Macally PS-AC4 AC Power Adapter for Apple G4
by Mace Group Inc / Macally Peripherals
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List Price: Our Price: $17.25 You Save: $42.74 (71%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: CE See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Macally PS-AC4 AC Power Adapter for Apple G4
Customer Review: Good backup, takes a long time to charge
Summary: 4 Stars
Plug seems to be a little sturdier than my previous Apple-provided failure. That one lasted me 2 years, which isn't too bad. This is a good backup, but it takes more than twice as long to charge. I imagine this is because they set the current lower to prevent from frying the battery. Apple probably has a very exact amount of power to go through to the battery for optimum charging and safety to the battery that the 3rd party manufacturers haven't figured out. That said, it's a good thing that they were conservative. I've heard of other 3rd party power supplies destroying the battery over time. All in all, this is a great backup and it was the only thing available to me since Apple has their flawed adapter on backorder due to the huge demand for it. Unfortunately, I will probably wind up buying another Apple power supply and keeping this Macally as a backup. I wish Apple would pay a little more attention to their customers and fix an $80 item on a $2500 laptop, otherwise I might just be tempted to wander back into Windowsland.Customer Review: nice deal
Summary: 4 Stars
- while lacking the green/amber light on the end of the plug, it *does* have a bright blue LED on the brick itself. the LED doesn't change color according to what the powerbook is doing, it just indicates if the brick itself has power.
- it produces 2 amps, rather than the 2.65 put out by apple's. this means that while it's ok for older ibooks and tibooks, for the new albooks it's slower to charge the battery if the machine is on, and for some machines like the newer 17", may not be able to charge the battery unless the laptop's asleep.
(this can be annoying at times, but for less than half the cost of apple's adapter and cheaper than most other 3rd party adapters, I think it's a fair deal)
- the wire on the powerbook side twist-locks into the brick, so you can't yank it out accidentally.
- no, the plug isn't grounded... but then again neither is apple's flip-out plug.
overall, I think this is a pretty good deal, and might pick up another.
Customer Review: Intermittently charges
Summary: 1 Stars
Recently purchased this. It charges my powerbook G4 intermittently, charging up and stopping every 2 seconds. Very annoying and not helpful at all. Couldn't charge the battery of my computer up. Also, it makes a buzzing sound every time it "charged" for the 2 seconds. Maybe mine was faulty, but I would rather find another brand than exchange it for another one. I'd put zero stars, but you can't put up a review without one.
I instead, bought a BTI (brand) charger. Many people will give a bad review without giving you an alternative or solution then. I recommend the BTI powerbook charger. You can find it on Amazon for CHEAPER than the Macally by searching "Battery Technology AC Adapter for Notebooks (PS-MC-G4)". It cost me $27.84 instead of $33.24. Not a huge difference in money, but there is a huge difference in performance. The BTI charger works quite well and doesn't heat up badly. FINALLY AN ADPATER THAT WORKS WELL! I've had 2 apple adapters, a Macally, and now the BTI. Try the BTI.
Customer Review: The Cheaper, BETTER Imitation
Summary: 5 Stars
I've owned my mac iBook G4 for a year now, in that year I have been through two (yes 2!) STANDARD APPLE CHARGERS! I finally bought this as a cheaper alternative because I didn't have $85 to buy another crappy charger from Apple. This Macally charger (since I have owned it-a month) has been sublime. The cord reaches further, and the connection to my charger port is solid. It also lacks that annoying third prong (I have an older house so I don't have many of them). You can use your laptop as soon as you plug the charger in, so you don't have to wait.The cons to the product are miniscule and vain. It doesn't have that cool light that tells you when the computer is finished charging, and it is rather bulky. But despite it's cons. At least it works which is better that Apple's cool looking charger that doesn't work long.
BEWARE OF OTHER IMITATIONS!!!! The ones with the white and black cords. THat is not Macally. And it is such total crap. You'd be better off buying the original charger.
Customer Review: Didn't work like my old one
Summary: 1 Stars
I bought two of these in the last year and a half; one to keep with me when I travel and one to leave at home (replaced the original one from Apple). I loved these! They were the same model number as the one I ordered in the last month. I had to buy another one b/c I dropped one of mine once too often. I plugged in the new one, and it started charging, but then it started going on and off and the screen was dimming back and forth. The battery indicator kept going from charging to discharging. I didn't think that this could be good on the computer and/or battery. I closed the lid, left it to charge overnight (thinking I had drained the battery too much) and it charged the battery, but again, once I had discharged the battery about 25% and tried it again, it surged again. I ordered another one and sent the first one back and it did the same thing. I really disappointed....the charger looks different than my first ones, but it looks sturdier and better. Why doesn't it work the same?