iPhone 12 Mini will charge slower with MagSafe than other iPhone 12 models – CNET

The iPhone 12 Mini doesn’t officially go on sale until Nov. 13, but we now have some additional details on its MagSafe charging capabilities, courtesy of a new Apple support document. According to the document, the smallest iPhone 12 will be limited to 12 watts of power delivery compared to the 15W that can be delivered to larger iPhone 12s by MagSafe. 

First spotted by MacRumors, the support page also notes that the “power delivered to the iPhone 12 at any moment will vary depending on various factors, including temperature and system activity.” Apple also recommends having the MagSafe charger plugged into a compatible adapter and into the wall before placing your iPhone on it. 

While a drop from the 15W on larger iPhone models, wirelessly charging at 12W will still be noticeably faster than the 7.5W that Apple limits iPhones to when charging using regular Qi-based wireless accessories. Those looking for the fastest charge will still want to use a USB-C-to-Lightning cable and a 20W or higher wall adapter. 

Introduced alongside four new iPhone 12s last month, MagSafe is Apple’s new wireless accessory system that takes advantage of magnets to provide the iPhone with easy connectivity to accessories like snap-on wallets or faster wireless charging. The new MagSafe charging cable, which is not included with the purchase of a new iPhone, runs $39 when purchased directly from Apple, though you will also need a compatible wall adapter to make full use of the faster wireless charging speeds. 

The iPhone 12 Mini, and the larger iPhone 12 Pro Max, will be available to preorder on Friday, Nov. 6. Both devices are set to go on sale on Nov. 13.