Credit: Apple
To be fair, the Apple Watch Series 7 includes the new Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charger in the box, so you’ll be good to go with that one. But if you’re planning to use an extra charger elsewhere in your home or at the office, you’ll need to buy another fast-charging cable, or else you’ll be limited to slower charging speeds.
Even though Apple has sold a USB-C Magnetic Charger for the Apple Watch for a while now, the one that was available previously does not support the fast charging speeds on the Series 7. In fact, it charges at the same rate as the older USB-A version that Apple has sold for years — it’s merely a different connector for those who are otherwise invested in USB-C and would rather avoid carrying yet another power adapter.
In other words, even if you already have a USB-C charging puck for your Apple Watch, it’s not going to boost the charging speeds on your new Series 7 when it arrives. Instead, if you want an extra fast charger, you’ll have to shell out for a new Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C Cable. Unfortunately, this is currently the only accessory available that supports fast charging on the Apple Watch Series 7.
Even Apple’s pricey MagSafe Duo isn’t capable of fast charging the new Apple Watch. This probably isn’t surprising, considering how much of a confusing mess MagSafe charging is, but it’s still disappointing — especially considering the MagSafe Duo’s relatively high price tag.
You’ll also want to be careful about ordering Apple Watch magnetic charging cables from third-party retailers like Amazon. As of this writing, Apple’s official Apple Watch Magnetic Faster Charger to USB-C Cable is listed on Amazon but does not yet appear to be available, and while many third-party companies are listing their Apple Watch chargers as “fast chargers,” we’re extremely skeptical about that.
So, the bottom line is that if you want a second fast charger for your Apple Watch right away, your best bet is to order it directly from Apple.
If you’re not in a hurry, though, we’d recommend waiting to see what third-party accessories come along. At this point, we don’t know if Apple will even allow other manufacturers into the fast charging playground, but it may be worth waiting to see if more useful accessories eventually come along.
Does It Matter?
All that said, this is probably something that most new Apple Watch owners shouldn’t really worry about since it only pertains to those situations where you may actually need faster charging.
To be clear, every Apple Watch magnetic charger on the market today will work with the Apple Watch Series 7 and charge it just as quickly as they charge other Apple Watch models. So, you’re not losing anything by using an older charger — you just won’t get the faster-charging benefits of the Series 7.
This isn’t going to matter much for many folks, though, especially if you don’t wear your watch to bed, as your wearable will have plenty of time to charge overnight.
The Fast Charging on the Apple Watch Series 7 is said to be 33 percent faster than the Series 6, which translates to going from zero to 80% in 45 minutes. But, more importantly, you can drop it on the fast charger for only eight minutes before bedtime and get a full eight hours of sleep tracking.
So, those who wear their Apple Watch to bed will surely want to take advantage of the new Magnetic Charger included in the box, both before bedtime and during their morning ablutions. Still, the Apple Watch will generally get you through a full day on a single charge, so there’s rarely any need to keep an extra charger around anyway.
However, there are a couple of categories of users who may benefit from picking up an extra fast charger for their Apple Watch Series 7:
- Hardcore workout enthusiasts who regularly exercise with Workouts on their Apple Watch will find the battery drops much more quickly with all of the features engaged. And, if you do serious workouts more than two or three times a day, you might find yourself needing to top-up by late afternoon.
- Apple Watch users who often go Cellular only. The LTE radios on the Apple Watch are mostly dormant when your iPhone is nearby, which is a good thing, as they consume a lot of power when they’re fired up. However, if you regularly leave your iPhone behind when venturing out with your Apple Watch, you’ll see a serious hit on your battery life and could need to recharge multiple times per day. In this case, topping up with Apple’s Fast Charger will be invaluable to make sure you’re up and running again as quickly as possible.
If you fall into one of these two categories, the fast charging capabilities could be one of the best reasons to upgrade to the Apple Watch Series 7, in which case you’re probably going to want to pick up at least one extra Fast Charger for your new Apple Watch.
