When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn't affect our editorial independence.
Unlike the iPhone, Apple ships a USB-C power adapter with all its MacBooks: Air and Pro. Unless your laptop stays in the same place all of the time, having a spare or a specific travel MacBook charger is a useful addition. You can buy a second Apple charger or check out more versatile, cheaper and smaller MacBook chargers to suit your needs and budget. Portable Power Bank 10000mah For Iphone
It’s important to note that there are risks with buying a cheap charger and we don’t recommend you choose on price alone. That bargain MacBook charger might just fry your laptop or get dangerously hot. However, there are some great premium chargers from trusted brands that sell for less than Apple pricey chargers.
What you need is a Power Delivery (PD) charger that can connect to your MacBook via USB-C. PD chargers can support up to 240W of power, although the most common congregate around the standard laptop power requirements: 30W, 45W, 65W and 100W. All the USB-C chargers we have tested here are PD chargers. All the chargers tested here can also fast-charge an iPhone.
PD version 3.0 supports up to 100W. PD 3.1 can charge at 140W, which is what you need to fast-charge a 16-inch MacBook Pro. Note that the Thunderbolt/USB-C ports are all rated at PD 3.0—only the MagSafe port is PD 3.1 so you must use Apple’s USB-C to MagSafe 3 Cable, rather than a USB-C cable, to fast-charge the 140W 16-inch MacBook Pro. You can still power the laptop via USB-C or Thunderbolt cable but 100W is the maximum power via that method.
The amount of power a charger can give your MacBook is, safety aside, the most important feature to look for when choosing a laptop charger.
A laptop is designed to draw up to a certain amount of watts when running at full power; that is when you are stretching it by using lots of apps or pushing the graphics and video rendering functions—not when you’re just browsing the web. This level of max power is what the manufacturer considers when it decides on the wattage of the charger it includes with the laptop.
When the laptop is idle or doing mundane jobs, it will draw only a small amount of power from the charger.
Apple supports silicon fast charging on its latest MacBook models. When connected with the right charger and cable, you can charge a MacBook battery up to 50 per cent in 30 minutes. The M2 MacBook Air can be fast charged using a 65W or higher power adapter and either the MagSafe or a USB-C charging cable; see our M2 MacBook Air fast-charging tests.
On the 14-inch MacBook Pro, you can fast-charge with a 96W or higher USB-C charger and USB-C to MagSafe 3 Cable or USB-C charge cable.
On the 16-inch MacBook Pro, you can fast-charge only with an 140W USB-C Power Adapter paired with the USB-C to MagSafe 3 Cable because the Thunderbolt ports are still 100W PD 3.0. Several companies now make a power adapter that supports the latest PD 3.1 standard that supports power output to up to 240W; other USB chargers have a practical maximum of 100W.
It is fine to charge a laptop with a higher-wattage power adapter than it needs. It won’t charge it any quicker (unless you follow the fast-charge rules above), but rest assured that a premium charger such as the ones reviewed here won’t overcharge the MacBook battery and may have extra ports to change iPhones and other devices. If the charger has more wattage than it needs, it can use the spare power to charge other devices at the same time as the laptop.
Until the M2 MacBook Air arrived in July 2022, all Apple MacBook chargers had just one port. It makes sense, but more ports make even more sense as we all have more than one device that needs charging.
When you’re using your MacBook at full power, your charger might not have enough spare power for charging other devices unless you buy a charger with a higher wattage where the excess power can be channeled to your iPhone or AirPods at the same time as you power your laptop. Look for the total power output if you want to charge more than one device at the same time.
Apple’s silicon-based power adapters are mostly larger than third-party chargers that are built using Gallium nitride (GaN) technology. GaN is a material that produces less heat—and less heat means components can be closer together. This means GaN chargers can be smaller than previously possible.
Some of today’s GaN chargers are so small they can slip in your pocket, although you’ll still need to coil that USB-C cable somewhere too. Apple is late to the GaN party, but its recent GaN power adapters are certainly smaller than its older models.
