Due to you, I purchased an iPhone SE (third gen) and it’s been nice. Hope you may assist me with a query about lightning cables and charging blocks. We at the moment have a number of Apple units and I’m completely confused about which charging cables and USB charging adapters to order for every machine

The charging cable that got here with my new iPhone SE isn’t appropriate with the older charger that I’ve been utilizing on this telephone. My iPad (ninth gen) makes use of a unique block and rope, which has made it tough to know which to order for every machine.

Might you please assist this outdated woman perceive decide which equipment to order?

Good questions.

Apple has modified the charging cables by means of the years. The Lightning cables delivery now have USB-C plugs. This goes for the iPad (ninth gen) as effectively, however the iPad comes with a 20-watt USB-C energy adapter.

New iPhone 15s and most different iPads have switched from Lightning ports to utilizing USB-C for charging.

Apple units have the charging circuitry to have the ability to work out how a lot energy you might be giving them. This implies they’ll cost sooner in case you give them extra energy — up to a degree.

The 20W USB-C charger that Apple contains with the iPad is an effective one. That charger can also be an applicable alternative on your iPhone SE. You should purchase them from Apple for $19, however you don’t have to stay with Apple’s chargers.

I like USB chargers with a number of charging ports. This implies you may plug two or extra units to cost on the identical time.

If you end up purchasing for chargers, pay attention to the quantity of watts output by the chargers. For multi-port chargers, that watt complete will get divided by the variety of ports.

As an illustration, Apple sells a 35W USB-C charger with two ports that share these 35 watts.

There are numerous corporations making good multi-port chargers. I like and use Anker and Ugreen chargers and cables. Amazon Fundamentals can also be an excellent model.

You may nonetheless use your older Lightning to USB-A cables and chargers. They may cost your iPhone and iPad, however relying on the wattage, it might be actually sluggish.

One factor you don’t wish to do is purchase no-name USB chargers from a greenback retailer. Follow a reputation model.

Lastly, this isn’t simply Apple recommendation. Samsung and Google telephones also can cost at sooner charges in case you use a charger that may ship extra energy. A charger with 20 watts of output can also be a sensible choice for many Android telephones.

Jim Rossman is a tech columnist for Tribune Information Service. He could also be reached at jrossmantechadviser@gmail.com.