[edge.it]

I got a new Macbook Pro but have some chargers from the latest macbooks. Wondering if they are OK to use with the most recent REV. of MBP. I left my charger that came with the new macbook @ work, the models below are the ones i am asking about.


60W MagSafe Power Adapter
Model - A1184
Input AC 100-240V ~ 50-60Hz 1.5A
Output 16.5V 3.65A


Apple 85W Portable Power Adapter
Model - A1172
Input AC 100-240V ~ 50-60Hz 1.5A
Output 18.5V 4.6A 16.5V 3.6A

[ghporter]

I believe all MagSafe chargers should work with all MagSafe notebooks. The difference is how fast they will charge the battery and how much they will charge a computer that's in use. Using a 60W charger on an MBP will charge it slowly, and will charge an MBP that's in use very slowly (if at all-depending on what you're doing).

[MickeyZ]

Is that really true that all MagSafe chargers work with all MagSafe MBPs? I have 2006 CoreDuo MBP and the charger just broke, so I was thinking about buying a new one (latest version) in the AppleStore. But I found the following reviews on the page for Apple 85W MagSafe Power Adapter:

"Own Early 2008 MBP and Late 2009 MBP. Works on the unibody, does not on my early 2008. The port on the new MacBooks are smaller and more shallow, this charger reflects this change and will not make contact with older ports found on non-unibody. Buyer beware, save yourself the hassle and find an 'I" MagSafe charger if you have a non-unibody."

And another one:

"So I bought this new charger and was excited because it looked sturdier than the last one ( the wires on my old charger were all frayed). After two days the charger stopped working. I went back to the apple store exchanged it and got another new charger. It also stopped working after two days. After searching around on the internet and seeing that many others are having this problem I found the only way to get my charger to work is to take the battery out press the reset button and restart my computer. I have to do this everytime to get my charger to work =( Please fix this apple!!!"

Reading this I think I'm gonna look for the older model of the charger, the same one that I got with my MBP. Has anyone here had a good experience using the latest MagSafe power adapter with the pre-unibody MBP?

[ibook_steve]

Those two reviews make no sense. Magsafe is magsafe. The connector hasn't changed in 4 years. So that first review can't be right. Why would Apple force people to look for and buy older adapters?

As for the second review, that sounds more like a problem with that person's battery than with their charger.

Just get a new charger. The cord and connectors are much sturdier than before. It will work fine.

Steve

[AKcrab]

There is indeed problems with the "new style" adapter versus the "old style". If your laptop came with the "new style" adapter ANY adapter (matching wattage) will work. If your laptop came with an "old style" adapter, the "new style" may or may not work with your machine.

This situation is causing us great grief in our shop. Adapters that work FINE with new unibodies are coming back because they won't work with older machines.

Does it make any sense? Nope. There is no official word from Apple on what's going on.

Old Style:


New Style:

[ghporter]

What is it about the "new style" connector that causes problems? Or is this one of those "we don't know why" issues?

[MickeyZ]

ACcrab, do you work in Apple Store? I went to 2 Apple Stores today and in each one they were trying to sell me the new adapter even though I explained to them that people are having problems charging the pre-unibody MBP with new adapters. They were saying there should be no problem using new adapter with older MBP. Of course, they didn't have the old style adapter in stock and said that Apple doesn't carry them any more.

[AKcrab]

It's a "we don't know why" issue. At one point I had given some serial numbers of adapter/machine combos that were and were not working, but as it went "up the chain" the message was lost and the response I got back from Apple a week later was basically nonsensical.

The old adapters are indeed hard to find, they no longer come in a retail box. We order them in bulk from Apple as service replacement parts and sell them without packaging.

Our staff has been instructed to only sell the new style to a customer if their computer originally shipped with the new style adapter.

I work at an Apple Specialist (Apple Reseller) shop, not an actual Apple Store.

