slow charging with usb hub on MacBook Air M1 - Get higher wattage charger?

The 30 watt charger is not sufficient when using a hub/dock

with power passthrough since the hub/dock "steals" power

from the power adapter before delivering it the your MacBook Air.

Not many of the hub/dock makers will specify how much they

"steal" but you can do an easy check.

From the Apple menu, select "About this Mac..." Then press the

system report button. On the left hand side, select "Power".

At the bottom you will see AC Charger Information. It will show

what the dock is telling your Mac as far as how much power it

will deliver. Deduct that from the 30 watts of the charger and

that is how much the hub/dock is using.

For instance, my Belkin dock uses 15 watts when plugged into the adapter

which didn't leave much for my MacBook Air especially when under heavy

load. So, I got the 61 watt Apple charger and now I have 45 watts

available for my MacBook Air which is more than enough to charge.

Also, personally I suggest getting the Apple charger, There are many

on the market that are much cheaper but they simply don't last

if one reads the reviews.

Hi christopherfromacton,

Welcome to Apple Support Communities. We understand you're thinking of purchasing a USB-C power adapter of 65W or higher, to help charge your MacBook Air at a faster speed. We'll be happy to help.

Based on the article provided by Apple Support, it says: "If you use a higher wattage USB-C cable, your Mac will still charge normally. USB-C cables rated for 29W or 30W will work with any USB-C power adapter, but won't provide enough power when connected to a power adapter that is more than 61W, such as the 96W USB-C Power Adapter." That information is outlined in this helpful article: Find the right power adapter and cable for your Mac notebook

Kind regards.