Gear
Everything I use to make Watt Check, in one place. For the reasoning behind each choice - why the test cable is USB 2.0, why the power strip barely matters, why software beats a dongle - see the full testing methodology. Measured results for every charger are in Tested.
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Test rig
- MacBook Air M5, 16GB / 1TB
- Anker 240W USB-C to USB-C cable (USB 2.0, 6ft)
- Monoprice USB-A to USB-C cable - black 3-pack or white AtlasFlex
- Anker 8-outlet surge-protected power strip (the JACKYLED strip actually used is discontinued - this is the closest current equivalent, not the exact unit in the videos)
Cables worth owning
The cable decides your charging speed at least as much as the charger does. A USB-C cable without an e-marker chip is capped at 3 A - 60 W at 20 V - no matter how large the brick behind it.
- Apple 240W USB-C Woven Charge Cable (2 m) - 5 A e-marked. Needed for anything above 60 W.
- Apple 60W USB-C Woven Charge Cable (1 m) - no e-marker, 3 A. Fine for phones and small adapters.
Both are genuine Apple cables and neither is defective. They’re rated for different currents, and that rating is what caps you. See the 96W adapter measured on both - same charger, 94 W or 60 W depending only on the wire.
Filming
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- Amazon Basics 50" tripod
Daily-driver chargers
Not part of the test rig - just what’s actually under my desk and in my bag.
- Apple 96W USB-C Power Adapter
- Dell WD22TB4 Thunderbolt dock
- Apple 40W Dynamic Power Adapter (60W Max)
- Anker 20,000mAh power bank, built-in USB-C cable, 87W max
Chargers tested
Linked for reference so you can find the exact unit - not as endorsements. Some of these measure well and some don’t, and the episode says which either way. A link here means I tested it, nothing more.
- Apple 12W USB Power Adapter
- Apple 20W USB-C Power Adapter
- Apple 30W USB-C Power Adapter
- Apple 35W USB-C Compact Power Adapter
- Apple 40W Dynamic Power Adapter (60W Max)
- Apple 96W USB-C Power Adapter
- Anker 20W Nano Pro
- Anker Nano 30W GaN
- Anker 20,000mAh power bank (87W)
- UGREEN 30W foldable charger
- Amazon Basics 68W two-port GaN charger
Tested but not linked: the Apple 5W, 10W and 18W adapters (discontinued), the Dell 65W charger and WD22TB4 dock, the AUKEY 20W, and a no-name power strip.
USB Connection Information
Every reading in the series comes from USB Connection Information - the app itself.