Due to their ultra-safe, sturdy three-pin Type G plug, the U.K. models are usually wider than their U.S. Type A and B plug counterparts. Fewer feature handy folding plug pins (see above) that can be found on most U.S. wall chargers, but they are becoming more standard on non-Apple-made chargers.
Dimensions given in our reviews are for the U.S. models, which are also pictured for each product, but U.K. models are mostly also available.
We have tested and reviewed wall chargers that ship with interchangeable plugs for international travel, as well as wall chargers that double up as travel adapters with all the plugs you should need wherever you are in the world plus USB ports and a spare power socket.
If you need true portability away from a power socket, look for a laptop power bank. We tested a 25000mAh power bank that can fully recharge a 14-inch MacBook Pro.
Most of the PD chargers we review here are wall chargers that plug straight into the power socket. You could also consider a desktop charger, which differs from a straight-to-socket wall charger by connecting to power via a longer plugged cable, so offering greater range. This is sometimes a neater and more versatile desk solution, but isn’t as pocketable for travel as a wall charger that requires just the charger-to-device cable.
Another option is a power strip or extender. The best we’ve seen is from Ugreen. Its 100W 7-in-1 power strip features two 100W PD USB-C ports, one 22.5W USB-C and one 22.5W USB-A port, plus an extension plug socket on its top. Baseus has a more compact 100W PowerCombo strip with four USB ports. Both are reviewed below.
You need to connect the charger to your MacBook using a USB-C to USB-C charging cable or USB-C to MagSafe cable.
If your Mac has a MagSafe 3 port (MacBook Air introduced in 2022; 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro introduced in 2021), you can use Apple’s own USB-C to MagSafe 3 Cable (PD 3.1-supporting 240W maximum). As well as freeing up one of the MacBook’s Thunderbolt ports, this can protect from accidental cable pulls and is required for MacBook fast-charging on the 16in, but it is expensive at $49/£49 compared to a quality USB-C cable. Apple’s USB-C to USB-C charging cables (100W maximum) cost $19/£19 but you can find quality USB-C charging cables cheaper, for example from Ugreen (direct U.S. / Amazon.com / Amazon U.K.).
Few of the chargers reviewed here come with a USB-C cable. Of course, you can use the cable that shipped with your MacBook, but having a spare is always useful. We’ve rounded up the best USB-C and Thunderbolt cables.
Here are our reviews of our favorite MacBook chargers. Later, we give more specific tips on buying the right charger for your model of MacBook Air or MacBook Pro.
Dimensions: 1.38 x 1.49 x 1.62in (3.5 x 3.8 x 4.1cm)
Ports: 1x USB-C (45W PD)
This single-port 45W charger is a much better option for MacBook Air owners as we believe that the Apple-supplied 30W or 35W Power Adapters are a little underpowered for the laptop’s potential maximum needs. It is also tiny in comparison to the Apple-supplied charger (38% smaller in volume than Apple’s non-GaN 30W Power Adapter, and 20% smaller than the 35W charger), and significantly cheaper while being a safe, trusted brand.
Like the other Anker wall chargers, this model features foldable (U.S.) plug pins. The U.K. model is as great, although without the neat foldable plug pins.
Because the M2 Air can be fast-charged using a 65W or higher power adapter, the Anker 715 65W Charger (below) is a better option and only a few bucks more in price and fractions of an inch in size. Or you should consider a multiport 65W charger, such as the Ugreen Nexode 65W 3-Port Charger or the Anker 735 65W Charger—both of which are super-compact and will charge other devices at the same time as you are charging a laptop.
Dimensions: 1.65 x 1.42 x 1.74in (4.2 x 3.6 x 4.4cm)
Ports: 1x USB-C (65W PD 3.0)
Best for: MacBook Air; 13-inch MacBook Pro; 8-core 14-inch MacBook Pro
A single-port 65W charger is the most affordable fast-charger for MacBook Air owners. The Anker 715 is small in comparison to the Apple-supplied charger, especially with its foldable U.S. plug pins, and still cheaper but not as noticeably so as Anker’s 45W charger.
