Buying Power adapter on ebay?

Question

Level 2

308 points

Buying Power adapter on ebay?

I would like to buy an extra power adapter, but I find $80 outrageous. On ebay you can buy them from around $30 including shipping. Do I risk getting a fake, and should that concern me?

MacBook Air 1.6/HDD, Mac OS X (10.5.6), MacBook (10.4.11) iPhone 2G Dell Windows Vista

Posted on Feb 25, 2009 3:43 PM

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Answer 1

Bruce F

Level 1

0 points

Feb 25, 2009 5:22 PM in response to ahostmadsen

Not to sound smart, but you spent at least $2,000 on the Air, and now you're worried about $50? I just got one from Amazon with no worries about being real or not.

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Answer 2

ahostmadsen Author

Level 2

308 points

Feb 25, 2009 6:03 PM in response to Bruce F

Well, the $2000 is not my money, but the $80 is. That makes a lot of difference! I did go ahead and buy on ebay. The seller seems trustworthy.

Message was edited by: ahostmadsen

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Answer 3

Feb 26, 2009 2:59 PM in response to ahostmadsen

You will find that almost all the current adapters on eBay are genuine. People buy the MBA, get extra adapters, then offload their MBA when they don't like it a few months later and are stuck with all their accessories. I did the same with my MB Pro -- I had an extra charger for work. When I eBayed by MB Pro, I listed my extra power adapter as well. It sold for about 24 dollars, nowhere near the 89.99 retail it cost me. As long as the seller has good feedback, and you follow all proper protocols, you should have no problems. There is no after market for knock-off power adapters for the macbook air.

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Answer 4

ahostmadsen Author

Level 2

308 points

Feb 26, 2009 3:07 PM in response to RonAnnArbor

Yes, this is what I have been thinking. The MBA is a limited market computer, and the market for extra power adapters is even smaller. Counterfeiting those adapters does not seem to make economic sense, it would appear to me.

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Answer 5

ahostmadsen Author

Level 2

308 points

Mar 3, 2009 6:12 AM in response to ahostmadsen

I receive my power adapter from ebay. It's new, in original plastic wrap. It seems completely genuine as far as I can tell: wrapping, markings, instruction manual etc etc. To repeat, it doesn't seem worth the trouble to go to such length to copy such a narrow market item. But, then, how can they sell a new, original, power adapter for $20 when it costs $80 directly from Apple?

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Answer 6

mattkis

Level 1

9 points

Mar 28, 2009 7:42 AM in response to ahostmadsen

Speaking of power adaptors, I just sold my macbook and bought a MBA. I have extra power adaptors for the macbook. Their power output (voltage/amps) is different from the MBA adaptor. Does anyone know if I can use them or if I should buy an MBA adaptor (on ebay based on this conversation!). (Note - I realize that the connectors are different).

Thanks

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Answer 7

Mar 28, 2009 12:05 PM in response to mattkis

You can use them in North America -- you can't if you are traveling...Apple Stores themselves will sell you one for the other if they are out of one or the other --

The connectors are different enough, though, that I don't think the MBP will stay in your magsafe input unless you keep your MBA on a slant or on a pillow of some kind since the angle won't fit right --

Always better to get the correct adapters -- but in a pinch, you can use your other adapter as long as you are not converting currency.

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Answer 8

mattkis

Level 1

9 points

Mar 29, 2009 7:45 AM in response to RonAnnArbor

I agree - cheap enough to just buy another one. Thanks

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Answer 9

carl wolf

Level 6

14,631 points

Mar 29, 2009 6:36 PM in response to ahostmadsen

"but in a pinch, you can use your other adapter as long as you are not converting currency."

I'm not sure what exchanging money has to do with anything. Regardless, all of the MB/MBP/MBA power adapters can be used worldwide. In the iStudio (Apple retailers in Thailand) stores, they use the MBA power adapters - rather than the correct, more robust modules - for the MB/MBP. According to them, the aluminum MagSafe connector "looks cooler" than the white plastic.

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Answer 10

Mar 29, 2009 7:49 PM in response to carl wolf

Converting currency = from AC to DC power, or vice versa....

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Answer 11

carl wolf

Level 6

14,631 points

Mar 30, 2009 6:13 AM in response to ahostmadsen

"Current" is different from "currency". Regardless, the purpose of the MBA power adapter is to convert an AC voltage input, to a DC voltage output.

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