Recharge the Apple Vision Pro twice as fast with a better power adapter

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AppleInsiderAppleInsider
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in Apple Vision Pro

The Apple Vision Pro battery could be recharged at a rate twice as fast as if you used the in-box charger, with it shown to be capable of drawing up to 65W using a different power source.

Apple Vision Pro battery
Apple Vision Pro battery



Buyers of the Apple Vision Pro will find a 30W charger included in the box with the headset, one that is used to recharge the accompanying battery pack. While it is enough for typical user charging needs, it appears that simply using a higher-powered charger will shorten the recharge time.

In an AppleInsider forum post by user "Ndornquast" late on launch day, the Apple Vision Pro's battery was tested using a combination of a 100W charger and a cable that has a built-in power meter display.

The photograph shows the battery with the end of the power meter plugged in, and a reading of 62W, though the poster adds that it was drawing up to 65W.

It's added that the Apple Vision Pro was being actively used at the same time that the battery was being used. While some of that 65W draw would go towards powering the Apple Vision Pro headset during use, the fact that all the power is going through the battery system demonstrates it is capable of recharging far beyond the included 30W charger's abilities.

The high power level is encouraging for owners who may be impatient in waiting for their Apple Vision Pro, but don't want to use it while tethered to a cable.

Apple doesn't specify what wattage the Apple Vision Pro can actively use, but does confirm that it can be used while the battery is recharged. Early reviews put the recharge rate at around 1.5 hours for up to 2.5 hours of usage time, though it is unclear if those reviews used the included charger.



Read on AppleInsider

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 14
    foregoneconclusionforegoneconclusion Posts: 2,952member
    Faster charging usually means shortening the overall life of the battery.
    danoxwilliamlondonwatto_cobrajony0
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  • Reply 2 of 14
    ndornquastndornquast Posts: 19member
    foregoneconclusion said:
    Faster charging usually means shortening the overall life of the battery.
    It certainly can.  Battery material closest to the anode reaches full charge first, the distance from anode reduces charge exponentially.  Thus, fast charging can "cook" the battery material closest to the anode.  Thus, almost all decent chargers today are smart.  You only charge at full rate until close to 50%, then charge rate drops off dramatically.  Thus you can reach 50% very quickly, 80% short time later.. 100% much later.   Apple's "optimized charging" now on iPhone and other devices are trickle charging over a long period (generally at night).  Some things, like your laptop, now stop charging at 80% unless you turn off this feature.


    appleinsideruserwatto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 1Informative
  • Reply 3 of 14
    cpsrocpsro Posts: 3,265member
    Fast charging? Don't do it. I've opted for a separate 20Ah battery to augment the VP's own battery via their USB-C ports. I've not used it yet, but it's only an extra pound and will eliminate the need for reboots or tethering to a wall charger to charge the VP's battery, while remaining fully portable.
    edited February 2024
    watto_cobra
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  • Reply 4 of 14
    danoxdanox Posts: 3,650member
    Fast charging batteries only ends in tears......
    watto_cobra
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  • Reply 5 of 14
    mikethemartianmikethemartian Posts: 1,598member
    Why are they including a charger? I thought that was bad for the environment.
    williamlondonwatto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 1Informative
  • Reply 6 of 14
    ciacia Posts: 274member
    This is exactly why I recharge everything overnight using the old Apple 5w USB chargers.  USB-A to USB-C for AVP and iPad, Lightning for iPhone.

    The only exception is my M1 Max MacBook Pro which I recharge using the 18w USB-C charger that came with my iPad.

    If I'm in a pinch I can always fast charge something using the 140w charger that came with the MBP.  Whatever I plug into that will soak up as much juice as the device is able to pull from it.  It's rare I need to go that route though.
    rcs1000appleinsideruserwatto_cobrajony0
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  • Reply 7 of 14
    ciacia Posts: 274member
    So on closer inspection of my Apple Vision Pro Battery Pack, you see that the pack can charge up at 20.3v@3.3A max = 66.99 Watts.  So there's your answer.  You also can see that the AVP can draw 13v*6A (78W).  I left my AVP "charging" all day on a 12 watt iPad brick (USB-A to USB-C cable) and came back to it with a lower charge then when I had first plugged it in.... So apparently 12w is not enough to even float charge it.  You need at least a 20w charger for it to juice up when not in use as that worked later in the afternoon.
    edited February 2024
    thtndornquastwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 8 of 14
    thttht Posts: 5,876member
    cia said:
    So on closer inspection of my Apple Vision Pro Battery Pack, you see that the pack can charge up at 20.3v@3.3A max = 66.99 Watts.  So there's your answer.  You also can see that the AVP can draw 13v*6A (78W).  I left my AVP "charging" all day on a 12 watt iPad brick (USB-A to USB-C cable) and came back to it with a lower charge then when I had first plugged it in.... So apparently 12w is not enough to even float charge it.  You need at least a 20w charger for it to juice up when not in use as that worked later in the afternoon.
    Did you try charging the battery while disconnected to the VP? A 5W to 10W should charge the battery without the VP connected. It would take 12 to 6 hours...
    ndornquastwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 9 of 14
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 8,199member
    danox said:
    Fast charging batteries only ends in tears......
    Not at all. I've been using (and totally abusing) fast charging since 2017 with no tears. 

