Home > Consumer Reviews > Macally PS-AC4 AC Power Adapter for Apple G4

At less than half the price of an Apple charger, Macally is a nice alternative. When my ibook charger's cord broke, I wanted to find something more durable. I miss the little feet to wrap the cord around, but the part that connects to the ibook/powerbook is thicker than Apple's and thus doesn't need quite as much care. Macally's charger is also white, which is a pleasant bonus, and comes with a blue light on the brick to let you know it's charging. Here's the basic breakdown.

Macally:
lighter
cheaper
more durable
same 120/240 voltage
same length (when compared to Apple's w/ the extension plug)
no feet
no charging light around rim of plug
no plastic cover for plug tip (though the Apple one fits on it perfectly)
the connection to the brick is not as sturdy because Apple's is built in and Macally's is plugged in, though it's never come out unexpectedly because the brick is so light.
doesn't get as hot as Apple's charger
the wall plug is not grounded

If you need an extra or replacement charger and don't mind the difference in design then this is a great purchase.

The power cords for Powerbooks and IBooks, though aesthetically lovely, are prone to damage. This is a good replacement unit, although it lacks the amber/green LED charging indicator ring around the connector. Makes up for it in durability and value (less than half the cost of Apple's - yikes!). I'm using this charger with my 12" 867Mhz G4 with fine results.

This adapter only puts out 48 watts and is not for Aluminum Powerbooks. I am a technically minded person and I still got duped in to buying this because it doesn't say this anywhere on this page.

I now have two of these -- one for my Aluminum Powerbook, and one for my wife's Titanium Powerbook. They work great. The connection actually seems more solid than the one from the Apple version, and these are a heck of a lot cheaper. No, they don't have the nice status light or the elegant industrial design. But they power the laptops reliably, which is more than I can say for the Apple adapters we have!

Initially I was going to give this power adapter 4 stars because it lacks that charge light that the Apple adapters have, but you just can't beat the price. It is an ideal and inexpensive replacement or companion adapter. You could by a few of these for the cost of just one from Apple. The only thing to take notice is that it may not charge a laptop as quickly as the standard Apple power adapter because of it's lower wattage.

Pros:
- Inexpensive
- Inexpensive
- Inexpensive
- Durable
- Velcro cord wrap

Cons:
- No charge status light
- Lower wattage then Apple adapter
- Slightly larger then the standard Apple adapter