Apple readying 96W USB-C power adapter for 16-inch MacBook Pro

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited June 2020
A reliable source is saying that Apple is on the cusp of releasing a 96W power adapter, and since no currently shipping Apple product needs that much power, it is likely for the rumored 16-inch MacBook Pro.




As pointed out in a Tweet by ChargerLab, Chongdiantou was tipped to the presence of the adapter on Friday morning. The venue says that the adapter is model number A2166, and is about the same size as the 87W adapter used for the 15-inch MacBook Pro.

The provenance of the image, and the product it is designed for, cannot be confirmed. However, Chongdiantou has published multiple pictures and accurate diagrams of Apple's charging gear before, most recently the company's 18W USB-C power adapter.

While not confirmation, this is not the first time that we've heard the 96W figure. Apple's Pro Display XDR is capable of 96W through the Thunderbolt 3 ports for a host computer. Obviously, that's not needed on the Mac Pro, but would be for a portable device attached to the display.

Apple 96W charger (A2166) leaked, same size as the 87W charger. pic.twitter.com/DNcbABODX5

-- ChargerLAB (@chargerlab)


At present, Apple isn't saying if the 15-inch MacBook Pro lines currently shipping will drive the Pro Display XDR at maximum resolution and bit-depth.

Production of the 16-inch MacBook Pro has reportedly already begun. Rumors suggest the laptop was designed by Apple's pro product team, the same group that worked on the upcoming Mac Pro. If true, the Pro could benefit from custom hardware specifically designed to handle professional applications.

Rumors also suggest that the 16-inch MacBook Pro will be powered by an refresh of Intel's Coffee Lake-H mobile processor series. Apple currently relies on Coffee Lake-H silicon to power its 15-inch MacBook Pro lineup.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 12
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,913member
    Hope to see WiFi 6 replaces WiFi 5 in 16" Mackbook Pro. Moreover, when 10nm Intel chips coming to Mackbook Air/Pro or Apple ARM is the answer.
    edited October 2019 jdiamondwatto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 12
    jdiamondjdiamond Posts: 125member
    Might have to wait until year 2 for the scissors keyboard, but it's worth the wait. :)

  • Reply 3 of 12
    tenthousandthingstenthousandthings Posts: 1,037member
    This makes me happy.

    Also thanks for making it clear that Apple has not said whether the current MBP can drive the XDR display at full resolution and depth. 
    caladanianwatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 12
    hmlongcohmlongco Posts: 537member
    Damn. Pretty much means that no current docking station or monitor will be able to provide sufficient power to run the computer on a single cable.
  • Reply 5 of 12
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    This s could be a universal solution for all laptops.   There isn’t a lot of advantage in power supplies sized for individual machines.  Apple could save huge buck with a supply that handles most of the laptop line.  

    On the flip side you m hoping Apple seriously addresses the thermal throttling issue because 96 watts is a lot of power in a laptop.    Of course this large adapter could be to supply the power budget for more ports.   Shocking as it may seem this pro might have 4 USB-C ports.  
  • Reply 6 of 12
    thttht Posts: 5,447member
    wizard69 said:
    This s could be a universal solution for all laptops.   There isn’t a lot of advantage in power supplies sized for individual machines.  Apple could save huge buck with a supply that handles most of the laptop line.  

    On the flip side you m hoping Apple seriously addresses the thermal throttling issue because 96 watts is a lot of power in a laptop.    Of course this large adapter could be to supply the power budget for more ports.   Shocking as it may seem this pro might have 4 USB-C ports.  
    Hmm, math must be done regarding your statement of having a universal laptop charger. It would seem to me that Apple is much better off with sizing the power adaptor to the absolute minimum for each device, and charging accordingly for each individual sized power adaptor. Apple won’t be losing any money with this 96W charger as it will likely be more expensive than the current 87W one.