[Doc HM]

I've never seen any difference in effectiveness between the old and new style charges. I have sent out many white MacBooks with new style chargers and not had a single issue. I also happy to slap old style chargers onto unibody machines in the workshop while testing.

I don't like attaching 60w chargers to MBP's though. The 60w charger can run but not charge a MBP effectively. You can use the 85w charger on either.

[AKcrab]

You've been lucky, then. This issue is occurring for us in three separate stores. Like I said, the old style adapters work with everything, the only problem is with the new style. Some older machines work fine with the new adapters.

Keep in mind that there was one revision of the MacBook Pro 15" that shipped with a 60w. It was the one that didn't have dedicated graphics.

I just want people to be aware.. If you buy a new adapter and it doesn't work, don't assume something else is wrong with your computer until you can try an old style charger.

[jfryk]

Hey folks,

I researched the "Old"/"T-Style" power adapter question a while back. Got escalated to MBP Engineers at Apple, who told me that no combination of laptops with 60w or 85w adapters will cause damage to a laptop. A computer that comes with an 85w adapter will take longer to charge on 60w (or may not charge it at all), but the computer won't get damaged. Full string is on the Mac-Mgrs.org Archive (Mailing list message). This confirms @ghporter's comment above.

I just got off the phone w/ AppleCare escalation, and described the issue with the "New"/"L-Style" adapters not charging the old computers. Our observed behavior is that older computers will recognize the L-Style adapter after an SMU reset, but will revert to problem behavior after connecting to a T-Style adapter.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by jfryk 

I just got off the phone w/ AppleCare escalation, and described the issue with the "New"/"L-Style" adapters not charging the old computers. Our observed behavior is that older computers will recognize the L-Style adapter after an SMU reset, but will revert to problem behavior after connecting to a T-Style adapter.

Interesting. This at least points to the cuplrit. Apple has some work to do to fix the SMU. Can the SMU be fixed with a software update ?

-t

[tooki]

FWIW, just to provide a data point: I use both an old-style and a new-style adapter on my early-2008-version MacBook, both work absolutely fine.

[MickeyZ]

Originally Posted by jfryk 

I just got off the phone w/ AppleCare escalation, and described the issue with the "New"/"L-Style" adapters not charging the old computers. Our observed behavior is that older computers will recognize the L-Style adapter after an SMU reset, but will revert to problem behavior after connecting to a T-Style adapter.

According to this statement once you reset the SMU and start using ONLY the new (L-style) adapter it should work and charge the older MBP without problems and without the need to keep resetting the SMU. Is this the way it works for you jfryk?

[Abdalhamid]

I had the exact same problem, older macbook pro using a new L-shape connector. I originally got it for my wife's white macbook, but it did not work at all. So I tried it on my mbp and it worked fine, for about 2 weeks.

Then it just suddenly stopped working, right in the middle of a business trip oveerseas. Boring! Anyway, I searched, and finally found this thread... and followed the instructions and reset the SMU...and IT WORKS!!!

Thanks so much!!! I was so pleased I thought i had better join and add my comment and thanks. Nice job!!

[Doc HM]

Interesting resolution. While I have still yet to find a case of any MacBook not working on either charger I'll certainly be keeping an eye out for this.I had forgotten about the 60w charger on the low end MBP though.

[Spheric Harlot]

It WAS a problem, and Apple has now released a firmware update to fix 2007/2008 MacBook/Pro models not working properly with newer MagSafe adapters.

MacBook SMC Firmware Update 1.4

This firmware update addresses an issue with certain MacBook and MacBook Pro models from 2007-2008 that prevents them from charging with new power adapters.

[AKcrab]

Vindication!!

I spent 30 minutes on a chat with two flavors of  people yesterday to get an L shaped replaced with a T shaped. I wish they would have just said "how about you wait one more day"...

[tooki]

Given how Apple works, I'm about 100,000% sure the tech support people didn't find out about the update until a few hours after it appeared in Software Update.

[AKcrab]

There is STILL no "official" announcement on GSX news.