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How can I tell what wattage my MacBook Pro (2016 touchbar) is charging at?

I have a HooToo USB-C hub with pass-through charging. If I hook my 87 watt apple power supply to the passthrough port, will the hub deliver the full 87 watts of power, or is it a lower amount, e.g. 60watts?


Is there a way in software to see the current wattage charging rate?


If it is a lower wattage than the Apple-supplied 87 watts, is there a danger of damaging the computer?

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2), Mail 6.2

Posted on Jul 10, 2017 9:55 AM

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Posted on Aug 22, 2017 4:16 PM

Jesse,


I think I understand your question. To see what power wattage the computer is actually receiving:


1. Click on small apple icon on the top left of your screen and then select "About This Mac."


2. Click on the "System Report" button.


3. On the left side of the Hardware list, select "Power."


4. On the right side, Scroll Down until you see "AC Charger Information."


The AC Charger Information will tell you exactly the current status of the AC power supply. In my experience, if you have a genuine Apple 87W USB-C power adapter connected you will see the wattage displayed at 86 (On 15-inch MBP).


I typically use a USB hub which only passes through 49 watts as you can see from my screenshot below. A lower wattage is really just fine. I sometimes use the 13-inch MBP, 60-watt charger for travel use because it is smaller and lighter. I have no idea what the true engineering minimum spec for a 15-inch MPB is. Running your computer at a lower wattage seems to be very common and typically not unsafe IF you use quality cables and chargers. The "con" of not using the full 87-watt source is that it will simply not charge the battery as quickly.


Hope this helps


User uploaded file

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Question marked as Best reply

Aug 22, 2017 4:16 PM in response to Jesse Barnum

Jesse,


I think I understand your question. To see what power wattage the computer is actually receiving:


1. Click on small apple icon on the top left of your screen and then select "About This Mac."


2. Click on the "System Report" button.


3. On the left side of the Hardware list, select "Power."


4. On the right side, Scroll Down until you see "AC Charger Information."


The AC Charger Information will tell you exactly the current status of the AC power supply. In my experience, if you have a genuine Apple 87W USB-C power adapter connected you will see the wattage displayed at 86 (On 15-inch MBP).


I typically use a USB hub which only passes through 49 watts as you can see from my screenshot below. A lower wattage is really just fine. I sometimes use the 13-inch MBP, 60-watt charger for travel use because it is smaller and lighter. I have no idea what the true engineering minimum spec for a 15-inch MPB is. Running your computer at a lower wattage seems to be very common and typically not unsafe IF you use quality cables and chargers. The "con" of not using the full 87-watt source is that it will simply not charge the battery as quickly.


Hope this helps


User uploaded file

Jul 10, 2017 1:27 PM in response to Jesse Barnum

I don't understand why the link was not helpful. You asked "If it is a lower wattage than the Apple-supplied 87 watts, is there a danger of damaging the computer?"

Here is what the link I provided said in the second paragraph: "You can use a compatible higher wattage adapter without issue, but it won't make your computer charge faster or operate differently. Lower wattage adapters don't provide enough power."

Jul 11, 2017 12:38 PM in response to BobTheFisherman

My apologies, I didn't notice that. Since I already know the recommended power adaptor for my computer, I didn't read all the text carefully on the page.


With that said, I've used my wife's 60 watt power adaptor with my MacBook Pro (15"), and even though it's lower than the recommend 87 watts, it does charge the computer.


I still am at a loss to determine whether the wattage being passed through my USB-C is the same as the original 87 watts, or if it's being dropped down to something else like 60 watts. I'm skeptical of tjk's answer that the output to the computer is the same as the input from the charger, because I have some powered USB devices plugged into the hub and they must be drawing some non-zero amount of current.

Jul 11, 2017 2:12 PM in response to Jesse Barnum

"With that said, I've used my wife's 60 watt power adaptor with my MacBook Pro (15"), and even though it's lower than the recommend 87 watts, it does charge the computer."

This will indeed charge the computer, untill you ask for more juice (gaming, heavy workloads and the lot) then you will put a lot of pressure on your 60 watt magsafe to produce more that what it is rated at potentially harming it or the mac. This is why it's not recommended by apple I guess.


it does not matter if the power is slightly less passing through your USB-C port. The power normally charging your laptop is the exact same juice that comes out of the USB ports to power any peripheral devices. so normally power goes in runs through the mac and a part of it goes out the USB ports. Now if your USB-C hub is made so that it takes power directly from the magsafe your mac won't have to output that to the peripherals anyway. TL;DR power in is power out whatever you plug in. Just use a magsafe adapter with a sufficient power rating.

How can I tell what wattage my MacBook Pro (2016 touchbar) is charging at?

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