Ken Shirriff’s blog
Have you ever wondered what’s inside a Mac’s Magsafe connector? What controls the light? How does the Mac know what kind of charger it is? This article looks inside the Magsafe connector and answers those questions.
The Magsafe connector (introduced by Apple in 2006) is very convenient. It snaps on magnetically and disconnects if you pull on it. In addition it is symmetrical so you don’t need to worry about what side is up. A small LED on the connector changes color to indicate the charging status.
The picture below shows the newer Magsafe 2 connector, which is slimmer. Note how the pins are arranged symmetrically; this allows the connector to be plugged in with either side on top. The charger and computer communicate through the adapter sense pin (also called the charge control pin), which this article will explain in detail below. The two ground pins are slightly longer than the others so they make contact first when you plug in the connector (the same as USB).
The pins of a Magsafe 2 connector. The pins are arranged symmetrically, so the connector can be plugged in either way.
Magsafe connector teardown
I had a Magsafe cable that malfunctioned, burning the power pins as you can see in the photo below, so I figured I’d tear it down and see what’s inside. The connector below is an older Magsafe; notice the slightly different shape compared to the Magsafe 2 above. Also note that the middle adapter sense pin is much smaller than the pins, unlike the Magsafe 2.
Removing the outer plastic shell reveals a block of soft waxy plastic, maybe polyethylene, that helps diffuse the light from the LEDs and protects the circuit underneath.
Cutting through the soft plastic block reveals a circuit board, protected by a thin clear plastic coating. The charger wires are soldered onto the back of this board. Only two wires. power and ground. go to the charger unit. There is no data communication via the adapter sense pin with the charger unit itself.
Disassembling the connector shows the spring-loaded Pogo pins that form the physical connection to the Mac. The plastic pieces hold the pins in place. The block of metal on the left is not magnetized, but is attracted by the strong magnet in the Mac’s connector.
The circuit board inside the Magsafe connector is very small, as you can see below. In the middle are two LEDs, orange/red and green. Two identical LEDs are on the other side. The tiny chip on the left is a DS2413 1-Wire Dual Channel Addressable Switch. This chip has two functions. It switches the status LEDs on and off (that’s the dual channel switch part). It also provides the ID value to the Mac indicating the charger specifications and serial number.
The chip uses the 1-Wire protocol, which is a clever system for connecting low-speed devices through a single wire (plus ground). The 1-Wire system is convenient here since the Mac can communicate with the Magsafe through the single adapter sense pin.
Understanding the charger’s ID code
You can easily pull up the charger information on a Mac (Go to About this Mac, Info System Report Power), but much of the information is puzzling. The wattage and serial number make sense, but what about the ID, Revision, and Family? It turns out that these are part of the 1-Wire protocol used by the chip inside the connector.
Every chip in the 1-Wire family has a unique 64-bit ID that is individually laser-programmed into the chip. In the 1-Wire standard, the 64-bit ID consists of an 8-bit family code identifying the type of 1-Wire device, a 48-bit unique serial number, and an 8-bit non-cryptographic CRC checksum that verifies the ID number is correct. Companies (such as Apple) can customize the ID numbers: the top 12 bits of the serial number are used as a customer ID, the next 12 bits are data specified by the customer, and the remaining 24 bits are the serial number.
With this information, the Mac’s AC charger information now makes sense and the diagram below shows how the 64-bit ID maps onto the charger information. The ID field 100 is the customer ID indicating Apple. The wattage and revision are in the 12 bits of customer data (hex 3C is 60 decimal, indicating 60 watts). The Family code BA is the 1-Wire family code for the DS2413 chip. Thus, much of the AC charger information presented by the Mac is actually low-level information about the 1-Wire chip.
The 1-Wire chip inside a Magsafe connector has a 64-bit ID code. This ID maps directly onto the charger properties displayed under ‘About this Mac’.
There are a few complications as the diagram below shows. Later chargers use the family code 85 for some reason. This doesn’t indicate an 85 watt charger. It also doesn’t indicate the family of the 1-Wire device, so it may be an arbitrary number. For Magsafe 2 chargers, the customer ID is 7A1 for a 45 watt charger, 921 for a 60 watt charger, and AA1 for an 85 watt charger. It’s strange to use separate customer IDs for the different models. Even stranger, for an 85 watt charger the wattage field in the ID contains 60 (3C hex) not 85, even though 85 watts shows up on the info screen. The Revision is also dropped from the info screen for later chargers.
