Is it safe to use third party laptop Chargers?

Article ID: 168

Last updated: 13 Feb, 2016

Revision: 4

Views: 2495

Posted: 30 Sep, 2013
by Andrew Sharrad

Updated: 13 Feb, 2016
by Andrew Sharrad

Use of third party laptop chargers on Stone branded laptop products is supported but only when an appropriate charger is used. Use of a charger of the wrong rating or connector may void your product warranty, and may cause product damage.

Guidelines on the use of Third Party Chargers

  • DO use a charger of the same voltage as the original charger. Chargers that supply a lower or higher voltage should not be used. Most laptops have confirmation of the input voltage required on a label on the underside of the machine
  • DO use a charger of the same or greater power output, either in watts (W) or amps (A).
  • DO use a charger that provides a regulated output. Most laptop chargers do provide a regulated output, however many low cost generic power adapters (i.e. power adapters not built specifically for laptops) do not provide a regulated output.

We recommend the use of branded charges which clearly show the CE Marking, and show if the device is Class 1 or Class 2.

Example

For an original adapter that supplies 19V 3.42A (65W) please see the following examples of substitute adapter and whether or not they can be used:

Rating / Output Can this be used?
18.5V 3.5A No. The voltage is too low (18.5V), so even though the total power output is sufficient the adapter should not be used.

19V 3.0A 

No. The current available (3.0A) is too low. The adapter will not be able to provide sufficient power
19V 4.74A This adapter supplies the correct voltage (19V) and can supply ample current (4.74A is more than 3.42A). This adapter can be used as long as the connector size and polarity exactly matches the old adapter.
24V 3.42A  No. The voltage is too high (24V).

Key:

  • V = Volts, or voltage. Measurement of electrical pressure.
  • A = Amps; measurement of current or electrical flow.
  • W = Power in Watts - total power derived by multiplying the voltage (V) and amps (A).

Note: If you are unsure as to the suitability of a replacement third party AC adapter please contact support before using the adapter. Alternatively, Stone may be able to supply you with a replacement adapter.

Diagnosis

Some notebook or tablet chargers have an LED directly on the charger itself. This LED is only useful to tell you that there is mains present (for example, that the fuse is OK). If the LED is not functioning, AC mains could still be present but the charger has failed. Conversely, even if the LED is illuminated, this does not guarantee that the charger is fully functional.

Other Dos and Donts

  • Always replace the mains adapter if the cable becomes damaged or frayed
  • Always keep the mains adapter and the notebook away from water or sources of moisture
  • Never attempt to repair a mains adapter yourself. The only user replaceable components is the mains fuse on the mains lead, and the mains lead itself.

Applies to:

  • Laptop and tablet products

Is it safe to use third party laptop Chargers?

AC adapter, also called a power adapter or laptop charger, is used to provide sufficient power to operate the laptop for extended periods and to recharge the laptop battery. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, the suggested quick steps might help.

  • The ac adapter does not power on the laptop.
  • Getting an error message such as ‘AC adapter type cannot be determined’.
  • The laptop turns on but does not charge the battery.
  • Buzzing noise from the ac adapter.

Here are a few quick steps that you can try to resolve the ac adapter issue

Try each step and check if the ac adapter issue is resolved. If the issue is not resolved, proceed to the next step.

  1. Verify that there is no damage to the ac adapter, cables, or the power (DC) port on the laptop. Learn how to identify ac adapter damage on Dell laptops.
  2. Connect the ac adapter to another wall outlet (bypass any surge protectors or power strips).
  3. Always use the ac adapter that was shipped with the laptop. Dell does not recommend using incompatible or third-party ac adapters with Dell laptops.
  4. If the laptop is connected and powered by a Dell docking station, use the ac adapter that was shipped with the Dell docking station. For more information, see the user manual of the docking station.
  5. Connect the ac adapter to the laptop. Bypass the docking station to check if the issue is caused by the docking station.
  6. Ensure that the LED on the ac adapter is turned on. The LED indicator may be located either on the ac adapter brick or the adapter (DC) plug.
    1. If the LED is off, disconnect the ac adapter from the wall outlet, and reseat the power cord on the ac adapter and try again. If the LED remains off or turns off after connecting to the laptop, contact Dell Technical Support for repair options in your region.
  7. If the laptop supports a USB-C ac adapter, ensure that the USB-C ac adapter is connected to the correct USB-C port on the laptop that supports charging. See the user manual of the Dell laptop to identify which USB-C port supports charging.
  8. Go to Dell.com/support/drivers, download and install the latest BIOS for your Dell computer. Learn about Dell BIOS updates.
  9. Run the preboot diagnostic test on the laptop. If the test fails, make a note of the error code and validation code, and contact Dell Technical Support.

If these quick steps did not resolve the ac adapter issue, we have more detailed information in the additional resources. You can also search for content related to the issue using the search bar at the top of this page.

Additional resources

Video

Are you having trouble with your laptop charger? Are you looking for a different charger to charge your laptop? If you are wondering whether you should use a different charger for your laptop model, we have everything sorted out for you in this article.

