MacBook Pro Chargers

I just got off a frustrating conversation with Apple chat. I’m more confused than when I started. I need to replace the charging cord for my son’s 2009 13” MBP. The representative I was chatting with gave me two links for possibilities. The Rectangle-shaped one looks like what came with the machine. Both are 60W, does it matter which I purchase?

Older style (like the broken one I have) vs the newer barrel-style that came out in late 2009. My machine is a mid-2009.

And… a separate but related question. In my house, we have (3) 15” machines which charge at 85W and (1) 13” machine that charges at 60W. Since my kids tend to share their chargers. Is there any harm in purchasing the 85W for this 13” machine? I know it won’t charge any faster, but since it will be shared with other machines, it seems like it would be more compatible. He’s been charging this way all summer since his 60W broke. Is there anything wrong with this?

No harm, nothing wrong.

Agreed. If it were a problem, Apple would have made the connectors different, and would not have set themselves up for thousands of warranty claims from accidentally using the wrong charger.

So, from the sounds of it, I should just purchase the 85W that will charge all the machines in the house! That would simplify things a lot.

On another note, this is causing me to appreciate my USB C powered MBP with touchbar. Several companies make aftermarket chargers for that machine at a less expensive price point. But I do miss the MagSafe connector!

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… and you also get USB-C external batteries as well.

Also loving the MBP w/ Touch Bar. I also like the Touch Bar. I will like it even more under Mojave (See Sal’s posts on twitter) not to derail this thread.

On the subject of MagSafe, I thought I would really miss it and I kinda don’t, because the USB-C cable can be removed from ether the laptop or the brick, I find that when I have tripped over a cord it just breaks away at the brick no worries.