Apple’s Newest IPhone Charger: Pricey but Versatile
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When you’re looking for something to charge your iPhone, you might not think twice about the exact plug you’re using. It actually matters a lot, especially if you’re concerned about charging speed. But even knowing this, you might look at Apple’s newest power adapter and think, “$40? No cable ? No way.”
Sure, the price of a power adapter is quite high, especially considering you can find other options for literally half the price . But there’s something interesting about this particular charger. It may not cost $40, but there’s a reason it’s not cheap: it may be the only power adapter you need in your toolbox.
Dynamic output power
As the product description shows, the Apple power adapter is marketed as a 40W charger. However, it also claims to deliver up to 60W. This isn’t typically the case with power adapters, as the stated wattage corresponds to the actual output.
As Bridget Carey of CNET explains , this is made possible by clever engineering. The power adapter initially provides the maximum charging output your device can accept—up to 60W. For example, an iPhone doesn’t support 60W charging, but a MacBook does. So, this 40W power adapter can actually deliver 60W of power when connected to a device like a MacBook—at first. Because the power adapter isn’t a full 60W charger, it can’t maintain that power over time. Thus, it gradually reduces its power consumption.
In practice, this means you can get a 60W initial charge from a device that supports it, which will help you charge larger devices faster initially. Instead of carrying a power adapter for your iPhone and a more powerful one for your MacBook, or a huge power adapter for both devices, you get a compact power adapter that combines the benefits of both.
Apple chose 40W as the “standard” output for this power adapter for good reason. The new iPhone 17 series charges faster than all other iPhones to date , charging to 50% in just 20 minutes. (The exception is the iPhone 17 Air, which can charge to 50% in 30 minutes.) However, to achieve this charging speed, you’ll need a suitable power adapter—at least 40W. (Again, the iPhone 17 Air is an exception, as it can charge to 50% in 30 minutes at 20W or higher.)
That’s the advantage of this dynamic power adapter. It’s powerful enough to provide the fastest charging speeds for your iPhone 17 and also provides faster charging for things like a MacBook, at least temporarily. However, there are many power adapter options, including those with outputs up to 60W . Regardless of which power adapter you choose, consider two things: the maximum output of the adapter itself and your charging cable. If your cable can’t handle that much power, no matter how big the adapter is.