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Appl3FTW

macrumors 603
Original poster
Nov 15, 2012
5,552
1,252
i know it's okay on the iPhones... Do you charge your watch with 10w? I noticed they don't sell 10w at the store any more I would've checked.
 

flur

macrumors 68020
Nov 12, 2012
2,371
1,160
I have, but I've found it doesn't charge any faster.
 

anez

macrumors 6502
Jun 7, 2011
273
38
I do use the charger that came with my iPad since someone on here suggested it was more powerful. (How this had gone over my head before then, I don't know.)

It seems they are doing a 12W version for iPads (it's the second one listed for me) on the Apple store still? Doesn't list the Watch as a compatible device, though...
 

AZhappyjack

macrumors G3
Jul 3, 2011
9,681
22,825
Happy Jack, AZ
I have, but I've found it doesn't charge any faster.

I know that all iPod and iPhone units prior to the iPhone 6/6 Plus could use the 10/12W chargers, but circuitry within the device limited the charging to 1.0A (5W). I suspect that similar circuitry is in the Watch.

Interestingly enough, the Apple online store lists the 12W charger on the "Watch Accessory" page, but the Watch is NOT listed as a compatible device for the 12W charger. Maybe the page has not yet been updated, who knows.
 

flur

macrumors 68020
Nov 12, 2012
2,371
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I know that all iPod and iPhone units prior to the iPhone 6/6 Plus could use the 10/12W chargers, but circuitry within the device limited the charging to 1.0A (5W).

I'm not sure that's accurate. I have a 5s and it charges significantly faster on the iPad charger or a 2A USB charger than on the standard 1A charger.
 

flur

macrumors 68020
Nov 12, 2012
2,371
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HowlinAl

macrumors regular
Oct 21, 2014
136
141
And I'm telling you that it's not. But hey, you don't have to believe me. Get a 5s and try it for yourself.

FWIW, you can get your info from the Internet, our you can trust real world experience. I'm going for the actual thing myself.

It's in your head. I thought the same thing for years, I was so convinced my pre-6 iphones charged much faster with an iPad charger. After the info Gjwilly posted was revealed some time back I was skeptical and had to make a real comparison. What do you know, all these years it was all in my head. Let your phone go completely dead, and then time how long it takes to charge. Won't make any difference what charger you use.
 

Rok73

macrumors 65816
Apr 21, 2015
1,161
518
Planet Earth
I do use the charger that came with my iPad since someone on here suggested it was more powerful. (How this had gone over my head before then, I don't know.)

It seems they are doing a 12W version for iPads (it's the second one listed for me) on the Apple store still? Doesn't list the Watch as a compatible device, though...
Haven't the 12W chargers been around for a while? Pretty sure the charger for my iPad Air (bought on release day) is a 12W one.

If you click on Accessories for the Apple Watch in the Apple Online Store btw, the 12W charger is on the list. Maybe they just hadn't changed the description when you looked it up.

EDIT: I just chatted with an Apple rep and he said he wouldn't recommend using the 12W adapter on the watch to avoid damage. He was stating that contrary to that the iPhone 6/6+ were designed to be used with it when I told him that I occasionally used it on my 6.
 
Last edited:

papbot

macrumors 68020
May 19, 2015
2,141
994
Lol. NO, it's not. It's a pretty significant difference.
It's not in your head. We have one of the older chargers that take forever to charge an iPhone 5, 5S, or my 6. I have several dual outlet car chargers that have one port for Android or other devices and one designated with an "A" for Apple. If you connect the phone to the wrong one it will charge but it will take quite a while, and if you happen to be using one of the gps navigation apps I use you'll watch the phone's charge level drop right before you eyes while it's connected.

We buy extra 12 watt chargers for our devices and it's what I use for my watch. No issues. I don't even bother with the little chargers that come with the phones anymore.

Even my wife, who never pays attention to any of this, exclaimed once that her phone was really charging much faster "for some reason". Then I showed her I had switched the charger that her cable was connected to.
 
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flur

macrumors 68020
Nov 12, 2012
2,371
1,160
It's in your head. I thought the same thing for years, I was so convinced my pre-6 iphones charged much faster with an iPad charger. After the info Gjwilly posted was revealed some time back I was skeptical and had to make a real comparison. What do you know, all these years it was all in my head. Let your phone go completely dead, and then time how long it takes to charge. Won't make any difference what charger you use.

Dude. It's not in my head. I've tested it out myself. NOT. IN. MY. HEAD.

Seriously, I wonder at all the folks that just blindly believe everything they read on the internet, sometimes over their actual personal experience.
 

Gjwilly

macrumors 68040
May 1, 2011
3,216
701
SF Bay Area
Personal experience like ghosts and psychics, right?
I mean it's not like this can be scientifically measured or anything....
Oh wait -- it can.
The current going into the phone can be measured. It has been measured.
That is the only way of really knowing.
Saying the phone charged in only 2 hours one day versus 3 hours on an other day proves nothing.
Usage varies. Battery chemistry varies. Temperature varies.
But please -- by all means -- believe what you want.
 
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flur

macrumors 68020
Nov 12, 2012
2,371
1,160
Personal experience like ghosts and psychics, right?
I mean it's not like this can be scientifically measured or anything....
Oh wait -- it can.
The current going into the phone can be measured. It has been measured.
That is the only way of really knowing.
Saying the phone charged in only 2 hours one day versus 3 hours on an other day proves nothing.
Usage varies. Battery chemistry varies. Temperature varies.
But please -- by all means -- believe what you want.

