Apple's MagSafe Duo charger is supposed to be able to charge an iPhone 12 and an Apple Watch at the same time. But as has now become known, the accessory seems to be much slower than expected.
Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman took a look at the Apple online shop and made an interesting observation. Apple has updated the product description of the MagSafe Duo charger. According to this, it does not seem to reach the 15 watts that the basic MagSafe supports. The tricky part is that neither charger comes with a power adapter. Apple points out that a USB-C adapter with 20 watts or more is recommended for the MagSafe basic charger in order to deliver the maximum 15 watts of power supported by MagSafe. (The iPhone 12 mini can be charged with a maximum of 12 watts via MagSafe, while all other iPhone 12 models support 15 watts).
MagSafe Duo Charger: The currently most expensive 2-in-1 charger
Apple originally recommended using the MagSafe Duo charger with a 20-watt adapter. This raised the question of whether the accessory could also handle 15 watts of charging power. However, as it turns out, the answer is no! If it is operated with a 20-watt charger, it can achieve a charging power of 11 watts. However, if a 27-watt charger is used, the MagSafe Duo can achieve a maximum charging power of 14 watts. The recommendation is:
- 20W USB-C power adapter (sold separately) for faster wireless charging up to 11W
- 27W or higher USB-C power adapter (sold separately) for faster wireless charging up to 14W
MagSafe Duo Charger: Not the first choice
Thereupon expressed Mark Gurman tweeted:
Wow, Apple just updated the MagSafe Duo page. With the $129 charger, you only get 11 watts of charging with a 20 watt charger or 14 watts with a 27 watt power adapter. In comparison, with the MagSafe Solo charger, you get 15 watts.
To make things more interesting, Apple doesn't even sell a 27-watt charger. They sell a 30-watt charger, another $50. So all in all, this MagSafe Duo is a $180 charger. Probably the most expensive two-device charger on the market - and you don't even get a full 15 watts of charging power.
I was really looking forward to the MagSafe Duo but given the inferior charging speeds, likely inability to get good performance from existing chargers and the lack of a charger in the box, it's just not worth it. I'm looking forward to the Belkin 3-in-1 charger instead.
Based on the feedback from our community and other forums so far, it is safe to assume that the new accessory will not be the first choice. It is not yet known when it will be released. Apple simply states "Coming soon". AirPods Pro on special offer at Amazon – available now. (Image: Apple)
