighter outlet") with a USB-c port plus a USB-C to USB-C cable. This will be the most likely method of getting reasonably fast charging.
  2. A USB-A to USB-C cable that supports reasonable charging wattages. The car's USB-A ports won't likely be providing much wattage, though.
  3. A USB-A (male) to USB-C (female) adapter to adapt a USB-C cable plug to fit the car's USB-A port.
#1 will possible give the fastest charging and #3 will be the least reliable due to the extra connections being easily disturbed. #2 is the simplest "fix".
 
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rui no onna said:
I'd get the car adapter for faster charging. I've seen reports of USB to USB-C cables only charging at 5-7W on the USB-C iPads.

Now if you're driving around all day with the iPad plugged in all the time, then cable is OK.
Click to expand...
Bought two of these Anker chargers, one for both my wife and myself. Work great with all of our devices - iPads, iPhones, and Android phones.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0843SCLYH/
 
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dwig said:
Assuming by "USB to USB c" you actually mean "USB-A to USB-C", then (in order of preference):
  1. High output "car charger" that fit the standard accessory outlet (nee "cigarette lighter outlet") with a USB-c port plus a USB-C to USB-C cable. This will be the most likely method of getting reasonably fast charging.
  2. A USB-A to USB-C cable that supports reasonable charging wattages. The car's USB-A ports won't likely be providing much wattage, though.
  3. A USB-A (male) to USB-C (female) adapter to adapt a USB-C cable plug to fit the car's USB-A port.
#1 will possible give the fastest charging and #3 will be the least reliable due to the extra connections being easily disturbed. #2 is the simplest "fix".
Click to expand...

Problem with #2, it's not the cable but the iPad itself that doesn't support the 12W protocol via USB-A afaik. Granted, the car's built-in USB port is probably limited to 5W anyway.

At a charging rate of 5W, it'll probably take around 6-8 hours to fully charge the iPad.
 
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rui no onna said:
Problem with #2, it's not the cable but the iPad itself that doesn't support the 12W protocol via USB-A afaik. Granted, the car's built-in USB port is probably limited to 5W anyway.

At a charging rate of 5W, it'll probably take around 6-8 hours to fully charge the iPad.
Click to expand...
Quite true, but I don't like buying "limited" cables these days. Too many of my devices can benefit from full featured cables (high current charging, fast data, ...) and if I'm buying a cable, even for a low demand use, I don't want it to become trash later.

My minimum for new purchases is USB4/100w for USB-C to USB-C and USB 3.2gen2/65w for A-C cables.
 
Sadly we do not have a cigarette lighter outlet in our car I do not think.
 
max2 said:
Sadly we do not have a cigarette lighter outlet in our car I do not think.
Click to expand...

Check around the car. My wife's newer Honda has one but it on side of the center console, on the passenger side (so it's facing the legs of the front passenger). Less convenient but the Anker charger I linked to works great in it.
 
Mentioning what car make/model you have would help people give you suggestions. People may be able to tell you what power limitations the USB ports may have, where your power port is, etc. As far as I know most cars still have a power port somewhere.

For example my father's 2013 F150 had Sync that only supported I believe 5W charging on the USB-A ports inside the center console. So I bought him one of these and he used it when he needed a fast charge and wasn't using his phone for navigation/music.

www.amazon.com

Belkin 36-Watt Dual-USB Car Charger - Power Delivery 2 18W USB-C Ports with PPS Charging Apple iPhone 14, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max, iPhone 13, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max Samsung Galaxy, AirPods - USB-C Charger

Keep your devices powered on the go with the Belkin BOOSTCHARGE 36W Dual-Port PPS Car Charger. It boasts two 18W USB-C Ports, both of which support simultaneous fast charging for all PD-Enabled devices. This 36-watt charger is equipped with PPS technology, which allows for optimized charging with...
www.amazon.com
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
sparksd said:
Bought two of these Anker chargers, one for both my wife and myself. Work great with all of our devices - iPads, iPhones, and Android phones.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0843SCLYH/
Click to expand...
Agree with this post. I have the dual 40W USB-C model shown above and it works great to charge two devices on the go. I usually have one USB-C to Lightning for my iPhone and one USB-C to USB-C for my iPad Pro or any other device that needs it.
 
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I've run into a situation on a couple of cars where plugging in an iPhone through a built-in USB port connects the phone in this weird "media player" mode that goes straight into the stereo. You'd think this would be a good thing, but in my experience every time you start the car it automatically begins playing music -- and often something entirely random. I've had better results using a 12V cigarette lighter adapter and connecting the phone via bluetooth.
 
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