Geez, I must be immensely intelligent as I can check a clock, and I can do it more than once, and oh, I can compile data! I guess that makes me a psychic? Or maybe I'm a ghost? No, I know, I'm someone who's done statistical analysis for a living and can properly determine the mean and average time of a charge. No, no, that can't be it, that makes too much sense. I must be a psychic ghost, because the internet says so.

Yep, believe what you want. You do you. Rock on with that.
 

GLS

macrumors 6502a
Jun 26, 2010
561
601
Haven't the 12W chargers been around for a while? Pretty sure the charger for my iPad Air (bought on release day) is a 12W one.

If you click on Accessories for the Apple Watch in the Apple Online Store btw, the 12W charger is on the list. Maybe they just hadn't changed the description when you looked it up.

EDIT: I just chatted with an Apple rep and he said he wouldn't recommend using the 12W adapter on the watch to avoid damage. He was stating that contrary to that the iPhone 6/6+ were designed to be used with it when I told him that I occasionally used it on my 6.

Most Apple reps are complete morons.

In full spirit of this thread, I've never used any Apple charger on my watch. I have one of these that handles all of our iOS charging needs:

http://www.ianker.com/product/A2123111
 

Mascots

macrumors 68000
Sep 5, 2009
1,665
1,415
Yep, believe what you want. You do you. Rock on with that.

As far as the hardware works:

Unless you're using a poorly designed charger (i.e., a Chinese knockoff instead of an Apple branded one), the 10/12w chargers should only output a maximum of 5w to an iPhone (with the exception of 6 & 6+). So it could be in your head (perception is a wonderful thing) OR it could be charging faster, which actually damaging your device.

The logic components in the battery of models prior to the 6 do not support that many watts and can be damaged easily by forcing (more than) twice the capacity across the line. This is what was happening easily to iPhone 5, which caused a lot of seemingly unconnected battery issues, sometimes even some time later. Essentially, iPhones will try and accept as many volts as given, but the charger will/should only output as much the device can take. Prior to the 6, the maximum was this 5w. After, it was +-10w.

So, while you may be receiving more watts than you should, and therefore a faster charger time, it's probably a bad sign as it stresses not only the battery, but the components which dictate the logic flow of the battery, shortening its lifespan. Depending on how far over, it could be drastic.
 

Tom G.

macrumors 68020
Jun 16, 2009
2,340
1,389
Champaign/Urbana Illinois
I believe the OP was asking if it is OK to charge with the 10Watt charger.

If you go to the Apple Store and look under the :apple: Watch Accessories page you will see that :apple: themselves are selling the 12.5 Watt charger. I don't think they would do it if they thought it would do any harm to their watch.
 

Appl3FTW

macrumors 603
Original poster
Nov 15, 2012
5,552
1,252
Dude. It's not in my head. I've tested it out myself. NOT. IN. MY. HEAD.

Seriously, I wonder at all the folks that just blindly believe everything they read on the internet, sometimes over their actual personal experience.

lmao... @ tested it out and not in your head. HAHA
 

AZhappyjack

macrumors G3
Jul 3, 2011
9,681
22,825
Happy Jack, AZ
I believe the OP was asking if it is OK to charge with the 10Watt charger.

If you go to the Apple Store and look under the :apple: Watch Accessories page you will see that :apple: themselves are selling the 12.5 Watt charger. I don't think they would do it if they thought it would do any harm to their watch.

As I stated earlier in this thread, there seems to be conflicting information on the Apple store website. The 12W charger IS listed on the Watch Accessory page. But when you click through to see the compatible devices on the 12W charger page, the Watch is NOT listed. This could simply be an oversight or a matter of one page not having been updated, or ...

And for the record, it's a 12W charger, not a 12.5W charger. Not sure how much that really matters, but accuracy counts.
 

Appl3FTW

macrumors 603
Original poster
Nov 15, 2012
5,552
1,252
I believe the OP was asking if it is OK to charge with the 10Watt charger.

If you go to the Apple Store and look under the :apple: Watch Accessories page you will see that :apple: themselves are selling the 12.5 Watt charger. I don't think they would do it if they thought it would do any harm to their watch.

I was asking if it was okay to charge the watch, or if anyone was charging theirs with ipad adapter, which is 10w. actually it was for my ipad mini 2 and original ipad (they were 10w before they changed to 12w).
 

Mascots

macrumors 68000
Sep 5, 2009
1,665
1,415
I believe the OP was asking if it is OK to charge with the 10Watt charger.

If you go to the Apple Store and look under the :apple: Watch Accessories page you will see that :apple: themselves are selling the 12.5 Watt charger. I don't think they would do it if they thought it would do any harm to their watch.

To that question, with an Apple (or high quality) branded charger, I'd say Go For It. It won't damage your watch because it will only output a max of 5w of power when charging.

However, if you were to order a random 10w charger from Amazon or eBay, I would have extreme reservations about plugging it into my low-wattage devices since the quality standard is so low and you can't guarantee it is gatekeeping charge correctly.
 

Appl3FTW

macrumors 603
Original poster
Nov 15, 2012
5,552
1,252
As I stated earlier in this thread, there seems to be conflicting information on the Apple store website. The 12W charger IS listed on the Watch Accessory page. But when you click through to see the compatible devices on the 12W charger page, the Watch is NOT listed. This could simply be an oversight or a matter of one page not having been updated, or ...

And for the record, it's a 12W charger, not a 12.5W charger. Not sure how much that really matters, but accuracy counts.

see this is what I'm saying.. typically apple will list it if it was compatible... it was nowhere in the 12w power brick and ironically not even listed in the 5w LULZ.
 
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