Exploring the Fast Charging Capabilities of the MacBook Neo: Speeds, Limits, and More

Apple’s Latest MacBook Neo: Performance and Charging Speeds

Apple has recently released its highly anticipated MacBook Neo, priced affordably at $599 and boasting impressive performance and a sturdy build. However, achieving this budget-friendly price point has led to some compromises in terms of features.

The MacBook Neo comes with a more basic display and only one high-speed USB-C port, which means users may experience slower charging compared to its pricier counterparts. While the $1,099 MacBook Air can charge at up to 70W with the right USB-C adapter, the MacBook Neo is officially rated for a 20W adapter (North American models include the adapter, while European models do not).

With a smaller 36.5 Wh battery compared to the 53.8 Wh battery in the MacBook Air, the charging speed difference between the two models is not as drastic as it may seem on paper. The MacBook Neo may take longer to charge, but the smaller battery size means the gap is closer to a factor of two.

There is some good news for those looking to speed up charging on the MacBook Neo. While Apple includes a 20W charger with the device, using a higher-wattage adapter can result in faster charging times.

A test conducted by Roman Loyola at Macworld revealed that using a 96W USB-C power adapter allowed the MacBook Neo to charge faster, although the increased speed may not be consistent throughout the entire charging process.

During the test, the MacBook Neo was charged from 20 percent for 30 minutes using both the 20W and 96W chargers. The higher-wattage adapter provided a 30 percent gain, while the 20W charger only delivered a 15 percent increase.

Despite the seemingly faster charging with the 96W adapter, further investigation showed that the charging rate was actually capped at 24 watts, not significantly higher than what the 20W adapter could provide. This discrepancy raised questions about the charging capabilities of the MacBook Neo.

Data from the Battery Health 2 app indicated that the MacBook Neo drew only 12W from the 20W adapter, while it pulled 23.3W from the 96W adapter. This unexpected behavior prompted further inquiry into the charging mechanism of the device.

Although the exact reason for the discrepancy in charging rates remains unclear, it is evident that the MacBook Neo falls short of Apple’s official “Fast Charging” standard, which requires a device to reach a 50 percent charge in 30 minutes. The MacBook Neo may only achieve a 30 percent charge within the same timeframe, indicating that the total charging time is likely to be around two hours.

While using a higher-wattage charger may offer marginal improvements in charging speed, the gains are minimal if the 20W adapter functions as intended and delivers the expected 20 watts of power.