Fake MagSafe Accessories Might Be a Bargain, But Watch Out for Shortcomings

Apple accessories like watch bands and cases are often imitated by companies who want to make a quick buck fooling customers, and the new MagSafe charging line is no exception. There are dozens of fake ‌MagSafe‌ and ‌MagSafe‌ Duo chargers out there that consumers need to watch out for.


Over on our YouTube channel, MacRumors videographer Dan took a look at some fake ‌MagSafe‌ charging options that are floating around, comparing them to the real thing.

Apple's ‌MagSafe‌ chargers can charge an iPhone 12, 12 Pro, or 12 Pro Max at up to 15W, and the 12 mini at up to 12W. These charging speeds are limited to genuine Apple ‌MagSafe‌ accessories created by Apple and those that use certified ‌MagSafe‌ technology like Belkin. Any other charger, including the fake ‌MagSafe‌ Duo and fake ‌MagSafe‌ that we show off in the video, maxes out at right around 7.5W, so buying a fake charger might seem like a good idea to save some money, but you're not going to get ‌MagSafe‌ speeds.

This also goes for all of the "magnetic" charging accessories that third-party companies are introducing for the ‌iPhone‌ 12 lineup. These magnetic accessories are able to use the magnets in the ‌iPhone‌ 12 models to attach to the back of an ‌iPhone‌ quickly, but charging speeds on anything not officially ‌MagSafe‌ is limited to 7.5W so far.

There's nothing wrong with these third-party magnetic charging accessories so long as you're aware of the charging limitations, which companies don't always make clear. Magnetic accessories are basically identical to Qi-based chargers and the magnetic connection is handy, so if you don't mind slower charging speeds, you can save some money not going with ‌MagSafe‌.

What you'll want to avoid is anything that's modeled directly after a ‌MagSafe‌ charger from Apple and anything that actively uses the ‌MagSafe‌ name that's not certified, as these are fake, not going to charge at the proper ‌MagSafe‌ speeds, and could be unsafe. Make sure to watch our video to see these fakes in action, and keep an eye out for them when making a purchase so you don't get hoodwinked with slow charging speeds.

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Top Rated Comments

nutmac Avatar
56 months ago
Here in the US, I mainly buy Apple stuff from 3 retailers: Apple, Best Buy, and B&H. Way too many fakes at Amazon.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ColdShadow Avatar
56 months ago
The only useful Magsafe was the Macbook charger cable that Apple removed.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
locovaca Avatar
56 months ago
Speaking of, why can nobody make a magnetic lightning connector worth a crap? Apple, this is such an unrealized market. People love Magsafe. I want the convenience of magnetic charging cables without the heat from an inductive charger.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jony Ive and Co. Avatar
56 months ago
In Dan's video at 6:40, YOU ARE SHAKING IT WRONG, DAN ?‍♂️?‍♂️?‍♂️!!!!!!!!!!!
You are supposed to hold and shake THE MAGSAFE MOUNT to see if the iPhone falls off, NOT hold and shake the iPhone to see if the mount falls off because that's not how you would use it in a car in real life.

Anyone who hasnt watched the video must watch that 6:40 part, it's simply hilarious.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lk400 Avatar
56 months ago
BREAKING NEWS: This just in - knock offs may be cheaper but not as good as the original. More to come…
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Deliro Avatar
56 months ago

I’m looking to buy the official MagSafe charger for my phone to get the 15w charging speed. But if I remember correctly, is a specific power adapter needed? I thought I remember an article here stating that even if a power adapter is well above the 15w, it may not be compatible, and drop down to slower speeds.
I watched videos of performance of various charging bricks and their speeds with the MagSafe. Yeah I get real bored sometimes. The consensus was the Apple 20w brick performed best. I bought it, and am very happy with the speeds especially after using a 5W for so long on my phone.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)