You bought a new laptop, pulled a tiny power adapter out of the box, and thought: “Seriously, that’s it?” That’s exactly how MacBook Neo owners feel, as the laptop comes with a modest 20W power brick. Apple openly states that fast charging is not supported on this model. But, as it turns out, a more powerful adapter can indeed speed up the process — and quite noticeably at that.
Only USB-C for charging. Image: macworld.com
What Charger Comes in the Box with MacBook Neo
MacBook Neo is positioned as an affordable Mac, and Apple doesn’t hide the fact that compromises had to be made to achieve this. One of them is the lack of fast charging support. The laptop comes with an adapter rated at just 20W (except for European buyers, who don’t get a charger in the box at all).
You might think that since there’s no fast charging, there’s no point in buying anything more powerful. That’s how one could interpret Apple’s official stance. But journalists from Macworld decided to put this to the test — and the results were surprising. The experiment was clean, the methodology was simple and reproducible, making the conclusions especially convincing.
MacBook Neo Charging Speed Test
The test was simple and straightforward. The laptop was drained to 20%, then plugged in for half an hour. First with the included 20W adapter, then with a 96W power brick. The results speak for themselves:
- 20W adapter: +15% in 30 minutes
- 96W adapter: +30% in 30 minutes
Simply put, with a more powerful adapter, the MacBook Neo charges exactly twice as fast. This isn’t “a little bit” or margin of error — it’s a twofold difference you’ll definitely notice in everyday life. Imagine: you leave for lunch with 20% charge, and thirty minutes later you come back with 50% instead of 35%. The difference between finishing your workday and reaching for the outlet again.
Left shows 96W brick usage, right shows the included 20W. Time to full charge differs by almost 36 minutes. Image: macworld.com
But why does Apple say fast charging isn’t supported? The thing is, the company defines fast charging as the ability to reach 50% in 30 minutes. The MacBook Neo physically can’t do that even with the most powerful adapter. Hence the wording. Technically, Apple isn’t lying, but it’s not telling the whole truth either.
What Charger Does the MacBook Neo Need
Here’s where it gets really interesting. You don’t need to chase maximum wattage. Tests showed that the MacBook Neo can draw no more than 24W. This means that any adapter rated above 24W will charge the laptop at the same speed. There’s no difference between a 30W and a 96W brick — the laptop simply won’t draw more than its limit.
In practice, this is great news. You won’t need to buy an expensive high-wattage adapter. Any USB-C power brick rated at 25–30W will give you the maximum possible charging speed for your Neo. And if you already have an adapter from another MacBook or iPad — it will most likely work. This is especially relevant for those who already own multiple Apple devices: a single universal 30W adapter can serve your entire tech lineup.
Why the MacBook Neo Is Sold Without a Charger in Europe
There’s a separate story for European and British buyers. Apple claims that EU and UK legislation prohibits including a power adapter with devices. But, as 9to5Mac notes, this isn’t an entirely accurate interpretation of the law. It appears the company simply took the opportunity to save on packaging contents, shifting the cost to the buyer.
European MacBook Neo boxes only include a cable. You’ll have to buy the charger yourself
However, there’s a silver lining for European Neo owners. Since you’ll have to buy an adapter separately anyway, you can immediately choose a model slightly more powerful than the bundled 20W. Even an affordable 25–30W adapter will provide twice the charging speed compared to what Apple would have put in the box. So a forced purchase could turn into an unexpected advantage. The market today offers plenty of compact and affordable adapters from third-party manufacturers — Anker, Baseus, Belkin — that fully meet the requirements and cost significantly less than Apple’s original accessory.
The MacBook Neo story is yet another reminder: official specs don’t always tell the whole story. Sometimes a single small experiment is enough to uncover hidden potential in a device that the manufacturer chose not to mention. If you’re a MacBook Neo owner — don’t throw away the included adapter, but don’t limit yourself to it either. A small investment in a more powerful power brick pays for itself every day when charging time is cut in half.