Owners of the 13-inch Pro and entry-level 14-inch Pro should consider this charger as the most affordable, premium compact alternative to Apple’s larger, more expensive 67W Power Adapter..
You can use it to fast-charge an M2 MacBook, but it won’t overcharge it and it will keep the battery topped up while you are working on your laptop. To fast-charge a 14in MacBook Pro, you’ll need a 96W or 100W charger.
Dimensions: 2.1 x 1.6 x 1.3 inches (5.5 x 4 x 3.2cm)
Ports: 2x USB-C (65W PD 3.0) and 1x USB-A (22.5W)
Best for: MacBook Air; 13-inch MacBook Pro; 8-core 14-inch MacBook Pro
Ugreen’s Nexode Pro 65W USB-C Wall Charger has three ports and is a great choice for a super-compact multiport 65W charger. The plug pins on the U.S. model fold in neatly to make it very pocketable for a three-port charger. Note that the pins on the U.K. version do not fold, so users from that country should consider the older but still great non-Pro Nexode 65W Charger that does have foldable U.K. plug pins or the Anker Prime 67W Charger reviewed below.
It really is a tiny wonder. The Anker Prime 67W Wall Charger is just as compact, and both make fine mid-sized MacBook chargers.
The two USB-C ports each support 65W, and the lower USB-A port can charge at up to 22.5W. Other same-time charging options include 45W for a laptop and 20W for a second device, or 45W plus 15W shared between the other two outputs. And you can fast-charge an M2 MacBook Air when using just one of the 65W ports.
While it’s perfectly suitable for the 14in MacBook Pro, a 100W power adapter can fast-charge that model using either a USB-C charging cable or Apple’s own MagSafe 3 cable.
Dimensions: 1.6 x 1.5 x 1.9in (4 x 3.8 x 5cm)
Ports: 2x USB-C (67W PD 3.0) and 1x USB-A (22.5W)
Best for: MacBook Air; 13-inch MacBook Pro; 8-core 14-inch MacBook Pro
It might be bigger and heavier than the 45W or 65W single-port Anker chargers, but this GaN charger offers you much more with its three ports. Each of the two USB-C ports can supply up to 67W, although obviously not at the same time as 67W is the total possible output. And the USB-A port supports up to 22.5W. It is the smallest multiport USB-C wall charger, and it weighs just 136g, an indistinguishable difference to the equally compact 130g Ugreen Nexode 65W 3-Port USB-C Wall Charger.
Both the U.S. and the U.K. models feature a foldable plug. The U.K. model is a little larger due to the Type-G 3-pin plug but it’s the smallest and lightest multiport 67W charger available in the U.K.
Each port will adapt to your charging requirements. You can charge a laptop at up to 65W using just one of the USB-C ports or charge the laptop at 45W and another device at 20W via the other USB-C port. Another option is to power a laptop at 40W via USB-C, and an iPhone or Apple Watch at up to 22.5W using the USB-A port. Using all three ports, the first USB-C port can power the laptop at 40W, the second an iPhone at 12W, and the USB-A port could power up your AirPods at 12W.
It’s a great choice for fast-charging an M2 MacBook Air or just as a multiport solution for the 13in and entry-level 14in MacBook Pro. As with the Ugreen Nexode, reviewed above, it will power the top-end 14-inch MacBook Pro, but a 100W charger can fast-charge that model.
$15 cheaper is the Anker 726 Nano II 65W Charger (U.S. model / U.K. model), which has two USB-C PD ports, and a foldable plug on its U.S. model. When using both ports at the same time, the bottom one will charge at 45W and the top at 20W. Aside from being a little cheaper, it also has a white color option, which is missing from the other Anker laptop chargers.
Dimensions: 1.3 x 2.56 x 2.56in (3.3 x 6.5 x 6.5cm)
Ports: 2x USB-C (65W PD 3.0), 1x USB-C (18W PD) and 1x USB-A (22.5W)
Best for: MacBook Air; 13-inch MacBook Pro; 8-core 14-inch MacBook Pro
This is the most ports (4) we’ve seen on a 65W USB-C PD wall charger, making it a versatile, multi-option power adapter for any MacBook Air or 13in Pro. It would also support the 8-core-CPU model 14-inch MacBook Pro.
