It’s about time: The MacBook’s USB-C port will allow for third-party chargers

By Kris Wouk March 13, 2015

MacBook USB-C port — Apple

The new 12-inch MacBook may not have the power of a MacBook Pro, and it may not be as good of a deal as a MacBook Air, but it still has plenty of Apple fans counting the days to the April 10 release date. While its single USB-C port may have been an issue of concern for some at first, as we hear more details it’s starting to look more attractive. Now it looks like the port could allow for something that many thought we’d never see: third-party chargers and battery packs.

The idea of a single port for everything, including charging, certainly has its downsides, especially since you’ll need a $79 adapter if you want to plug in more than one device as a time. But it seems that the new MacBook will support most USB-C accessories, even chargers, according to 9to5Mac. The only thing necessary for a charger to work is support for the USB Power Delivery 2.0 specification. Of course, this isn’t technically the first time that third-party charging options have been available, but in the past they were costly and usually required an Apple-supplied MagSafe to function anyway.

The USB-C port will also allow for a bevy of other useful third-party accessories, including video accessories, since the MacBook allows for the DisplayPort alternate mode for video connections. A multitude of companies including common names like LaCie and Belkin are already unveiling a slew of USB-C accessories, so you won’t have to wait long.

The only real downside here is that USB-C doesn’t offer the same safety that came with Apple’s venerable MagSafe connector, which kept many a MacBook from crashing to the floor. USB-C cables will offer more resistance when tripped over, so you might want to be careful when stepping over your new third-party charger.

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Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…

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