Laptops make use of two different types of power adapters to function, that is, DC adapter and AC adapter. Laptop chargers are an external source of power that converts the electric energy into a form that makes your laptop function. 

Each model of the laptop comes with unique and original laptop chargers. However, there are times when they stop working, and you require a replacement. If you are looking for the answers to the questions mentioned above, you have come to the right place. We will discuss whether you can use the different chargers for your laptop in terms of different models.

Can I Use A Different Charger For My Laptop?

The answer to this question is Maybe. The wattage and voltage of a charger should match the desired voltage of your laptop. 

Another essential thing to note is the connector tip that varies from laptop to laptop. If a different charger has a similar connector tip and can provide the desired voltage, it is a possibility that the charger can charge your laptop. However, that is not the case with every other laptop. 

You need to take care of the specifications; otherwise, it can also harm your laptop’s battery.

Power Requirements

All the laptops are created with different power. Some require more power, such as gaming laptops. Therefore, their chargers use high voltage. If you use a different charger that cannot provide the right voltage, you risk damaging your laptop.

In the future, the latest USB Type-C connectors will become the primary source for charging your laptops. As they are interchangeable, you can use them for any other laptop.

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Do All HP Laptops Use The Same Charger?

In the case of HP laptops, they all follow a basic standard that means they use 45-230 watt and 18.5 voltage. Even the two-barrel sizes are electrically similar, and they use the “Smart-Pin” feature in almost all the laptop chargers. The third thing is the connector, which is only available in SKUs, though it should be EoL.

The only difference between the chargers is that the new SKUs have a more slender connector, allowing thinner and smaller chassis. 

Is it safe to use third party laptop Chargers?
HP Smart-Pin tip

If you intend to use a different HP laptop charger from your HP laptop, look at the wattage: 65 and 45 watts. They are mainly for standard usage, which does not require much power.

Whereas, 90 and 110 watts power the small business class unit, including Elitebook 700 series and Probook, and larger consumer units.

Apart from that, 150-230 watts are made to handle the extra load of the laptop. You can use the chargers with the same voltage interchangeably. In some cases, lower specs are supported by the laptop. However, it will not result in a fast charge as your laptop’s charging circuit directs the charging process. 

Do All DELL Laptops Use The Same Charger?

Dell Laptops require their original laptop charger made with the special power requirements for charging. All the Dell Laptops do not use the same chargers.

Is it safe to use third party laptop Chargers?
Dell charger and tip example

However, when the chargers are paired with a compatible laptop model, they are designed to function with all other laptops with the same power output and connection.

Many Dell laptops require only 35 watts to function, where the other laptop requires more than 100w. A dell charger might charge your laptop, though the difference in power output can cause damage.

Voltage And Amp Complication

Even if your laptop and charger’s wattage is similar and the charger can charge your laptop, there is still a risk of laptop damage due to power source differences.

You calculate the wattage by multiplying the voltage and amperage. Any alternative charger amperage and voltage must match the original charger ratings. However, if you order a Dell manufacturer replacement charger, that might not damage your laptop.

Go By Wattage

A specific wattage is designed for all the Dell laptops that ensure their compatibility. Take, for example, if you use compatible chargers with 90W and 75W for your Dell laptop, you might receive a pop-up message of error when you switch the chargers.

On the other hand, you might not receive an error message with chargers from different brands such as Asus, Sony, or Targus with the same wattage and connection.

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Do All LENOVO Laptops Use The Same Charger?

The answer is No. All the LENOVO laptops do not use the same chargers. If you search for the 20V, 90W, and 65W adaptors, the chargers are not the same. The series before T6x/Z6x/X6x/R6x used the same 16.5 voltage but included different plugs.

You can find the difference between the adapter design from 20V and 16V adapters. By just looking at their design, you can judge that they are not the same.

Is it safe to use third party laptop Chargers?
Lenovo tip example

However, some Ideapad models have similar connectors, but they use higher power than 20V and cannot be interchanged with Thinkpad adapters. 

16V vs 20V Adapter

If your laptop uses a discrete GPU instead of an Intel GPU, which is shipped with 90 watts and 65 watts adapter, you should use higher wattage of 90 watts or above.

You can conveniently use either a 135w adapters on your laptop that uses either a 90W or 65W adapter. On the other hand, you should not use W510 with 90watts and 65 watts adapter; it will affect the functionality.

If your laptop uses a discrete graphics card and you use 65 watts adapter with it, the laptop will hold itself back from draining more power from lower power adapters.

This may result in slow charging and slow system performance when the laptop is on. Additionally, a higher wattage may cause you to run your laptop at high temperatures.

This year, all the models of Lenovo Thinkpad will use universal chargers based on USB Power Delivery 3.0 specification and a USB-C connector. That does not make you use the same charger for different Thinkpad models, but this power will be compatible with the laptop in the same series.

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Do All SURFACE Laptops Use The Same Charger?

In the Surface laptops, the chargers for Surface Pro 6, Surface Laptop 3, and Surface Pro 4 come with the same connector. You can conveniently use either of the chargers on other devices.

