Why don't high power laptops use C-port charging?
2023-01-08 Views：54
The USB Association (USB-IF) has developed a widely used fast charging standard, known as USB Power Delivery, which is one of the most widely used and used fast charging standards.
Currently the most commonly used is PD3.0, the maximum transmission power 20V5A 100W, now used in many smart devices, but in the face of today's power climbing faster and faster digital products, PD3.0 has been slightly inadequate.
So USB-IF launched a new standard PD3.1, the physical interface is still USB-C universal unchanged, the original PD3.0 based on the new 28V, 36V, 48V three voltages belong to expand the power range, the three voltages correspond to the maximum output current are 5A, the maximum output power can reach 240W.
Users may wonder, obviously after the release of the new specifications can provide full-blooded fast charging for high-performance notebooks, and even for future high-powered non-digital devices, but why the delay in high-powered needs of the game or performance book to see them on the figure.
Many manufacturers will attach various protocols to USB-C, and their own products bound to each other, making it a carrier for various fast charging and transmission protocols; in fact, the USB-C interface is just a unified shape, but the standard is very confusing.
MacBook Pro 16 2021 comes standard with the first PD3.1 GaN charger. As an example, it enables Apple's original 140W GaN charger to charge MacBook Pro 16 through the Thunderbolt 4 port with 20.23V 4.71A 95.41W.
The shape of the DC round hole, square port and other charging interfaces compared to traditional laptop charging, the body is more compact, mold design can be somewhat reduced body thickness, so it can bring more flexibility for the notebook.
The design of MagSafe, DC round hole and square hole laptop charging interfaces are not compatible with each other; and even with the same manufacturer, the charger interfaces are not compatible for different positioning of the laptop; business laptops are mostly USB-C ports, gaming notebooks and performance notebooks are mostly private interfaces.
So USB-C ports are like a Tinker Bell storage bag, all kinds of public and private protocols can be stored, the result is a rich diversity of features that can not support greater charging power (PD standard protocols are limited to 100W, even Apple equipped with Thunderbolt 4 port is also the same).
In addition, although the launch of the new PD3.1 standard, up to 240W charging power support, but both the 240W charger, 240W charging wire high production costs, or support 240W PD charging devices, almost a short period of time can not be widespread.
High-powered notebooks are generally referred to as gaming or performance notebooks, which are equipped with a dedicated charging interface to achieve higher performance release and better charging experience.
Apple's 140W GaN charger charges the MacBook Pro 16 via MagSafe 3 with 27.73V 4.92A 136.68W, which is the maximum output power of the charger and already meets the new PD3.1 standard of 28V expansion voltage range, but still requires a dedicated interface to achieve. Is it a performance notebook?
Using a Saver 230W charger for the Saver Y7000P 2021 in fast charging mode through a dedicated square port, the power meter measured 237.7W; although the Saver series has USB-C port charging or USB-C port has charging capabilities for notebooks such as the thin and light performance book Y9000x with standard voltage core display, because there is no solo display, the 95W PD adapter is also close to The PD protocol supports the maximum power, but only half the power level for "high power".
The latest Lenovo Savior Y9000X, for example, is equipped with the Intel 12th generation i7 processor in the beast mode performance release can reach more than 80W, for the current widespread popularity of 100W PD fast charging is already very close to the power ceiling, but for laptops this is only the CPU power consumption.
The big head is still behind, Saver Y9000X equipped with a 3060 graphics card performance release up to 100W, plus the power consumption of the CPU above, 180W +, if only to use 100W PD to charge then not only will not charge, but will be visible to the naked eye power loss.
Take a step back, even if 100W PD fast charging can reach the balance of income and expenditure, so that the computer does not drop power. But the laptop itself will adjust the performance (brightness, frame rate or access speed) release in real time according to the charging power, the graphics card, CPU does not achieve optimal performance.
In the past, the laptop's charging interface on the only DC round or square port charging interface, the charger is not universal, want to charge the laptop can only choose a special charger, which not only makes me think of the Android machine now uses high-power fast charging must be the same as the original charger.
Hardware, although the interface has been unified USB-C, but the different fast charging protocols at the software level does not make the fast charging protocol truly universal. But the good news is that cell phone manufacturers are now in varying degrees of compatibility with the PD fast charging standard, so that their own phones can achieve fast charging even with conventional PD chargers, only slower function.
Back to the notebook, we all know that the USB-C interface is the trend, this statement applies not only to cell phones, but also to laptops. Now USB-C has increasingly appeared on top of the body of the laptop, but the same as cell phones, power limitations lead manufacturers can not give all the charging tasks to USB-C, or the software level of the USB PD fast charging protocol. Fast charging on cell phones we each do their own thing, from the current point of view is still very difficult to unify; while the computer is because now widespread popularity of USB PD 100W fast charging limit can not meet the power needs of some performance book.
USB PD3.1 fast charging protocol has arrived, but it will take a long time to get off the ground as well as widespread commercial use. Technology often has to be launched first, followed by manufacturers to adapt. The implementation of fast charging is a case of needing chargers, wires and end devices together to support to go through. Although the MacBook Pro 16 2021 has taken the lead in supporting the PD3.1 140W fast charging standard, but it is limited to its own MagSafe interface, if you switch to support 240W fast charging C2C cable through the body of the USB-C port for computer charging up to 100W maximum also be stuck in the upper limit.
For laptops, DC charging interface is the main, USB-C interface is complementary, is currently a better situation, is now the strategy used by most notebook manufacturers, at least to achieve the original charger in addition to the use of PD chargers charging, although slower; this and now the phone's own 100-watt fast charging, third-party PD 18W, 27W fast charging, wireless charging for cell phones The same way. So, the USB-C interface is the trend, which is fine, but in terms of fast charging, in some performance notebooks, the manufacturer's own DC charging interface and universal USB-C interface will continue to exist for a long time.
Back to the original question, why high-powered notebooks do not use C port charging? On the one hand, the high cost of production of charging components and the limitations of the achievable devices, on the other hand, the current stage under the 100W PD charging power limitations, although the power is not enough, in the case of low load or shutdown can also use PD charging, but since it is a high-powered notebook, it is natural to need high performance release, the general user is side charging while using the scene, there will be less and less charging.
On the other hand there will be a marginal effect, battery capacity, graphics card, CPU performance shrinkage, manufacturers why not just make a thin and light book! So there is no real sense of positioning thin and light high-powered notebooks, and high-powered notebooks have to force a 100W charger in the case of more than 150W power consumption, which is against the mainstream high-powered notebook "heavy" mold design, and even if the configuration of the market's thin and light 100W PD charger, the overall look and feel is still "brick".
USB PD fast charging protocol of 240W power limit has just been launched shortly, the development and popularization of the technology needs time, this time may be a few years, may be a dozen years. Who knows how long the USB IF is R & D ready to launch the PD 240W standard, so we see 240W USB-C charging cap is a good thing, which at least gives manufacturers a good start to facilitate manufacturers in the charger, wire and terminal equipment above to do adaptations, and finally to the hands of users. This illustrates the saying: we are enjoying the benefits of technology, but also continue to witness the rapid development of technology.
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