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Griffin BreakSafe Magnetic USB-C Power Cable review: Miss the MagSafe adapter on your new MacBook? Here's the solution

This USB-C cable makes charging via USB-C port as trip-free as the MagSafe power adapter.

Dong Ngo SF Labs Manager, Editor / Reviews
CNET editor Dong Ngo has been involved with technology since 2000, starting with testing gadgets and writing code for CNET Labs' benchmarks. He now manages CNET San Francisco Labs, reviews 3D printers, networking/storage devices, and also writes about other topics from online security to new gadgets and how technology impacts the life of people around the world.
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Dong Ngo
2 min read

The MagSafe power adapter has probably saved me from injury -- I trip on my cords often -- on more than a few occasions. But with Apple 's notebooks now going all USB-C, new MacBooks are no longer made with MagSafe adapters.

Griffin BreakSafe Magnetic USB-C Power Cable

The Good

Lets you add a MagSafe connector to a MacBook that's without one.

The Bad

The adapter is awkwardly long and the inflexible cable means things can accidentally unplug quite easily.

The Bottom Line

An excellent replacement for the MagSafe power adapter.

For an accident-prone guy like me, that's a scary thought. While charging your computer through an USB-C port is cool and convenient, if you happen to step on the cable, you could send your machine flying, doing some serious damage. The Griffin BreakSafe USB-C cable is designed to prevent just that.

This is a two-part device, consisting of a small piece that plugs into an USB-C port and stays there, and a 6-foot long cable that magnetizes to the first piece, while the other end has a USB-C connector. In case of forceful and sudden jerk, the two break apart.

These USB-C adapters make your MacBook Pro better

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The cable is spec'ed to charge any USB-C device (including non-Apple products, such as the Google Chromebook) that requires 60 watts or less of power, so it's not ideal for the 85 watt 15-inch MacBook Pro (though it worked in my trial). I do wish, though, that the plug-in part were a little more compact. Also, the inflexible cable means devices too easily come unplugged when moving the laptop around.

And it would be nice to have it in colors other than black, something that maybe matches the MacBooks' colors. But for less than $40, this is a great accessory that will likely save your computer more often than you might imagine, especially if you have a small child.