In a Magsafe 2 connector, the 64-bit ID maps onto the charger properties displayed under ‘About this Mac’. For some reason, the ‘Customer data’ gives a lower wattage.
Apple’s MagSafe on the iPhone 12 Pro. charging power measured once.
Yesterday came mine MagSafe charging puck on and I thought I would measure what is now phase. There have been so many rumors in the last few weeks that you have to use the special Apple power supply to get the maximum charging power or that you have to have a power supply with at least 20 watts. All half-knowledge that was thrown into the world and unsettled many iPhone users. It is clearly time to get a few facts on the table.
- Wireless charging is easy with the MagSafe Charger. The perfectly aligned magnets dock onto your iPhone.
- The MagSafe charger supports Qi wireless charging. So you can use it to charge your iPhone 8 or newer, as well as Airpods.
- Magnetic alignment only works on iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 12 and.
- 1 measurement setup: iPhone 12 Pro, MagSafe, USB multimeter and CoconutBattery
- 2 No MagSafe without USB Power Delivery
- 3 measurement results
- 4 Standby consumption of the MagSafe charging adapter
- 5 15 watt charging power. not for me.
- 6 Heating of the iPhone slows down the charging speed
- 7 Is the Apple Charger Critical? No!
- 8 MagSafe and sleeves. usually not a good combination
- 9 Counter test: MagSafe stores without a cover. what happens?
- 10 For comparison: Charge the iPhone 12 Pro with a USB-C cable
- 11 My conclusion on MagSafe charging performance
- 12 Similar posts
Measurement setup: iPhone 12 Pro, MagSafe, USB multimeter and CoconutBattery
I used the following devices for my measurements:
- iPhone 12 Pro (in ArtWizz NoCase)
- MageSafe charging adapter (here at Amazon)
- USB C multimeter (here at Amazon)
- Coconut battery (Mac software)
- Energy meter Voltcraft Energy Logger 4000 (here with Conrad)
The power supplies that I tried out were as follows:
- MacBook Pro power adapter (84 W)
- Anker PowerPort III Nano (here in the test / here at Amazon) and PowerPort I
- Aukey 65W Dual USB C power supply (here at Amazon)
No MagSafe without USB Power Delivery
One thing is definitely clear: if the power supply isn’t a USB Power Delivery the MageSafe charger does not work, because the required operating voltage of the Apple Puck is 9 volts instead of the 5 volts that are usually supplied at the USB A port.
However, I did not get my hands on a USB-C power supply that USB PD would not have supported. Even the old Anker PowerPort I power supply unit already works with this standard.
Measurement results
The results were quite interesting. On the one hand, the 15 watts of power that are always advertised are not practical values. In principle, however, this is the case for all information provided by all manufacturers. On the other hand, there are a few other exciting insights into the development of heat and the required power supplies, which you can read below.
Standby consumption of the MagSafe charging adapter
First, maybe a word about standby power consumption. Of course, this depends on the power supply, but most modern power supplies have virtually no measurable consumption without load. If you hang the MagSafe charging puck on such a power supply unit and have no iPhone connected, it consumes approx. 0,9 watts. This corresponds to around 2,30 euros in electricity costs per year.
15 watt charging power. not for me.
If I charge my iPhone 12 Pro (battery level below 50%) with the MagSafe adapter on the MacBook Pro power supply (enough power guaranteed), then the iPhone gets loud Coconut battery – only max. 10 watts on. I could only measure a higher value of approx. 12,5 watts for a short time. Even the power consumption that I have in parallel with a USB-C multimeter measured, was a maximum of 15 watts (for a few seconds). most of the time, however, rather 8 to 9 watts.
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Charging iPhone 13 Pro With MagSafe
Apple introduced MagSafe with iPhone 12 series, and the technology has undoubtedly transformed wireless charging. iPhone 13 Pro and others in the series equally come with this technology, and people buy many MagSafe wireless chargers for this purpose.
It typically takes 50 minutes to charge iPhone 13 Pro from 0 to 50%, as MagSafe delivers its peak power (about 15W) to the phone’s battery at this stage. However, as charging reaches 80%, the power delivery reduces, which elongates the charging time. Apple made it like that to preserve the iPhone’s battery life. With Rapid charging comes immense heat, which can quickly destroy the battery within a few months.
While iPhone 13 Pro comes built with MagSafe, users will have to buy the charger themselves, as it is not included in the box. Even for wired charging, Apple has also made it the buyers’ responsibility to get a PD adapter to use the USB-C to a lightning cord. And with the broad market, this non-inclusion of charging accessories has created, many people may be confused about where to buy the best product.
