The charger that came with your iPad Pro or iPad Air is wasting your time. Your tablet could be charging almost twice as fast (up to three times as fast for the latest iPad Pro). Plus, the included charger is not well-designed for travel.
Here’s what’s going on, along with recommendations for better options.
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The weakest part of the iPad is the charger in the box
Some Apple users believe that no third-party accessory maker comes close to the quality of genuine Apple products. While it’s true that much of what comes out of Cupertino is undeniably brilliant, some of the accessories are average at best. The cables that ship with iPhone and iPad serve as a prime example.
But the charger that comes with the iPad Pro and iPad Air is absolutely inadequate. And while the situation is not too bad for the budget iPad and iPad mini, there are still better options.
Apple iPad charger: Half strength at best
Apple builds sizable batteries into its tablets, which is part of the reason they last so long without needing a recharge. Juicing up those batteries might be a slow process, except that the tablets can quickly take in quite a bit of power.
There’s no better example than the M5 iPad Pro. It can pull in up to 60 watts! That means the battery level can increase by up to 50% in roughly half an hour.
But users of the tablet might be utterly unaware of that if all they’ve ever used is the charger Apple supplied with the product — it tops out at a paltry 20W.
The same holds true for other iPad models, though not to the same extent. The previous M4 iPad Pro can take in about 35W, and so can the new M4 iPad Air. The previous iPad Air topped out at 31W.
Apple ships all of these tablets with a 20W charger. With a more powerful charger, most of them could charge nearly twice as fast, and the M5 iPad Pro could go almost three times faster!
AI image: Apple/ChatGPT/Cult of Mac
Not a travel charger
iPad mini and the budget iPad both max out at 20W, so the charger Apple supplies doesn’t slow down recharges.
That said, it isn’t the absolute best option for those models, either. It could be more portable. True, Apple’s iPad charger is fairly small, measuring 2.25 by 1.7 inches by 1.1 inches. But the prongs don’t fold down. They always stick out, ready to scratch up something else in your bag.
Also, the charger packs only a single USB-C port, so it can’t simultaneously juice up your iPhone.
Better iPad charger options
The main benefit of the default Apple iPad charger is that you already own it — one comes in the box. But you might already own a better option.
Your MacBook comes with a charger. Although the power output of MacBook chargers varies widely, all of them beat a measly 20W. Recent MacBook Air models include a 40W charger in the box, and some MacBook Pro models go all the way up to 140W.
Which raises an important point: You want an iPad charger that can reach the tablet’s maximum, and it doesn’t matter if it can provide more — your tablet won’t take in too much. It’s too smart for that.
Don’t have a MacBook, but want to stick with a genuine Apple charger that’ll speed up getting your iPad back to 100%? Here’s one that puts out 35W, with foldable prongs and two USB-C ports.
This 35W Dual USB-C Port Compact Power Adapter allows you to charge two devices at the same time, whether you’re at home, in the office, or on the go. The compact size and folding prongs make it easy to pack and store.
- Compact design
- Two ports for charging two devices
- 35W fast charging
I love the Anker Nano Charger that I recently reviewed. It’s tiny but pumps out 45W. And there’s a useful screen to show how much power is flowing.
The Anker Nano 45W smart display charger is designed for iPhone users who value both performance and design. The charger automatically recognizes supported iPhone and iPad models and delivers a tailored charging solution based on device needs and battery status.
An integrated smart display provides real-time visibility into charging power and battery level.
- Smart screen
- Clever rotating power prong design
- So small
- 45W maximum
I’m also a fan of the Rolling Square Supertiny. It can put out a full 65W, even though it isn’t much larger than my thumb. (I reviewed it, too.)
Supertiny is the smallest 65W USB-C GaN wall charger ever. It’s pocket-size and perfect for travel. Still, it delivers up to 65W for fast and efficient charging of smartphones, tablets, laptops and other USB-C powered devices.
- Lives up to its “Supertiny” name
- Enough power for a MacBook
- Heats up during use
And the Twelve South PlugBug earned a permanent spot in my travel bag after I reviewed it. The version I use includes a pair of USB-C ports and puts out 50W. (A second model ups the ante, with four ports and 120W.) The PlugBut stands out due to its support for Apple’s Find My technology, so you can’t leave it behind in a hotel room.
Charge up to two USB-C-powered devices simultaneously with dynamic charging up to 50W. With folding prongs, the PlugBug is perfect for compact travel. But the standout feature is that the charger works with the Find My app, so you can easily locate it using your Apple device.
- Plenty of power for iPhone or MacBook
- Find My support is brilliant
- Audible alarm could be louder
I tested (and regularly use) all three of these third-party chargers with my iPad.
What about iPhone and MacBook charging?
Thanks to Rands in Repose for inspiring this article. Be sure to read their guide on whether the charger Apple supplies can meet the full wattage of your MacBook or iPhone. Spoiler alert: probably.
Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 25 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh SE/30 (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer.
That’s because he’s a “tablet first” type of guy. Rather than use a Macbook, he connects a keyboard case to the iPad. And instead of a desktop Mac, he connects his tablet to a 27-inch display and full-size keyboard. (So don’t try to tell him that everyone has to use a Mac to be productive.)
Before coming to Cult of Mac, Ed wrote for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
