I Disliked MagSafe Until I Realised This One Thing

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I’ve lost track of how many cables have betrayed me mid-charge.

I’ve also got a laptop that charges over USB-C, a work phone that takes a different USB-C cable (don’t ask me why, I don’t know either), and an iPhone that occasionally still wants Lightning depending on which cable I’ve grabbed in a rush. Travel with the wrong combo (which happens far more than I’d like to admit), and one of those devices just doesn’t charge.

So I now own a drawer of cables that all look identical and none of which are interchangeable.

Compatibility nonsense.

Yes, It’s Slower. Also, It Gets Warm.

Apple’s current MagSafe charger caps at 25W on the iPhone 16 and 17, and 15W on anything from the 12 through the 15. Plug the same phones into a wired USB-C connection and you’re looking at 27W to 30W, sometimes more. If raw speed is your only concern, wired charging wins every single time.

It also runs warmer than I expected. Independent testing has clocked the charging surface hitting around 41°C within the first fifteen minutes, and Apple’s own guidance acknowledges the charger and phone can heat up during use. The company’s charging software reduces output as temperatures climb, which limits the risk without removing the trade-off entirely.

One Pad Beats A Drawer Of Cables

The more meaningful advantage is consolidation. A MagSafe puck is compatible with every iPhone since the 12, which means the same accessory serves a desk, a nightstand and a suitcase, replacing what would otherwise be two or three separate cables.

Then there’s the bit nobody mentions: using the phone while it charges. A cable jammed into the bottom of an iPhone gets in the way the second you want to prop it up or shift it slightly. A MagSafe pad holds the phone magnetically, so you can lift it, angle it, glance at it, all without unplugging anything. 

Small thing. Adds up fast.

Malaysia’s Pricing Says Premium

Apple’s MagSafe Charger sits between RM219.00 and RM249.00 depending on the cable length on the Malaysian Apple Store and through authorised resellers. 

It doesn’t include the power adapter needed to hit full speed, which Apple sells separately.

Third-party Qi2-certified chargers now match Apple’s 15W speed for older iPhones at a noticeably lower price. Only Apple’s own charger and a handful of certified alternatives currently reach the full 25W ceiling on the 16 and 17 series.

Worth It, Heat And All

It doesn’t out-charge a good cable, but it doesn’t tangle, and doesn’t need unplugging every time you want to actually use your phone. Slower, warmer, and I’d still pick it over digging through a drawer of dead cables.

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