Apple comes out with its first GaN charger. What does this mean for users?

A few months before Monday's unveiling of the redesigned MacBook Pros, there was talk of the return of the good old MagSafe connector for power. It has recently returned in the form of a new generation, this time already the third, with which Apple was undoubtedly able to please a wide group of apple lovers. It is also interesting that the 16″ models already offer a 140W USB-C power adapter as a base, with which the Cupertino giant has bet on the technology known as GaN for the first time. But what does GaN actually mean, how does the technology differ from earlier adapters, and why did Apple decide to make this change in the first place?

What benefits does GaN bring?

Earlier power adapters from Apple relied on so-called silicon and were able to charge Apple products relatively reliably and safely. However, adapters based on GaN (Gallium Nitride) technology replace this silicon with gallium nitride, which brings with it a number of great benefits. Thanks to this, chargers can be not only smaller and lighter, but also significantly more efficient. In addition, they can give more power to smaller dimensions. This is exactly the case with the new 140W USB-C adapter, which is the very first effort from Apple based on this technology. It is also safe to say that if the giant had not made a similar change and relied on silicon again, this particular adapter would have been significantly larger.

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We can also see the transition to GaN technology from other manufacturers such as Anker or Belkin, who have been offering such adapters for Apple products for the past few years. Another advantage is that they don't heat up that much and are therefore a bit safer. There is one more interesting thing here. Already in January of this year, speculations about the use of GaN technology in the case of adapters for future Apple products began to circulate on the Internet.

Faster charging only via MagSafe

Moreover, as is customary, after the actual presentation of the new MacBook Pros, we are only beginning to find out smaller details that were not mentioned during the presentation itself. During yesterday's Apple Event, the Cupertino giant announced that the new laptops will be able to be quickly charged and can be charged from 0% to 50% in just 30 minutes, but he forgot to mention that in the case of 16″ MacBook Pros, it has a smaller catch. This again refers to the aforementioned 140W USB-C adapter. The adapter supports the USB-C Power Delivery 3.1 standard, so it is possible to use compatible adapters from other manufacturers to power the device.

But let's get back to fast charging. While the 14″ models can be fast charged via MagSafe or Thunderbolt 4 connectors, the 16″ versions have to rely only on MagSafe. Fortunately, this is not a problem. In addition, the adapter is already included in the package and can also be buy for 2 crowns.