Test showed that, compared to normal Qi wireless chargers, using Apple’s new MagSafe charger with previous-generation iPhones will result in super-slow charging. For instance, testing on the iPhone 11 Pro showed a charging rate as low as 0.96W against the 7.5W it was expected to draw.
The MagSafe charger released last week is Qi-compatible, Apple says, and thus ideal for older iPhones.
The MagSafe Charger maintains compatibility with Qi charging, so it can be used to wirelessly charge your iPhone 8 or later, as well as AirPods models with a wireless charging case, as you would with any Qi-certified charger.
When powered by a 20W power brick, the charger claims to produce 15W when charging the iPhone 12. The iPhone 11 only accepts 7.5W, so when connected to last year’s phones, that’s what you’d expect the MagSafe charger to deliver. There are several Qi wireless chargers from third parties that offer this, including some budget models.
However, when YouTuber Max Yuryev tested this on his Max Tech channel, he discovered that the MagSafe charger appeared to offer charging rates as low as 0.96W.
The same was true when he tested the new iPhone SE, which had a budget charger of 8.4W, a Mophie charger of 5.55W, and a MagSafe charger of just 1.83W.
He ensured that all the tests were done with Apple’s own 20W power adapter and that he was careful to match the charger with the positions of the charging coils, just in case there were any other variables affecting the results.
The findings, for two reasons, should be regarded with a certain amount of skepticism. First, instead of timing how long it took the charger to go from empty to full, Yuryev relied on an app to report the draw. Potentially, this would be a more accurate way to measure the charging capacity over a full cycle.
Second, for optimal alignment, only the iPhone 12 has the magnetic charging rings required. The findings obtained by Yuryev were very inconsistent, leaving alignment problems as one possible cause. It is entirely possible that MagSafe’s very small size makes alignment even more important compared to other charging pads. Nevertheless, if that is the case, then his findings will reflect real-life use.
To know for sure, we’ll have to wait for other checks, but if you were looking to buy a MagSafe charger for use with older iPhones, you may want to keep the fire for now.
You can see the video below.