We have two recommendations for you if you are considering buying iPhone 13 wireless charger.
Recommended iPhone 13 Pro Charger
HaloLock 2-in-1 Wireless Charger with CryoBoost– 44.99(25% off with code: ESRBLOG)
- Fast charging due to CryoBoost
- Strong magnetic components
- Extra-long wire
- Adjustable view
- Stable stand
This ESR MagSafe charger is one product with several benefits. The stand helps to keep your iPhone 13 pro in the proper viewing position, while its CryoBoost cools your phone down using its cooling system. This cooling significantly affects your charging speed because it keeps the phone’s temperature in check.
The magnetic components are powerful to keep your iPhone firmly. One advantage of this ESR wireless charger is that it beats even Apple’s official charger in charging time because of its CryoBoost. It’s extra-long (1.5m) adapter cable also means you can stretch the setup to your most preferred location.
HaloLock Wireless Car Charger with CryoBoost– 34.49(25% off with code: ESRBLOG)
- 2 hours faster than other MagSafe chargers
- Heat dissipation
- The stable and adjustable vent clip
- Compatible with iPhone 12 and 13 models
Charging and navigating a rough road can be challenging but not so with this wireless car charger. The magnets are so powerful that once you connect your phone and fix the setup to your car’s dashboard, it remains firm without falling off. The vent mount is secure, and you can adjust the view to your best position.
The heat-dissipating technology in this MagSafe car charger indeed boosts its charging speed. It is at least 70 minutes ahead of most other MagSafe chargers, even the official one from Apple. With this product, using Google Map while on the move has just got easier because the magnets in the charger keep everything in place.
Conclusion
This article shows at least four factors determining how fast your mobile device charges. All of them are manageable, and you can enjoy your iPhone 13 Pro longer by taking precautions. Indeed, MagSafe charges iPhone 13 very fast, especially if you purchase chargers built with heat-dissipating technology.
ESR ensured that it dusts other competitors by including CryoBoost technology that helps dissipate heat and keeps the charging speed uninterrupted. Similarly, the two MagSafe wireless chargers recommended in this piece are among the best you can find on the market. Added to that are the.friendly that each carries.
Get yourself one of these and experience the fastest hands-free charging ever.
Do we like it?
Initially, I was skeptical. Whenever you see Apple talk about something magical and wondrous at one of their events, you have to take a lot of this stuff with a grain of salt until you get to use it. I have not been a fan of Apple’s wireless charging technology to date. It’s slow, especially compared to what Samsung and Google offer with their own Qi implementations, and it isn’t foolproof.
When using the various third-party charging pads.- as Apple did not have its own up until now.- it was always an alignment and placement issue; it took too much fiddling. I can’t tell you how many times I put the thing on the pad and hear the bloop and then come back an hour later, or even the following day, and it didn’t charge because the placement was off or it got bumped or whatever.
MagSafe does not have this inherent problem. The connection from the rare-earth magnet is solid. If the phone is sticking with the magnet, it’s charging, plain and simple. It’s a low-tech, keep it simple, stupid solution, which Apple needed to make after aborting that AirPower fiasco that would have never worked.
Can MagSafe replace Lightning or USB-C?
There are a bunch of technical things Apple needs to solve to replace Lightning with Magsafe. For starters, there are inherent power output limitations of MagSafe (15 watts). We don’t know what the actual upper limit is and what they have tested it with. The heat dissipation at higher wattage levels will always be a serious issue with wireless power induction. After all, a not so different technology is used on magnetic induction cooktops in kitchen applications.
If Apple wants the iPad and future M-series MacBooks to have this technology, MagSafe will need to transmit upward of 30W to 100W to replace the USB-C/Thunderbolt connector. I don’t see that happening soon.
There is also the issue of data transmission. Right now, the MagSafe connector appears to be strictly for power transmission. But suppose we lose the Lightning connector in future iPhones. In that case, there will need to be a way for those phones to talk to legacy devices like older Macs, for developers, and for stuff like CarPlay (my 2016 GM car uses a USB-A to Lightning cable to talk to the iPhone). Apple currently has recently been granted some patents that may make this a possibility in years to come, with new types of Smart magnetic connectors that we have not seen yet.