It is noticeably larger than the three-port 65W chargers reviewed above, but is recommended if you need that extra charging port.
Two of the USB-C ports support 65W, and one is curiously low at 18W but that’s enough for most phones and mid-sized tablets. The USB-A port can Quick Charge and handle up to 22.5W.
Use one of the 65W PD ports to fast-charge an M2 Air, but to fast-charge a 14in Pro you’ll need to look for one of the 100W chargers reviewed here.
Dimensions: 1.7 × 1.5 × 2.4in (4.4 x 3.9 x 6cm)
Ports: 2x USB-C (100W PD 3.0) and 1x USB-A (22.5W)
Best for: 13-inch/14-inch/15-inch MacBook Pro
The Anker Prime 100W GaN Wall Charger might have one fewer port than the 4-port Ugreen 100W charger, reviewed below, but it’s notably lighter and smaller than the 4-port Ugreen charger.
Each of the two USB-C PD ports has a maximum of 100W so you can’t fast-charge a 16in MacBook Pro, although it will easily supply the required standard-speed charge.
The USB-A port can support up to 22.5W charging.
A similar option is the Anker 737 GaNPrime 120W Charger (U.S. model / U.K. model) pictured above, which has the same three ports but with a maximum 120W output, meaning it can charge two mid-sized MacBooks at the same time. It’s a little larger (1.25 x 1.7 x 3.14in) and minutely heavier than the Anker 100W charger as a consequence.
Dimensions: 1.3 x 2.72 x 2.72in (3.3 x 6.9 x 6.9cm)
Ports: 2x USB-C (100W PD 3.0), 1x USB-C (22.5W) and 1x USB-A (22.5W)
Best for: 13-inch/14-inch/15-inch MacBook Pro
Suitable for all MacBooks, the four-port Ugreen 100W wall charger, with a foldable U.S. plug, is an excellent choice of versatile power adapter. It may not be as pocketable as the mini chargers, but it is still very portable. It’s actually lighter than the company’s own 65W 4-port charger.
It has multiple charging options, such as 65W for laptop and 30W PD for light-laptop powering plus lower outputs for phones and other devices. Using three ports you could charge at 45W, 30W and 22.5W. Using all four, it can support laptop power delivery at 45W and 30W plus two devices each at 10.5W.
And it can fast-charge a 14in MacBook Pro using one of the 100W PD ports.
The U.K. model is a rounder, more barrel-shaped design—without foldable prongs—but otherwise the same charger.
Ugreen has a newer, much smaller 100W charger, the Nexode Pro 100W Charger (U.S. / U.K.), which has one fewer USB-C port. If three ports is all you need (and that might be true for many) then this is the better choice, but we like the fourth port option.
Dimensions: 6.49 x 4.9 x 4.2in (16.5 x 12.5 x 10.7cm)
Ports: 2x USB-C (100W PD 3.0), 1x USB-A (22.5W), 15W MagSafe charging pad
Best for: MacBook Air; 13-inch/14-inch MacBook Pro; iPhone 12/13/14/15
Moving away from the USB-C wall chargers for a moment, we are big fans of this compact desktop charger that, at 100W, is powerful enough to charge a 16-inch MacBook Pro and also offers an adjustable 15W MagSafe charging pad for iPhones 12/13/14/15.
It has three powerful ports—to USB-C and one USB-A—plus the fully certified and maximum wireless 15W MagSafe pad that you can angle and place the iPhone on in either landscape or portrait modes.
Using all four charging options you could power at 15W (iPhone), 45W MacBook via one of the USB-C ports, 25W with the other, and the remaining 10W via USB-A.
If you want to charge your iPhone faster than even top-speed 15W wireless vai the pad, you can fast-cable charge your phone using either of the USB-C ports.
As a desktop charger it comes with a 2m power lead to connect to your wall socket.
