I took a MacBook charger like this one from my aunt and plugged it into my area51m r1’s thunderbolt port and then check if there was any issues and there wasn’t.
@cshelt For a long time, Dell laptops have been limited to 65W from non-Dell USB-C sources. But that seems to have changed at least for the XPS 15 9500, where users have confirmed being able to push 90W from a non-Dell source. I don't know if 100W was tested. Dell itself has a 130W USB-C charger that exceeds the formal USB PD spec, which is designed for systems like the XPS 15, but that requires system-side support, and some Inspiron systems designed for 130W don't support pulling that over USB-C, even from Dell's own charger.
But pleasezdo post back if you find an answer, and I will update this thread. And for what it's worth, I have this 90W dual port charger. The fact that it uses GaN means it's quite small for its output, and more importantly for my purposes it can split its 90W output across its two ports in multiple ways: 90/0, 60/30, and 45/45. Some other multi-port chargers aren't as flexible. For example, I have an Anker 60W dual port charger, which can output 60W out of either port when used on its own, but if you charge two devices, it can only do 30/30. It can't do a 45/15 split, for example.
I can now confirm that the Alienware r3 lineup does not receive the upgrade the new XPS laptops are receiving, as mine is only charging at 65 watts off a 90 watt third party block. That is of course a little bit of a let down since they both released right around the same time as one another. Again dell does not mention any kind of power draw rating for the Alienware laptops so I am unsure just how much wattage one of these could pull from a dell branded usb-c charger. That is a direction that I am not really interested in going since I was hoping that I could simply use a wall wart style charging brick and not the more traditional laptop style charging brick design that dell uses. If dell would either stop using their proprietary usb charging settings or make a more portable charging design (like the mac pros) then I would be happy, but alas, it's apparently not meant to be.
A51-06
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September 14th, 2020 11:00
I took a MacBook charger like this one from my aunt and plugged it into my area51m r1’s thunderbolt port and then check if there was any issues and there wasn’t.
FYI it’s a 96watt Charger.
https://www.amazon.com/Apple-96W-USB-C-Power-Adapter/dp/B081FVQCHQ/ref=psdc_11041841_t1_B07ZVSKR2N
cshelt
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September 16th, 2020 06:00
Just to clarify, you were able to charge the laptop with the full 96w the charger could provide?
jphughan
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September 16th, 2020 07:00
@cshelt For a long time, Dell laptops have been limited to 65W from non-Dell USB-C sources. But that seems to have changed at least for the XPS 15 9500, where users have confirmed being able to push 90W from a non-Dell source. I don't know if 100W was tested. Dell itself has a 130W USB-C charger that exceeds the formal USB PD spec, which is designed for systems like the XPS 15, but that requires system-side support, and some Inspiron systems designed for 130W don't support pulling that over USB-C, even from Dell's own charger.
But pleasezdo post back if you find an answer, and I will update this thread. And for what it's worth, I have this 90W dual port charger. The fact that it uses GaN means it's quite small for its output, and more importantly for my purposes it can split its 90W output across its two ports in multiple ways: 90/0, 60/30, and 45/45. Some other multi-port chargers aren't as flexible. For example, I have an Anker 60W dual port charger, which can output 60W out of either port when used on its own, but if you charge two devices, it can only do 30/30. It can't do a 45/15 split, for example.
A51-06
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September 16th, 2020 13:00
That’s useful info.
cshelt
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September 17th, 2020 14:00
I can now confirm that the Alienware r3 lineup does not receive the upgrade the new XPS laptops are receiving, as mine is only charging at 65 watts off a 90 watt third party block. That is of course a little bit of a let down since they both released right around the same time as one another. Again dell does not mention any kind of power draw rating for the Alienware laptops so I am unsure just how much wattage one of these could pull from a dell branded usb-c charger. That is a direction that I am not really interested in going since I was hoping that I could simply use a wall wart style charging brick and not the more traditional laptop style charging brick design that dell uses. If dell would either stop using their proprietary usb charging settings or make a more portable charging design (like the mac pros) then I would be happy, but alas, it's apparently not meant to be.
A51-06
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September 18th, 2020 08:00
Sorry about that.