14-inch MacBook Pro Can Fast Charge Via Thunderbolt, But Fast Charge Limited to MagSafe in 16-inch Model

With the debut of the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, Apple has brought a fast charge capability to the Mac for the first time, allowing users to charge the laptop battery up to 50% in just 30 minutes.

macbook pro magsafe 3 charging
But there's a difference between models with this feature that Apple didn't really mention. While both models can be charged over Thunderbolt or MagSafe, only the 14-inch MacBook Pro can fast charge over the USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports as well as ‌MagSafe‌.

By contrast, the 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ is limited to fast charging over the ‌MagSafe‌ port. The reason is likely down to the fact that the Thunderbolt 4 ports are capable of charging at a maximum of 100W, and the 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ uses a 140W power adapter, so the same fast charging speed can't be claimed. Meanwhile, the 14-inch model uses a 67W power adapter for the 8-core machine and a 96W power adapter for the 10-core machine, so it doesn't reach the maximum TB4 power delivery.

This limitation on the 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ is unlikely to be a big deal for most users, as the ‌MagSafe‌ 3 port is made exclusively for charging and won't be engaged for any other reason. That said, this difference between the two seems worth highlighting given the various cable/dock setups prospective owners could be envisioning for their workflow.

The new ‌MacBook Pro‌ models can be ordered now, with pricing starting at $1,999 for the 14-inch model and at $2,499 for the 16-inch model. The notebooks will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on Tuesday, October 26.

Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Related Forum: MacBook Pro

Popular Stories

Home Hub Command Center with Dome Base Feature

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Thursday September 25, 2025 1:11 pm PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system codenamed "Charismatic," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple smart home hub concept based on rumors This is likely Apple's long-rumored "homeOS" operating system. In a report last month, Gurman said both Apple's rumored smart home hub in 2026 and tabletop robot in 2027 will run the new operating system. He said the software platform ...
iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

iPhone 16 Pro Max 80% Charge Limit: One Year Later, Was It Worth It?

Wednesday September 24, 2025 3:58 pm PDT by
With the iPhone 15 series, I did an experiment and kept my iPhone's Charge Limit set at 80 percent for an entire year. It provided an interesting look at the impact of charge limits on battery longevity, so I decided to repeat it for the iPhone 16 line. Since September 2024, my iPhone 16 Pro Max has been limited to an 80 percent charge, with no cheating. As of today, my battery's maximum...
AirPods Pro 3 Newsroom

Apple's 'Back to School' Offer Ends Soon, Now Applies to AirPods Pro 3

Wednesday September 24, 2025 7:20 am PDT by
Apple's annual "Back to School" promotion for students ends soon, so act fast if you want to score free AirPods with the purchase of an eligible new Mac or iPad. Until Tuesday, September 30, college students and qualifying educational staff in the U.S. can receive free AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation when they purchase an eligible new Mac or iPad from Apple. This is a $179 value. ...
iOS 26

Apple Continues to Prepare iOS 26.0.1 With Multiple Bug Fixes Expected

Sunday September 28, 2025 1:30 pm PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.0.1, according to a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing information about future iOS versions. The account initially said iOS 26.0.1 would have a build number of 23A350, but they now expect the update to have a build number of 23A355. This suggests that the software update will include more bug fixes or changes than initially...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pro Nears Mass Production, But Four Bigger Upgrades Expected Next Year

Sunday September 28, 2025 2:08 pm PDT by
Apple's next MacBook Pro models will enter mass production soon, according to the latest information shared by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said he continues to believe the new MacBook Pro models will be released at some point between late 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, meaning they should be available to order by March at the latest. Apple often...
iPhone 17 Pro Colors

Skipped the iPhone 17 Pro? Here's What is Rumored for iPhone 18 Pro

Tuesday September 23, 2025 8:55 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are still a year away, there are already a few rumors about the devices that offer an early look ahead. Below, we have recapped some of the early iPhone 18 Pro rumors so far. This story was published previously, and it has been updated to reflect the latest rumors. Many early rumors prove to be true, but nothing is confirmed yet, and Apple's...
iphone 17 ceramic shield

Regular iPhone 17's USB-C Charging Speeds Tested With Apple Chargers

Friday September 26, 2025 9:01 am PDT by
The website ChargerLAB has tested the standard iPhone 17 model's USB-C charging speeds with a variety of Apple's chargers, from 18W to 140W. The device reached a peak charging speed of around 27W to 28W with these Apple chargers:29W USB-C Power Adapter 30W USB-C Power Adapter 35W Dual USB-C Port Power Adapter 35W Dual USB-C Port Compact Power Adapter 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max...
Apple More Personal Siri Ad

Apple Responds to U.S. Class Action Lawsuit Over Delayed Siri Features

Friday September 26, 2025 6:57 am PDT by
In March, Apple delayed the launch of its personalized Siri features, and soon after the company was hit with multiple class action lawsuits over the situation. The plaintiffs said they never would have purchased an iPhone 16, or would have paid less, had they known Apple's marketing about the Siri features was false. In the U.S., all of the complaints were consolidated into one class...
maxresdefault

Review: A Week With the iPhone 17 Pro

Friday September 26, 2025 12:51 pm PDT by
Apple's iPhone 17 models have been out for a week now, so we thought we'd do a longer-term review of the flagship iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max now that we've been able to spend more time with them. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera has a Silver iPhone 17 Pro and a Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro Max, and despite a lot of concern over...

Top Rated Comments

Serban55 Avatar
52 months ago
Ofc, since the usbC can charge max cap at 100W...so 100W for the 14" battery can work...but for the 16" it needs that 140W
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kuckuckstein Avatar
52 months ago
I would not call this a caveat. There is now again a dedicated power supply port with the beloved mag safe feature and it can do the work it is intended for.
It is a nice add on that USB C can also provide power and charging, but I have always been happy with the charging speed of my old MacBooks, and if USB C provides that as well I think users will be in charging heaven: fast through mag safe, normal if needed through USB C.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bug-Creator Avatar
52 months ago

I’m not understanding and sure why fast charging is limited to 16" only?
Cos you didn't understand what this is about.

TB is limited to 100W on both MBPs, for the 14" with the smaller battery thats already considered fast charging, while the bigger battery in the 16" can take up to 140W which can only be supplied via MagSafe.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
notabadname Avatar
52 months ago
I wonder if can you disable fast charging to protect battery health/longevity ?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kuckuckstein Avatar
52 months ago

I wonder if can you disable fast charging to protect battery health/longevity ?
Use a power supply that would not be powerful enough?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mystery hill Avatar
52 months ago
The 14-inch is fast-charge–capable with the 96W USB-C Power Adapter.

(67W USB-C Power Adapter is included with M1 Pro with 8-core CPU)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)