You shouldn’t fix what isn’t broken, right? Well, in Apple’s case, the company significantly redesigned the MacBook Pro in 2016 with a Touch Bar, a thinner and lighter design, a new keyboard mechanism, and only USB-C ports. For what? There’s no right answer, but a few years ago, when the trash Mac Pro was announced, an Apple executive said the company would just keep innovating (or something like that). However, what was supposed to be a revolution in the case of the MacBook backfired. While Apple got back on track five years later, one of the biggest misses of this generation was the removal of the MagSafe charging port.
At that time, the company didn’t explain why, and its press release only mentioned that the all-new MacBook Pro was equipped with “ultra-fast SSDs and up to four Thunderbolt 3 ports.” This was the era of very thin Apple products that eventually started overheating and exhibiting several other problems. Fast forward to 2021, when Apple redesigned the MacBook Pro with the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips and, among the changes, the company brought back MagSafe, now in its third iteration, with everything users loved about the previous version, but with a few added benefits. At that time, the company was only acknowledging the return of this fan-favorite feature, without much mea culpa over previous faulty keyboards, the not-so-useful Touch Bar, lack of ports, and terrible thermals with disappointing chips.
Here are the benefits of MagSafe 3
José Adorno/BGR
When Apple revealed the MacBook Pro 2021, it added an all-new mini-LED display, an improved industrial design, the old and reliable scissor mechanism for the keyboard, new ports, Apple Silicon chips, and a revamped internal design to keep the laptop cooler, while also bringing back MagSafe. In its third generation, the company explained in a press release what makes this technology so good. “MagSafe returns to MacBook Pro with MagSafe 3, featuring an updated (braided) design and supporting more power into the system than ever before. MagSafe 3 makes connecting a charging cable quick and easy while protecting MacBook Pro.”
Apple also promised fast charging for the Mac, with the computer charging up to 50% in 30 minutes. Still, as a longtime MacBook Pro user, the biggest gain from MagSafe’s return is that every time I bump the MacBook’s cable, I know the laptop won’t fall over. Instead, the MagSafe cable will simply slide out of the computer, ensuring that I don’t break the cable or send the MacBook crashing to the ground because I forgot I was charging it.
Unfortunately, this happened to me with the latest 16-inch Intel MacBook Pro, causing me to quickly upgrade to the M1 Pro version right after it became available. Although MagSafe 3 only works with the newest compatible MacBooks, having an extra cable is more convenient and more secure than relying solely on USB-C, even though a USB-C cable can charge almost all of my Apple products.
When to use MagSafe or USB-C
José Adorno/BGR
While a regular braided USB-C cable can be very handy when traveling, when you’re in the office and in many other situations, the MagSafe 3 cable should always be your go-to option. This is especially true if you run into things often or have kids, pets, and lots of people around you. For example, as a journalist, I often find myself surrounded by cables during a press conference or press room.
Over the years, I’ve witnessed many accidents in which distracted journalists removed another person’s entire computer because they weren’t paying attention to the large number of cables surrounding them. Although most cases didn’t result in much damage, those of us with a MagSafe 3 cable didn’t need to worry. After all, every time the cable is pulled unexpectedly, it simply comes loose from the port and nothing else happens. With a USB-C cable, on the other hand, everything comes together.
That said, if you own one of the latest MacBooks, you should cherish the MagSafe 3 cable, as Apple’s replacement isn’t exactly cheap. While a regular USB-C cable is always welcome in an emergency or on a trip where you don’t have a lot of space, MagSafe is your best friend in preventing accidents and helping you take care of a very expensive computer.