Dimensions: 1.18 x 2.64 x 2.64in (3 x 6.7 x 6.7cm)
Ports: 1x USB-C (100W PD 3.0)
Best for: MacBook Air; 13-inch/14-inch MacBook Pro
This is a simple one-port 100W USB-C charger that is smaller than Apple’s 16-inch MacBook Pro charger and much cheaper.
Note that Nekteck states that this charger does not support charging through Apple’s MagSafe cables, only USB-C, so that included 6.6ft (2m) USB-C cable comes in handy, and it’s not powerful enough to fast-charge a 16in MacBook Pro. It’s available in the U.S. only
Dimensions: 2.8 x 1.7 x 1.3in (7.1 x 4.3 x 3.3cm)
Ports: 1x USB-C (140W PD 3.1), 1x USB-C (100W PD 3.0), 1x USB-C (30W PD 3.0) and 1x USB-A (22.5W)
Best for: MacBook Air; 13-inch/14-inch/16-inch MacBook Pro
This is the first multiport PD 3.1 charger (with a 140W port) we tested and it is still noticeably smaller than Apple’s single-port charger. It is, however, slightly heavier than the Apple or Anker 140W chargers.
It can fast-charge Apple’s 16-inch MacBook Pro, using the top USB-C port as long as you connect to the laptop using Apple’s MagSafe 3 cable. It has another 100W port below, and a 22.5W USB-A port at the bottom.
There are many charging options: one-port using any of the above-mentioned ports, two 65W laptops simultaneously, or 65W+65W+30W charging at the same time—enough for a multi-MacBook charging session.
Remember that Apple still requires use of its proprietary MagSafe cable for fast-charging from the 140W port.
Dimensions: 1.1 x 3.78 x 2.95in (2.9 x 9.6 x 7.5cm)
Ports: 1x USB-C (140W PD 3.1)
Best for: MacBook Air; 13-inch/14-inch/16-inch MacBook Pro
Once the only game in town for ultimate 16in MacBook Pro fast-charging if you add Apple’s pricey $49/£49 USB-C to MagSafe 3 Cable, Apple’s 140W charger now faces competition from other third-party charger manufacturers.
The 16-inch MacBook Pro comes with both charger and MagSafe cable as standard but if you want to match this as a spare set of both will set you back a steep $148/£148.
It is one of the most up-to-date chargers, supporting PD 3.1, which is why it can fast-charge a 16in MacBook Pro.
The MagSafe cable is available in Silver, Space Gray, Midnight (blue) and Starlight (gold) but the charger itself is standard Apple White.
The U.S. model features foldable plug pins. Unlike the smaller Anker 717 140W Charger, it is available in multiple countries.
Dimensions: 1.22 x 2.66 x 2.31in (3.1 x 6.8 x 5.9cm)
Ports: 1x USB-C (140W PD 3.1)
Best for: MacBook Air; 13-inch/14-inch/16-inch MacBook Pro
While it has just one port like the Apple 140W Power Adapter, the Anker 717 is 40% smaller than Apple’s tall charger so makes it a much better choice if you travel with your laptop. It features foldable pins.
Again like the Apple charger, its USB-C port is PD 3.1 and so can fast-charge a 16-inch MacBook Pro (or any fast-charge-supporting MacBook for that matter) but only if you use the MagSafe rather than a USB-C cable.
It’s the same price as Apple’s charger and does also require the MagSafe cable to fast-charge the 16in Pro.
The Anker 717 is not available outside of North America.
Dimensions: 1.24 x 2.99 x 2.95in (3.1 x 7.6 x 7.5cm)
Ports: 1x USB-C (140W PD 3.1)
Best for: MacBook Air; 13-inch/14-inch/16-inch MacBook Pro
This USB PD 3.1 charger looks a lot like Apple’s own but is smaller and cheaper.
It also has just the one port, which is fine if you will use it with only one device, but a multi-port alternative, such as the Ugreen Nexode 140W Charger reviewed above, offers more flexibility.
Portable Small Power Bank 10000mAh Combined with Apple’s MagSafe cable, this will fast-charge the 16-inch MacBook Pro, and makes a great spare for that laptop if you are based in North America.