USB 2.0 has a 480 megabit per second (Mbps) maximum transfer rate. USB 3.0 is about ten times faster. Bluetooth alone can only do about 2 Mbps, so that is not fast enough to transfer video and other types of data. 802.11ax, Wi-Fi-6, has a maximum data rate of about 1.2 Gbps using a single transmit/single receive antenna configuration and approximately 2.4 Gbps with a dual/dual-antenna configuration. Current iPhone models are 4×4 configurations, so their upper limits are comparable to USB 3.0 and 4.0 providing they are communicating with a device that can also communicate that quickly.
Some of the newer cars can do CarPlay using a combination of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and it would seem that this would be the preferred way of doing CarPlay going forward.
There are some third-party products to adapt your USB ports in existing vehicles to do wireless CarPlay. Still, suppose we want to talk to older devices in an officially supported fashion besides using Wi-Fi directly. In that case, MagSafe will need to do data and emulate a Lightning connector. We will need some type of wireless USB-A/USB-C Apple adapter dongle that allows an AirPlay connection to work with legacy USB hosts or some host software that communicates over Wi-Fi with iOS.
While CarPlay is not the most demanding application using direct iPhone communication, others, such as bulk photo and video exports to Macs and PCs, and uploading developer firmware versions of iOS, require a high-speed connection. If Apple decides to only do data transmission with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, we’re going to have many angry end-users if that happens.
The official Apple MagSafe connector cable and the ridiculously overpriced Duo charger
The official Apple MagSafe cable is a metal disc attached to a USB-C cable, and you need to use it with a 20W USB-C charger adapter, minimum, to deliver the maximum 15W of power to the iPhone 12. If you own a 12 Mini, the max you will get is 12W. If you use an 18W charger, such as the extremely common Apple A1720, which shipped with the iPhone 11 Pro Max, and you kept it when you upgraded, or another member of your household uses it, this charger will only deliver 11W of power through MagSafe. The MHJA3AM/A 20W USB-C power adapter that ships with the 2020 iPad Pro looks nearly identical to the A1720, and you can only tell the difference if you look very closely at the tiny labeling by the plug.
The USB-C ports on a Mac and USB-C equipped PCs only deliver up to 15W of power, so the output to the iPhone through the MagSafe is going to be significantly degraded. It’s much more efficient to charge your phone using a USB-C to Lightning cable through your computer than using the MagSafe. Apple has a Support Document that details the power output of MagSafe when connected to various devices and chargers, and it is a bit confusing.
Apple’s new and ridiculously overpriced Duo Charger (which is 129 and doesn’t even come with a charging block) is a little screwy because it requires 15W of power minimum if you want to use both the Magsafe and the Watch charger at the same time, at a degraded charging speed.
To get full charging speed on the Duo.- 14W, not 15W on this device.- you need at least 20W of power output from a USB-C adapter. But according to Apple’s support document, the relatively common 29W MJ262LL/A OEM adapter will not work. So, you will want Apple’s 20W adapter, minimum, or a comparable third-party adapter with at least 20W of USB-C power output to use this one.
Suffice to say, you want at least 20W of power to get the 15W to the iPhone using MagSafe. So you lose 5W in the process. Magnetic induction charging is not very green or efficient, and that’s one of the disadvantages of using this technology.
Using the MagSafe cable and knockoffs
If you use the Apple MagSafe charger by itself and not a third-party product like the Belkin stands, I find that it is annoying and unwieldy to try to place the iPhone on it flat on a table, especially with a case. If you get one of these OEM cables as opposed to one of the other third-party solutions, such as the new Belkin 2-in-1 or the 3-in-1 or the aforementioned Duo charger, I would get one of the cheap MagSafe stands from Amazon, like the KOOPAO, which I bought for my home office. You snap the official MagSafe disc in it, and presto, you have a charger stand. The aluminum GIKERSY I also bought is nice and stylish, it resembles an Apple product, and it has improved cable management.
That said, I think Apple’s charging connectors and cables are usually overpriced compared to what the third parties do. However, other than the big partners like Belkin and OtterBox, which license Apple’s components to make their products, I would steer clear of third-party MagSafe-compatible products unless they are designed to accommodate the official Magsafe connector cable or have undergone thorough testing and reviews.
In the past, I have had issues with third-party Apple Watch cables, such as during OS upgrades, and with MagSafe, I don’t expect this to be any different. Don’t cheap out and buy third-party MagSafe connector cables until they are MFi-certified.- and right now, I don’t think Apple has rolled out a program like this yet like it had done for USB-C to Lightning cables. It took them over a year before seeing those, and I would expect a similar timeframe for MFi MagSafe cables.
