Tech

The ultimate MacBook Pro accessory just got cheaper

You can now get all the benefits of the old MagSafe magnetic connector on your MacBook Pro, but now for half the cost.

Written by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, Senior Contributing Editor March 9, 2020 at 6:38 a.m. PT

As much as I like the USB-C connector, it feels so darned fragile compared to the Lightning connector, or Apple's old MagSafe connector. Over the past couple of years, I've broken a couple of USB-C cables by being a bit ham-fisted with them, and I've dreaded the day that I break a USB-C port on my MacBook Pro.

Then I came across a 20-pin magnetic USB-C adapter over on Amazon, and my life changed. I've fitted them to my MacBook Pro, my iPad Pro, my main power banks, some of my chargers, and whatever random Android phone I'm using.

They are brilliant.

20-pin USB-C magnetic adapter in action

The only downside is that they are expensive. About $25 to $30 expensive. While I paid this for a handful myself and encouraged others to do the same by extolling their virtues, I had to agree with others that they were expensive.

So, I went hunting.

20-pin USB-C magnetic breakaway connector

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And after a bit of searching, I found them on eBay a little over $10. At the time of writing, this listing has both the straight and L-shaped versions.

Now, eBay being eBay, I didn't want to point anyone to some random listing without taking a look at them and trying them out.

I paid my money and took a chance.

The delivery estimates were a bit wild though. According to eBay, I'd get them in a couple of weeks or three months, which, given the coronavirus situation, was to be expected.

As it turned out, they arrived in a couple of weeks.

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I put them side-by-side with the 20-pin magnetic USB-C adapter that I paid the big bucks for, and they're identical in every way. The only difference is that these cost half as much as the others I've been pointing to. And they were shipped to my door at no added cost.

Nice.

Highly recommended.