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108781
XPS 15-9550, how do I charge my through the USB Type-C port?
I tried to charge it by using my type c phone charger but it doen't work, it there a requirement for the chargers?
2 Posts
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108781
I tried to charge it by using my type c phone charger but it doen't work, it there a requirement for the chargers?
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jphughan
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May 8th, 2018 11:00
One further point of clarification: The 60W is the minimum power that the charger must provide in order for the system to use it. However, the system itself is designed for a 130W power source. This means that if you want to charge the system while it powered off, then 60W will be fine -- but if you try to actually USE the system with a 60W source, you may observe CPU and/or GPU throttling, and under extreme loads you may continue to see the battery drain (just more slowly than it would otherwise) because the system will be trying to make up the power deficit by drawing from the battery even while it's plugged into a 60W charger. If you've looked into USB Power Delivery, you'll notice that the official maximum power rating is 100W. Dell docks that connect via the USB-C port use some proprietary setup that allows them to deliver 130W over USB-C, thereby allowing systems like the XPS 15 to be used with their docks without any performance penalty, but you won't find an aftermarket 130W USB-C charger.
So even if you do get a 60W charger, I would consider it a travel-only device meant primarily for charging while asleep/powered off. If you want an additional full functionality charger for convenience, then you should buy a proper Dell 130W AC adapter.
jphughan
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May 8th, 2018 10:00
An XPS 15 requires a charger that supports the USB-PD (Power Delivery) spec and offers at least 60W of power. Your phone charger is probably just a regular non-PD charger that happens to use a Type-C connector but offers no actual charging capabilities beyond a typical regular USB charger, which means it probably only provides 5-18W of power. The aftermarket for USB-PD chargers that support 60W charging is pretty small, and it doesn't help that the first wave of chargers were shown to be poorly designed, creating risks ranging from damaging your equipment to a fire hazard. I'm personally waiting for a single charger that offers a USB-C connector that can do 60W as well as 2-3 USB-A ports to handle accessories, and that can deliver max power out of all ports simultaneously. Doesn't exist yet, at least not from a reputable vendor.
I love dell so much
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May 8th, 2018 14:00
Caranx
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September 10th, 2018 00:00
I bought an asus mx27uc usb-c monitor hoping it would do it all, it outputs 60 watts and pushes picture and sound through usb-c fine. Just doesn't charge my xps 15 9550!
jphughan
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September 12th, 2018 07:00
That's because the XPS is designed for a 130W source, and the only way it supports USB-C charging at all is through some proprietary mechanism that Dell is using in order to exceed the 100W limit of the formal USB Power Delivery spec. But even if it had worked, I would have recommended that you continue connecting the system's normal AC adapter, or try to disable the charging capability, or else use some other solution to send display, audio, and USB traffic to the display. The reason is that if USB-C charging at 60W had worked at all, the system very likely would have throttled its performance in order to try to operate from an undersized power source. In extreme cases it could even continue draining the battery while plugged in to make up the power deficit, but it tries to cut back its power demands first -- in which case you would essentially have been slowing your system down every time you were plugged into your display.
reora
6 Posts
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January 30th, 2019 14:00
your wish has been granted...
just got one of these...
Satechi 75W Dual Type-C PD Travel Charger Adapter with 2 USB-C PD & 2 USB 3.0
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07M97XGNZ
jphughan
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January 30th, 2019 18:00
That charger only supplies 60W out of its higher-powered USB-C output, so as I mentioned above, you will very likely experience reduced performance if you try to use your system while that charger is connected. But if you just want to use it as a travel charger to top up your system overnight while it's not running and the extra charge time from the lower wattage isn't an issue, then I agree it's a nice option. I myself have a Nekteck 65W USB-C charger and then I carry a quad-port USB-A charger as well. I thought about a product very much like this, but then I realized that when I travel, I often end up wanting to plug my laptop in at a different spot than my phone, e.g. desk vs. nightstand, so I like having separate USB-C and USB-A chargers. Plus the USB-A charger can do up to 2.4 amps (12W) out of all 4 ports simultaneously, whereas all of the chargers I've found like this only offer 2.4 amps max total output across all ports. The Nektek also plugs directly into the wall rather than having a cord, which I like. One catch with the 65W charger though is that if you want 65W, you need to use USB-C cables rated for up to 100W. Standard USB-C cables are only rated for up to 60W, and if you use one of those, the charger will only offer 60W.
mydjtl
2 Posts
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August 23rd, 2019 18:00
does it work
lukyluke112
1 Message
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January 16th, 2020 21:00
There are 130W usb-c chargers from dell now for a different XPS 15 (see here). Can I use this for my 9550 model?