Anker and RAVPower.- two companies that I feel to be very reputable with their cable and charging accessories.- currently have their own USB-C MagSafe discs. They are less expensive than Apple. Anker’s cable is 23.99, RAVPower’s is 34.99, and comes with a 20W GaN charger.
I recently acquired a sample from each. Do they work? Yes. Are they the same quality as Apple’s OEM MagSafe? Yes and No.
The build quality of Anker and RAVPower’s MagSafe cables and connector are top-notch.- in fact, in some ways, I like their design better because they are rubberized and won’t scratch the back of the phone when they attach, which I feel is a nice feature. However, they are not identical in dimension to Apple’s connector.- they are a few millimeters wider.
Presumably, this is because they do not contain rare-earth magnets such as neodymium, only conventional ferrite or alnico material magnets, which are considerably cheaper. Don’t get me wrong; they work just fine, they attach nice and strongly.- but forget using these in a MagSafe stand, as I mentioned above. Anker also has its own magnetic attached charging stand, the PowerWave. which seems to be an affordable option as an all-in-one solution that includes a conventional Qi pad for charging your Airpods or another phone.
Are you using MagSafe yet? Talk Back and Let Me Know.
How many Watts in a wireless charger?
The higher the power output of a charger is, the faster your device will be charged, right? Why buy a charger with a 10 Watt (W) output if the same charger is available in a 15W version?
Well, more power does not necessarily mean faster charging. In some cases it may even make more sense to choose a 10W wireless charger over a 15W version.
10W vs 15W wireless charger
When choosing a wireless charger, the output of the charger itself is not all you need to take into account. Which smartphone you have and how you intent to use the charger are also important aspects to consider.
It is often assumed that a 15W wireless charger is the fastest charger for any phone. It may not be. The charger automatically adjusts the power output to the maximum output that your phone can absorb, which is often lower, such as 10W or even 5W.
Fast charging
Fast charging results in shorter charging times. In order to use fast charging, you need a m obile device and a wireless charger that supports fast charge.
In almost every case 10 watt will suffice for the fastest wireless charge. This will for instance fast charge your Samsung Galaxy device at maximum capacity (9W being the current capped maximum). For iPhones up to the iPhone 11 series, the maximum wireless charging power is capped at 7,5 watt. For the iPhone 12 series and up this is increased to 15W for the official Apple MagSafe charger only.
All our wireless chargers support Apple Fast Charge and Samsung Fast Charge.
5 watt, 10 watt or 15 watt?
Generally, it is best to choose the charger with an output at least equal to what is supported by your device. However, when or where you plan on using the charger, may also play a role in what output is most efficient.
Will you place the charger on your nightstand and charge your phone during the night? Then your device will be placed on the charger for a couple of hours, so charging speed is not relevant. In this case a standard 5W charger will be more than enough to do the job.
How safe is wireless charging?
Qi sets the standard for safety when it comes to wireless chargers. The Qi certification is governed by the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC). The WPC is a group of leading companies that cooperate in continuously defining, maintaining and developing the Qi standard for wireless charging.
As a proud member of the WPC, we are offering wireless chargers with the latest technology and safety standards. With a Zens charger you can always safely charge your device, even at night.
How does wireless charging works?
You may have been using wireless charging for many years already if you possess an electrical toothbrush: you just put it on the holder and it starts charging.
The principle to charge your smartphone or smartwatch wirelessly is the same: just put your phone on a wireless charger or charging pad and it starts charging. Very convenient, no need to connect a cable first.
Find your wireless charger
How many watts you need mostly depends on what your phone or device can handle and when or how you want to use the charger. Do you want the fastest charger possible to fast charge your device? In most cases a 10W charger or 15W charger will suffice, as the maximum amount of Watts for fast charge is capped by smartphone manufacturers. For Apple Fast Charge this is 7,5W and for Samsung Fast Charge this is 9W. Make sure your phone actually support fast charge such as Apple Fast Charge or Samsung Fast Charge. If you want to charge your device at night, a 5W charger will also suffice.
Products using the Qi standard must be tested rigorously to help ensure safety, interoperability and energy efficiency. Only products that have passed these independent laboratory tests can use the Qi logo and are considered “Qi-certified”.
Yes. Zens is a proud member of the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) since 2011 and all ZENS wireless chargers are Qi-certified.
Find out if your smartphone is or can be made compatible with the Qi standard by viewing our list of all phones with wireless charging.
Wireless charging works by something which is called magnetic induction. In inductive charging systems, energy is transferred between coils by a magnetic field via inductive coupling. Read more on how wireless charging works.