Apple · Tablet & Air class · Current model
Apple 30W USB-C: the four-rail brick.
The 30W is the smallest Apple adapter that speaks the full PD fixed-rail vocabulary — 5V, 9V, 15V and 20V — which is why it charges phones, tablets and a MacBook Air from the same port.
Output profile, rail by rail
| Fixed PD rail | Current | Delivered | What requests it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5V | 3A | 15W | AirPods, Watch puck, accessories |
| 9V | 3A | 27W | iPhone at peak |
| 15V | 2A | 30W | iPad Pro, handhelds |
| 20V | 1.5A | 30W | MacBook Air, USB-C laptops |
The jump from Apple's 20W is not really 10 watts — it is two extra voltage rails. That is what turns a phone charger into a laptop charger, at laptop-slow speed. The AC plug also detaches, which the 20W's does not.
Devices that are correctly sized for 30W
Well matched: iPad Air and iPad Pro (both peak near 30W), iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 17 in a bag where size matters more than the last five minutes, and a MacBook Air used as a light machine. Apple shipped the 30W in the box with the M1 and base M2 Air for exactly that reason.
Over-served: AirPods, Apple Watch, iPhone SE, Kindle — all fine, all drawing a fraction of what is on offer.
Under-served: MacBook Air fast charging, which needs 67W or 70W; and any MacBook Pro, where 30W barely offsets a heavy workload. A 14″ MacBook Pro on 30W can lose charge while compiling.
The gaps in the spec
- 15V is capped at 2A, short of the 15V/2.6A a Nintendo Switch dock demands — handheld charging works, docked TV output does not.
- No PPS, so Galaxy phones fall back to standard PD speeds.
- One port only. Apple's answer to two devices is the 35W Dual USB-C adapter, not this.
- No cable included. iPad Pro and MacBook Air both need a USB-C to USB-C cable.
Same spec, less money
- 30W
Anker Nano 30W
Folding prongs and a body noticeably smaller than Apple's, at the same four-rail 30W spec.
- Output
- 30W USB-C PD
- Ports
- 1× USB-C
- Plug
- Folds flat
- 30W
UGREEN Nexode 30W
GaN 30W with a compact footprint — the default recommendation when the Apple brick is the only thing being replaced.
- Output
- 30W USB-C PD
- Ports
- 1× USB-C
- Tech
- GaN
- 67W
Anker 335 67W 3-Port
Costs a little more than Apple's 30W and covers iPhone, iPad and MacBook Air at fast-charge speed simultaneously.
- Output
- 67W total
- Ports
- 2× USB-C, 1× USB-A
- Tech
- GaN
- 30W
onn 30W USB-C
Budget-shelf 30W. Verify the UL or ETL mark on the housing before buying any charger at this price.
- Output
- 30W USB-C PD
- Ports
- 1× USB-C
- Class
- Budget
Verdict
30W is the correct minimum for anyone with both a phone and a tablet, and it is where Apple's own pricing stops being indefensible. The upgrade worth considering is not a bigger single-port brick but a 65W-class multi-port one, which covers the same devices plus a laptop for a few dollars more. Compare the tiers on the 30W wattage page, or read 30W vs 45W before committing.
Related
FAQ
Will the Apple 30W adapter fast-charge a MacBook Air?
No. It charges the Air at full 30W, but Apple's fast-charge behaviour on the M2 and later Air requires a 67W or 70W adapter. On 30W a drained Air fills at normal speed rather than the advertised 50% in 30 minutes.
Is 30W enough for an iPad Pro?
Yes — the iPad Pro peaks around 30W, so this adapter matches it. Going to 65W does not make an iPad Pro charge faster; it only helps if the same brick also has to feed a laptop.
What is the difference between the Apple 30W and the old 29W?
The 29W used a 14.5V/2A rail that predates the USB-C PD 15V standard, and it was built for the 2015 12-inch MacBook. The 30W replaced it with proper 5V, 9V, 15V and 20V rails, which is why it works with phones and tablets too.