In the case of Surface Pro 2 and Surface Pro, you can use the chargers of Surface 2 and Surface RT laptops. Surface 2 and Surface RT provide the output of a 24 Watt power supply, which is sufficient and designed to charge the other two devices. You can also use it the other way round.

Is it safe to use third party laptop Chargers?
Microsoft Surface tip

The time taken by your laptop to charge with another charger will be different. Your laptop will take a longer time to charge than usual.

USB-C Port

If you own a USB-C charger, they work on all the Surface Laptops without causing any problems. However, you should keep few things in mind before using the USB-C charger with your Surface Laptops:

  • Make sure the USB-C charger you are using can provide equal wattage as required by your Surface Laptop.
  • If there is no power in your Surface laptop and the charger produces 60 watts of power, your Surface Laptop will turn on immediately. On the other hand, if you use a charger with less power, your laptop will not turn on until the battery is 10 percent charged. 
  • If you use a USB-A or low voltage charger, your system will charge slowly, and you might receive an error message stating, “PC is not charging.” 
  • You cannot use both a USB-C charger and Surface Connect Charger for charging your laptop. In that case, your laptop will charge from only the Surface Connect charger.
  • Surface Studio 2 comes with a USB-C port. However, it does not include a battery, which means it cannot receive power from a USB-C charger. You can only use the power chord that is particularly designed to power the Surface Studio 2.

Third-Party Compatibility

It is highly recommended not to use third-party accessories with your devices. They may be incompatible and may result in serious damage to your laptop. You should always use the original Microsoft-licensed accessories only.

Surface laptops can use the chargers from other surface laptops. However, original Surface chargers take care of the health of your Surface laptops.

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Do All APPLE Laptops Use The Same Charger? 

The Apple power adapters come in a variety of power outputs, including 96W, 87W, 85W, 61W, 60W, 45W, 30W, and 29W. The adapters are designed in a way that can charge any laptop with lower or same power ratings.

You can use the power adapter of MacBook Pro on MacBook or MacBook Air. The MacBook Pro uses an 85W power adapter, which is suitable for charging any laptop that requires 45W and 65W power.

However, you cannot charge a high wattage power laptop with a low wattage power adapter. 

In case you use a low wattage adapter for your high wattage laptop, it will not provide sufficient power to your laptop to operate effectively. Also, using different chargers for your Mac laptops won’t make the charging run faster or make your device operate differently.

Mac notebooks can be charged through MagSafe and USB-C charger cable. Mac notebook charging with MagSafe comes with a detachable AC plug, AC cable, an AC adapter, and MagSafe Connector. And, the Mac notebook charging with USB-C includes a USB-C charge cable, detachable AC plus, and Apple USB-C Power Adapter.

Is it safe to use third party laptop Chargers?
Examples of Magsafe tips

Apple USB-C Charge Cable

To enjoy the best charging performance, you can use the USB-C charge cable included with Mac notebook accessories.

The USB-C charge cable cannot work well with a high wattage power adapter as it has a power rating of 29W and 30W. Therefore, you should either use a higher or same wattage USB-C cable to charge any Apple Laptops. 

Do All ASUS Laptops Use The Same Charger?

No, all ASUS laptops do not use the same charger. You should use a laptop charger that matches the original wattage. If you provide higher wattage than expected, it might override the ohms, impedance and can fry the GPU and CPU’s vcore of your system.

Is it safe to use third party laptop Chargers?
ASUS Multi tip charger

Instructions To Use ASUS AC Adapter

You can follow the below-mentioned instructions for using the right adapter for your ASUS laptop:

  • Use only the original ASUS adapter to prevent the risk of compatibility issues.
  • If the DC Jack size is the same, make sure that the adapter specification is also the same to avoid damage.
  • Different models use different connector sizes, which can cause damage to your laptop.

Do All ACER Laptops Use The Same Charger?

Acer Laptop chargers charge the battery and provide power to your laptop. The chargers come in various models such as 90W, 75W, 65W, and 60W.

The charger’s interchangeability depends on the model of your ACER laptop and how much power it requires. As a general rule, a high power wattage adapter can charge any low power laptop. Therefore, the charging ability of the ACER chargers on ACER laptops depends on their power output capacities.

Is it safe to use third party laptop Chargers?
Acer tip example

If the ACER charger uses the same voltage, it will start charging your laptop. If the charger is not compatible, it will prompt as soon as you connect the charger with your laptop.

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Do All MSI Laptops Use The Same Charger?

Gamers generally use MSI Laptops as they require high power and voltage. The MSI charger needs to be plugged in all the time for better performance.

MSI chargers are hard to find in the market; therefore, they have their distinctive chargers with the required specifications. However, some models can use a different MSI charger, given that the voltage is either the same or higher than needed for the laptop. That way, your laptop can draw the amount of power it requires to operate efficiently.

Is it safe to use third party laptop Chargers?
MSI charger tip example

Final Thoughts

Laptops require a desired wattage and voltage to work and operate effectively. The charger comes with the laptop is designed to provide the desired power output. Many laptop models can use the same charger; however, they always risk slowing and damaging your system.

Before you use any charger with your laptop, make sure you read the specifications carefully.