Resolved ‘QC‘ stamps on ‘genuine‘ magsafe 2 charger?

[fant0mas]

Hi All,

just received a replacement magsafe 2 charger from an independent, but generally reputable dealer.
It is supposed to be a genuine apple 85w adapter and it is well made:
- charging led turns on only after a while when plugging in, like my previous charger
- weight seems ok
- outside casing, flaps seem to be precisely manufactured
- system report identifies charger as 85w and with serial number

However, there are two things which seem suspicious:
- there are 2 stamps labeled ‘QC‘ which are not present at my previous charger and which I doubt apple would have printed visibly like this
- the cable protector (where the charging cable starts from the charger) seems to be made from two pieces while this is only one piece on my old charger

It would be great if somebody could let me know if those qc stickers could be found on originals as well, or if I better return it and let the seller know they probably deal with fake items...

Thanks a lot!

 

[FlorisVN]

Hi All,

just received a replacement magsafe 2 charger from an independent, but generally reputable dealer.
It is supposed to be a genuine apple 85w adapter and it is well made:
- charging led turns on only after a while when plugging in, like my previous charger
- weight seems ok
- outside casing, flaps seem to be precisely manufactured
- system report identifies charger as 85w and with serial number

However, there are two things which seem suspicious:
- there are 2 stamps labeled ‘QC‘ which are not present at my previous charger and which I doubt apple would have printed visibly like this
- the cable protector (where the charging cable starts from the charger) seems to be made from two pieces while this is only one piece on my old charger

It would be great if somebody could let me know if those qc stickers could be found on originals as well, or if I better return it and let the seller know they probably deal with fake items...

Thanks a lot!

seems to me like a "chinese" clone, non original adapter.

 

[Fishrrman]

There are websites and Youtube videos that describe how to distinguish a bona fide Apple-brand charger from a knockoff.

I suggest you search for them and check them out.

 

[JoelTheSuperior]

Yup, this is a (surprisingly well-made) knockoff. The legitimate charger wouldn't have that sticker / stamp.

 

[ght56]

It's fake. I've never seen a MagSafe with those "QC" markings, and the beveling on the little tabs that flip out are wrong (the beveling on the OEMs are quite precise and defined), but it is impressively close to a legit charger. If you Google the SN, you might find that the SN is used on every charger. It's also probably lighter than the OEM.

 

[chrfr]

- there are 2 stamps labeled ‘QC‘ which are not present at my previous charger and which I doubt apple would have printed visibly like this

I also would not expect to see those labels on a real Apple part. Certainly not 2 of them.

 

[fant0mas]

There are websites and Youtube videos that describe how to distinguish a bona fide Apple-brand charger from a knockoff.

I suggest you search for them and check them out.

Thanks - I should have mentioned that I had checked some of the sites before, but couldn't find a reference to the QC stickers. Weight, behavior of the LED, appearance, even the texture of the material (smooth in general, but slightly roughed in the right places e.g. the apple logo) seemed ok - just the stickers weren't mentioned anywhere.

 

[fant0mas]

seems to me like a "chinese" clone, non original adapter.

Yup, this is a (surprisingly well-made) knockoff. The legitimate charger wouldn't have that sticker / stamp.

It's fake. I've never seen a MagSafe with those "QC" markings, and the beveling on the little tabs that flip out are wrong (the beveling on the OEMs are quite precise and defined), but it is impressively close to a legit charger. If you Google the SN, you might find that the SN is used on every charger. It's also probably lighter than the OEM.

I also would not expect to see those labels on a real Apple part. Certainly not 2 of them.

Thank you!

After your feedback I called the dealer who was very fast to offer a complete refund incl. return shipping.

The charger felt quite well made and solid and even the handling of the small tabs was precise - but I couldn't really make myself believe that apple would attach those stickers to any of its products. Your feedback gave me confidence to address this to the seller...