    There isnt any thermal throttling on Apple’s laptops. The chips are working as advertised by Intel.
    fastasleepwatto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 12
    tenthousandthingstenthousandthings Posts: 1,037member
    hmlongco said:
    Damn. Pretty much means that no current docking station or monitor will be able to provide sufficient power to run the computer on a single cable.
    The new LG UltraFine 5K, from the Apple site: "Up to 94W over Thunderbolt 3 or USB-C for host power and charging"

    https://www.lg.com/us/monitors/lg-27md5kl-b

    The above LG page also confirms 94W. You have to look for the 27MD5KL-B part number -- I found the part number on the Apple site, then searched for it on the LG site. If you just go looking for the UltraFine 5K without knowing this, you'll find the 27MD5KA-B page, which says it goes up to “85W” (also notice this is 2W below the Apple 87W power adapter spec, just like 94W versus 96W) for charging :

    https://www.lg.com/us/monitors/lg-27MD5KA-B-5k-uhd-led-monitor

    Not sure what this means, but it certainly looks like they've increased the charging power in the L model, which they specifically market as being for "macOS compatibility." That would suggest Apple required it for sale on their site, in anticipation of this new, upcoming MBP.

    NOTE to Mike W. et al. ... If this is true and LG is selling a special version of the UltraFine 5K on the Apple site that is buried on the LG site, this would be useful information to make more widely known. 
    edited October 2019 caladanianroundaboutnowwatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 12
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    I'm super excited about this, but I may not jump on it if the keyboard has been dramatically changed. Man do I miss the feel of my 2013 MBP keyboard.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 12
    cpsrocpsro Posts: 3,198member
    Well, the current 15" MBP could use that much power but won't. Here's hoping the new Mac portable doesn't throttle applications that bang on memory in a random access pattern instead of sequential. (Yup, the MBP still throttles, just not with the popular benchmarks people have used to test this, because they don't test random access.)
    edited October 2019
  • Reply 10 of 12
    philboogiephilboogie Posts: 7,675member
    I never gave it much thought, but this piece on a breakdown of an Apple power adapter, switching power supply , is a must-read:

    "Macbook charger teardown: The surprising complexity inside Apple's power adapter"

    http:// www.righto .com/2015/11/macbook-charger-teardown-surprising.html

    [quote}:

    Apple's involvement with switching power supplies goes back to 1977 when Apple's chief engineer Rod Holt designed a switching power supply for the Apple II. According to Steve Jobs:

    "That switching power supply was as revolutionary as the Apple II logic board was. Rod doesn't get a lot of credit for this in the history books but he should. Every computer now uses switching power supplies, and they all rip off Rod Holt's design."
    tenthousandthingschia
  • Reply 11 of 12
    nadrielnadriel Posts: 92member
    Reading philboogie said:
    I never gave it much thought, but this piece on a breakdown of an Apple power adapter, switching power supply , is a must-read:

    "Macbook charger teardown: The surprising complexity inside Apple's power adapter"

    http:// www.righto .com/2015/11/macbook-charger-teardown-surprising.html

    [quote}:

    Apple's involvement with switching power supplies goes back to 1977 when Apple's chief engineer Rod Holt designed a switching power supply for the Apple II. According to Steve Jobs:

    "That switching power supply was as revolutionary as the Apple II logic board was. Rod doesn't get a lot of credit for this in the history books but he should. Every computer now uses switching power supplies, and they all rip off Rod Holt's design."
    And just after that quote article continues:
    ” This is a fantastic quote, but unfortunately it is entirely false. The switching power supply revolution happened before Apple came along, Apple's design was similar to earlier power supplies[4] and other computers don't use Rod Holt's design. Nevertheless, Apple has extensively used switching power supplies and pushes the limits of charger design with their compact, stylish and advanced chargers.”

    But again, this reminded me about that it’s not only greed that costs with Apple products. Thanks for the link, interesting read!
    edited October 2019 muthuk_vanalingamphilboogiechia
  • Reply 12 of 12
    MplsPMplsP Posts: 3,931member
    philboogie said:
    I never gave it much thought, but this piece on a breakdown of an Apple power adapter, switching power supply , is a must-read:

    "Macbook charger teardown: The surprising complexity inside Apple's power adapter"

    http:// www.righto .com/2015/11/macbook-charger-teardown-surprising.html

    [quote}:

    Apple's involvement with switching power supplies goes back to 1977 when Apple's chief engineer Rod Holt designed a switching power supply for the Apple II. According to Steve Jobs:

    "That switching power supply was as revolutionary as the Apple II logic board was. Rod doesn't get a lot of credit for this in the history books but he should. Every computer now uses switching power supplies, and they all rip off Rod Holt's design."
    Except the article goes on to say that the quote you mentioned was false
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