Apple's MacBookPro 85W MagSafe adapter finally shrunk

It only took 'em a year and a half to do it, but the ginormous monstrosity that is Apple MacBookPro 85W MagSafe power adapters have finally seem to have been reduced to a more manageable size. (Scale comparison above.) The same $80 that before got you the rather large 1st gen A1172 brick will now bring you home a 2nd gen MA938LL/A model that's sized closer in size to a MacBook 60W adapter, but still manages to crank out enough juice for your silver-clad Intel-based Mac laptop. The bad news: Apple store says 3-4 weeks for shipping.

[Thanks, Buster]

[Aztech @ Jul 20th 2007 3:06PM]

No chance of a nice exchange program, cant say im that attached to my brick that i wouldn't throw it in a jiffy bag in exchange for its baby brother !

[Colin @ Jul 20th 2007 3:18PM]

Argh, I'm just going to stop buying stuff from Apple.
Two weeks after I finally break down and buy another brick... this comes out!

[fischju @ Jul 20th 2007 3:32PM]

And 2 weeks after you breakdown again and decide to buy an iphone, iphone 2 comes out

[Joe @ Jul 21st 2007 1:25AM]

Why??? It's only $79 on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Apple-Portable-Power-Adapter-MacBook/dp/B000F0ELN2/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-0005526-5380044?tag=freeplefav-20&ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1184995396&sr=1-1

That's not THAT bad. MagSafe FTW :)

[Mischa Lockton @ Jul 21st 2007 3:27PM]

yeah, they should just stop with these new products. I think we are all on board there. Macintosh Classic was the best, every time they release an 'innovation' they are holding the entire Earth back.

[Colin @ Jul 20th 2007 3:35PM]

I think Apple would have a mob of angry customers if they turned around and came out with a 3G iphone 2 weeks later...

[Nathan @ Jul 20th 2007 3:32PM]

AWWWW I just bought my Mac Book Pro yesterday and I got the old big brick....

[paloooz @ Jul 20th 2007 3:36PM]

There is a 14 day grace period, is there not?

Just go to the Apple store and be like "I want the little one, mine came with the big one."

They will most likely give you a little one.

[Zach @ Jul 20th 2007 6:18PM]

Grace period only if it isn't customized, meaning, it's a store model.

[Nathan @ Jul 21st 2007 1:58AM]

Actually, mine has system crashed 3 times on me today.... while ive been doing small tasks like browsing the internet and using Itunes.

I'm returning the whole thing tomorrow and getting it replaced.

[William Donaldson @ Jul 21st 2007 6:04PM]

It's probably also likely that they'll come out with a new MBP soon...
probably in "3-4 weeks." I don't see why they would release a new
power adapter if they weren't going to have a new machine to go out
too.

[Nathan @ Jul 21st 2007 7:31PM]

William- I disagree. This is a tiny product change... similar to including an updated version of the Ipod headphones with a 5g. I think that the next product change will be the 13" slim MBP this holiday season. Remember, they just upgraded them in June!

And on another note, I went to the store today and they replaced my defective laptop with a brand new one lickity split!

[BestSnowman @ Jul 20th 2007 3:33PM]

What a new/updated product? Where was the engadget post telling us the Apple store was down?

[Bad Beaver @ Jul 20th 2007 3:32PM]

Ten seconds before someone will bring up another "I jiggled my cable all day long and now its broken!" lament.

[XSportSeeker @ Jul 20th 2007 9:38PM]

I wonder if the replacement has anything to do with that video...

[geezer @ Jul 20th 2007 3:50PM]

smaller but still ugly - sorry but the UFO style power adapter was much, much nicer!

[required @ Jul 21st 2007 12:22PM]

um mine sparked a lot so no

[Geoffrey Sperl @ Jul 20th 2007 3:55PM]

Okay, I'm an Apple fan and have been for years (owned numerous Macs going back a decade, been using them even longer, and have owned four different iPods)... but even this seems to be a bit much.