    Stellar battery performance.

    If you're hardware is built for fast charging and you have good chemistry in your battery you needn't worry about the impact of fast charging. 

    Good design is a good charger, a quality cable with corresponding chipset and on phone hardware to complete the task and keep the phone cool and safe. 

    Some things are universal, like heat and cold not being optimum for performance and if you really want to mollycoddle your battery to squeeze the absolute maximum out of it, by all means switch on all the enhancement features in software, but from a user perspective, having to change habits due to battery considerations takes away from your experience. Far better to use your phone as you want to and fast charge when you need to.

    I use two chargers on my current phone. One at 40W and the other at 66W.

    Charging and battery tech is advancing at a rapid pace. 



    dewme
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  • Reply 10 of 14
    ndornquastndornquast Posts: 19member
    tht said:
    Did you try charging the battery while disconnected to the VP? A 5W to 10W should charge the battery without the VP connected. It would take 12 to 6 hours...

    Last night, after getting 20% battery warning while wearing AVP, I disconnected from the battery and charged battery only.  While charging battery only, meter showed 52W draw.  Some time later, maybe 30 minutes, I checked and was showing 26W charge rate.  Again, as I mentioned before, almost all LION chargers are "smart" and reduce charge current as they near capacity.


    dewmercs1000fastasleepwatto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 3Informatives
  • Reply 11 of 14
    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 9member
    Modern batteries - particularly quality one from companies like Apple - are not going to have any meaningful negative impact from being charged at 60W v 30W. If there was a meaningful negative, Apple would restrict the maximum charge rate to a much lower level.
    watto_cobra
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  • Reply 12 of 14
    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 9member
    cia said:
    This is exactly why I recharge everything overnight using the old Apple 5w USB chargers.  USB-A to USB-C for AVP and iPad, Lightning for iPhone.

    The only exception is my M1 Max MacBook Pro which I recharge using the 18w USB-C charger that came with my iPad.

    If I'm in a pinch I can always fast charge something using the 140w charger that came with the MBP.  Whatever I plug into that will soak up as much juice as the device is able to pull from it.  It's rare I need to go that route though.
    Bravo 
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 13 of 14
    danoxdanox Posts: 3,650member
    avon b7 said:
    danox said:
    Fast charging batteries only ends in tears......
    Not at all. I've been using (and totally abusing) fast charging since 2017 with no tears. 

    Stellar battery performance.

    If you're hardware is built for fast charging and you have good chemistry in your battery you needn't worry about the impact of fast charging. 

    Good design is a good charger, a quality cable with corresponding chipset and on phone hardware to complete the task and keep the phone cool and safe. 

    Some things are universal, like heat and cold not being optimum for performance and if you really want to mollycoddle your battery to squeeze the absolute maximum out of it, by all means switch on all the enhancement features in software, but from a user perspective, having to change habits due to battery considerations takes away from your experience. Far better to use your phone as you want to and fast charge when you need to.

    I use two chargers on my current phone. One at 40W and the other at 66W.

    Charging and battery tech is advancing at a rapid pace. 




    Apple can't win battery in pocket problem, battery on head problem, battery that charges slow for maximum battery life problem, a can't win.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 14 of 14
    Appleishappleish Posts: 747member
    Who cares. I will use the battery for short excursions in my home office. If I don't have access to AC power on a train or plane, and the battery runs out, then I move to my MBP or my iPhone.

    This. Is. Not. A. Walking. Or. Traveling. Around. Device.

    That comes later.

    Get over it.
    edited February 2024
    danoxwatto_cobra
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