The charger that comes with your Apple device, or in the case of iPhones, the charger that Apple recommends, usually doesn’t provide the fastest charging speed. It might be worth spending a little more money to buy a more powerful charger.
On the contrary, every Apple device has its own maximum charging speed, and purchasing a charger that exceeds this is just a waste of money…
Most new Apple devices come with a charging brick, but the iPhone is an exception. However, in most cases, the included charger is not the best one for your device. Apple typically saves money by providing charging bricks with significantly lower power output than the maximum charging speed supported by the device itself.
For example, the M4 13-inch iPad Pro comes with a 20-watt charger, but the iPad supports up to 35-watt charging. Switching to a more powerful charger can literally double your charging speed.
Rands in Repose has compiled all the information you need to buy the best charger for each Apple device. The comprehensive table contains the following information:
- Charger power provided by Apple
- Maximum power that the device will accept
- 0-50% charging time with included charger
- 0-50% charging time for optimal chargers
- Charging time increase rate
There are a few things to note here.
First, the reason the table focuses on 0-50% charging is because this is where the device accepts the fastest charging. From 50% to 80%. Even with the most powerful charger, charging speeds will be slow. Apple devices are set to trickle charge from 80% to 100% to protect the battery.
Second, some argue that using a more powerful charger puts more stress on the battery, reducing its lifespan. This is rarely the case these days, as Apple’s built-in battery management features adjust power consumption to match the battery.
Peak charging only occurs for about the first 15 minutes. Specifically, Apple devices measure battery temperature and reduce power consumption to below the temperature under load. Rand also notes a number of other concerns in the fine print.
One interesting thing here is that with the latest Apple Watch, the cable is more important than the power adapter.
Apple Watch Series 11, Ultra 2: Fast charges to 80% in 30-45 minutes, but only Use the Apple USB-C magnetic fast charging cable and any USB-PD adapter (5W+). Wrong cable? Approximately twice as slow.
Finally, the maximum power consumption of the AirPods case is so low that a charging brick is completely pointless.
Image: 9to5Mac collage of Apple and Yuri Kovalev images on Unsplash
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