This is a post about a power adapter? A power adapter? Come on... is that really anything worth mentioning? Or is it just a slow day in the offices?

[scott @ Jul 20th 2007 4:04PM]

eh, Really normally it wouldn't be news, you're right.

However, I must say that the macbook power adapters have for me been one of the most pleasant things about toting around a macbook. The fact that they have provisions to roll up the cable into a great compact little package is nothing to snort at.

[Adam @ Jul 20th 2007 5:26PM]

I'm really glad they posted this - how would anyone have known otherwise? I don't regularly lurk in the power adaptor section of the Apple store, but I was thinking about buying a second one, and this was the deciding factor.

[Mr. Sneakery @ Jul 20th 2007 3:56PM]

I must agree, it doesn't matter what company you are, when it comes to power bricks, they are all ugly, not even an ipod white can make them beautiful.

Think different. Here's an idea for Apple, patent a gadget that can send electricity over the air so you can enjoy true wireless everything and not have to be close to an outlet for internet or juice to keep you going.

[jollyllama @ Jul 20th 2007 4:29PM]

RIP Nikola Tesla, 1856-1943.

[Miles @ Jul 20th 2007 6:23PM]

That's already patented and being worked on by someone else IIRC.

[Ian @ Jul 20th 2007 3:58PM]

Can you still cook eggs on this new one? The old one was big enough to cook 1 egg and 1 strip of bacon.

SERIOUSLY, I'd not really care about the size if they could bring the heat down a tad. Some day that thing is going to be stuck between pillows on the couch, catch fire, then we'd all be in a fine mess.

Possible market: fan that attaches to the brick?

[Ignacio @ Jul 20th 2007 4:10PM]

I don't think it is supposed to heat up...? I have the 60W one (MacBook 13") and leave the machine on for days at a time and it never even gets warm. Perhaphs it's different with the 84W model though, or the US voltage (110, I use 220)?

[h8rain @ Jul 20th 2007 4:18PM]

My MBP brick gets REALLY warm if I am playing a game or anything that "stresses" the processor. I was going to go and get an extra adapter next week, because I am getting tired of forgetting mine at work. I would have one for home and one for work. I will wait just a bit then, because the smaller one will be nicer to travel with, when I am not working in the office.

[battery @ Nov 5th 2007 10:03PM]

If you need a new laptop ac adapter, I suggest you could purchase one from http://www.batteryfast.com , which would shipping to you fast and the quality is satisfy satisfied.:)
from http://www.batteryfast.com/laptop-ac-adapter/apple/

[Ralph @ Jul 20th 2007 4:02PM]

You kids these days and your idea of a what constitutes a large power adapter.

[CharlieX @ Jul 20th 2007 4:10PM]

Now if Microsoft could do something about their beast of an adapter

[Leonard Nimrod @ Jul 20th 2007 4:31PM]

It is supposed to heat up when you are charging the battery. Try letting your battery drain and then plug it in. IT will very uncomfortable to hold in your hand.

[battery @ Nov 5th 2007 10:00PM]

If you need a new laptop ac adapter, I suggest you could purchase one from http://www.batteryfast.com , which would shipping to you fast and the quality is satisfy satisfied.:)
from http://www.batteryfast.com/laptop-ac-adapter/apple/

[Shabbis @ Jul 20th 2007 5:44PM]

Now if Apple can get it down to the iPhone adapter size, that would be cool. Doubt that'll happen as the laptops require a lot more power. I was impressed when I open my iPhone box to find such a small white brick.

[Scott @ Jul 20th 2007 4:30PM]

It's a larger hand model.

[Paul Parent @ Jul 20th 2007 5:06PM]

They should take trade-ins and reduce the cost!!!!

[DC @ Jul 20th 2007 5:04PM]

My MBP almost caught fire last night. I was using it on the couch and notcied the power was running off of battery. I saw my cable was still plugged into the laptop. I checked the wall outlet - good. I started looking along the cable, and when I got to the brick, I found it was scorching hot. It made its way onto the couch underneath a pillow. It was too hot to touch.

10 minutes later, it started working again, unfortunately :( (Because I want a smaller brick)

[Jon @ Jul 20th 2007 5:22PM]

Hmm... I just bought a macbook about a month ago and I have the new brick (judging from the pics at least... mine is completely square.)

Lucky me I guess?

[andrew harrison @ Jul 21st 2007 1:33AM]

this is for the macbook pros, which have slightly higher power usage than the macbooks, and thus larger power bricks.

the macbooks have always come with smaller ones.

[Alex Karahalios @ Jul 20th 2007 5:25PM]

Is everyone really sure that Apple has changed the size of the 85W adapter? I can't find any detailed dimensions. I think they used the wrong photo. By the way, I've used the smaller 65W adapter a few times on my MBP with no problems.

[Mac Dub @ Jul 20th 2007 8:47PM]

The 65W brick will charge your MBP, but it won't jump start your battery if it has gone dead. I suppose you could get by without the 85W version. Just don't let the juice run out or you're SOL.

[Jon @ Jul 20th 2007 5:27PM]

Oh, I'm dumb... it's a smaller capacity... just ignore my previous comment.

[Dave @ Jul 20th 2007 5:37PM]

I just got a Macbook Pro like a week ago. I wish I had the smaller brick, but without having to pay for it... ;(

[nikster @ Jul 20th 2007 9:28PM]

same situation here.

easy solution - you know how these bricks are prone to breaking.. and they get replaced under warranty... just don't overdo it with the high voltage, OK?

The part where the cable comes out also looks rather fragile. Looks like that would break very easily.

And those burn marks on the mag-safe piece look rather dangerous.

The thing with power adapters is, companies will usually replace them under warranty no questions asked because a power adapter failure can expose the company to very expensive lawsuits. They won't second-guess you when you bring in your old brick.

Many possibilities... but then again, I am not a scammer so I will just end up coughing up the $80 ;)

[Brian @ Jul 20th 2007 6:44PM]

Now they need to make the end that goes into the computer less prone to breaking. Let's see how long it takes them to do that.

-Brian

[Mikee @ Jul 20th 2007 7:43PM]

I agree, the smaller the better when it comes to portable anything... but really, it's just an adapter. If you're carrying what you have now just fine, don't stress out over it.

[Necrosis @ Jul 20th 2007 7:56PM]

CRAP!

Only 2 DAYS after receiving my new $2500 MacBook Pro, they go and release a smaller power adapter. You would think the Apple tools would have included it in my custom to order laptop but NOOOO...

Very lame Apple...

[Mac Dub @ Jul 20th 2007 8:56PM]

Yeah, those jerks!! For all the money you spent they could've thrown in a next gen processor and a multi-touch track pad too.

[nikster @ Jul 20th 2007 9:35PM]

Forgot to say: Finally!

Now they need to fix the "waking from sleep takes too long" problem and these things are perfect.

[andrew harrison @ Jul 21st 2007 1:40AM]

yeah, a second and a half is WAY too long.

[John Doe @ Jul 20th 2007 10:00PM]

That reminds me I need to take my piece of shit adapter back to the Apple store. Whatever holds the prongs into place is broke. This will be the 7th time I've had to take my crapbook pro back into the Apple store. Would have been the 8th if the audio on this thing didn't fix itself. The digital audio port somehow got stuck in the on position and disabled the built in speakers but it fixed itself.
Its a good thing Apple makes such high quality products or I would be pissed.

PS- Before someone tells me I got a lemon; Apple replaced the system the 4th time I brought it in. From a CD MBP to a C2D MBP....So much for the myth of Rev B being substantially better then A. Sometime in '08 I'm trading this thing in for a Dell. At least Dell sends someone out to YOU. Instead of Apple keeping your laptop days on end. To date they have had my CBP a total of about 3 weeks while they "fix" it. Apple Care my ass. More like Apple bend over and wait for it.

Ahh that was therapeutic......

[Jamer @ Jul 21st 2007 4:47PM]

Actually, if you had added the Applecare warranty, it includes on-site service!