Laptop charger compatibility is very important for anyone that has a laptop. Like most things, laptop chargers have a limited lifespan. Most of them will stop working at some point. But if you need a replacement, you can’t just buy any random charger you come across. The new charger has to be compatible with your laptop.
How To Check Laptop Charger Compatibility?
If you want to identify the right replacement charger, I want you to start by checking the laptop’s manual. It will show you the specs you need to look for in a new charger. If you can’t find the manual, visit the manufacturer’s website. It will tell you everything you need to know.
Make sure you know your laptop’s model number. it is written on a sticker somewhere on the laptop. You can use it to match the laptop to the right adapter. You have to get the following factors right:
1). Adapter Has Same Voltage As That Of Laptop
The voltage of the adapter has to be the same as the voltage of the laptop. In most cases, laptops can tolerate chargers whose voltage rating is either slightly higher or slightly lower. But you have no way of predicting the reaction you will get from your laptop by pairing it with a charger whose voltage varies. This is why you are better off getting a charger with an identical voltage.
2). Adapter Has the Same Amperage As That Of Laptop
The amperage of the charger should be equal to the amperage of the laptop. The amperage of the charger can also be greater. But it can’t be lower.
3). Adapter And Laptop Have The Same Polarity
The plus and minus signs will show you the polarity of the charger and the laptop. Naturally, the charger and the laptop should have the same polarity.
The specs you need are normally printed on the battery. Though, you can also find the voltage and wattage in the settings of the machine. If you can match the specs of the laptop to the specs of the charger, you should be fine.
Though, the size of the charger is just as important. If the connector of the charger cannot enter the charging port of the laptop, you cannot use that charger. The specs do not matter in such a scenario.
A connector can be too big or too small. Both cases are problematic. A big connector won’t enter the charging point. But you cannot secure a small connector in the charging point. It will keep falling out.
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How Do I Know If My Laptop Charger Is Compatible?
The easiest way to determine laptop charger compatibility is to check the specs of the charger. Compare them to the specs of the laptop. If the rating of the charger does not match the rating of the laptop, that laptop charger is incompatible.
You can also determine laptop charger compatibility by looking at the manual. If the specs of the charger recommended by the manual do not match the specs of the charger you have purchased, you have every reason to assume that your laptop charger of choice is incompatible.
Some people think that they can test incompatibility by plugging a charger into a laptop and waiting to see whether or not the laptop charges. This method can work. Some laptops will reject an incompatible laptop charger, refusing to charge the battery altogether.
Other models will charge the battery but they will continuously warn the user to replace the charger with a compatible option. You also have laptops that will only charge when you switch them off.
But you shouldn’t test a charger’s compatibility by connecting it to a laptop. An incompatible charger can inflict lasting damage on a laptop. Many laptops won’t bother to warn you that your charger is incompatible until the damage is done.
What Happens If You Charge Your Laptop With The Wrong Charger?
If the charger has the wrong pin, it won’t even enter the charging port. If the pin can enter the charging port but the wattage of the charger is lower than the specs of the laptop, the laptop’s battery may discharge even though the laptop is plugged in.
You can also expect the battery to take longer to charge. It may not charge in the first place because the charger cannot transmit enough current. If the wattage is too high, you may reduce the lifespan of the laptop because it is running faster and hotter than normal.
All in all, it is a bad idea to use the wrong charger because it may damage the laptop. This is why you need to check the manual before you make any purchases. The manual will tell you what to look for in a laptop charger.
Can I Use A Different Brand Charger For My Laptop?
When it comes to buying a replacement charger, you can select an OEM charger, universal charger, or a third-party charger. OEM charger is the charger that came with your laptop when you first got it. OEM chargers are made by third-party entities that are working on behalf of the laptop manufacturer.
If you get one, it will work just like the original charger. However, OEM chargers are expensive and difficult to come by. While an OEM charger is designed to work with a specific machine, the same universal charger can work with a wide variety of laptop brands and models.
Universal chargers are cheaper and easier to acquire. This is true for third-party laptop chargers as well. Unlike universal chargers, third-party chargers are typically designed to work with specific laptops.
In fact, they are supposed to act as a replacement for OEM chargers. But they are not made by OEM manufacturers. The existence of universal chargers proves that you can use a charger from a different brand to power your laptop.
However, the response you will get depends on the type of laptop. Some laptops come with chargers that have unique sizes and designs. Therefore, you cannot replace them with chargers from other brands.
But if the specs are the same, and the connector pin of the charger can enter the charging port of the laptop, you are free to use a charger from a different brand to power your laptop, unless your laptop’s manual says otherwise.
Some laptops have mechanisms that can determine whether or not the charger you have selected is appropriate. If you connect a charger from a different brand, they will reject it.
Laptop Charger Compatible List
Acer
Acer | Tip |
Aspire 5612WLMi,3025WLMi,5023WLMi, 5100-3372,5610 series,5633WLMi,7720, 9502WSMi,9503EWSMi, 9504EWSMi,9504WSMi | 201 |
TravelMate 2100, 2420, 2430, 2490, 2600, 2700, 3240, 3280, 3290, 3900, 4200 series, 4210, 4220, 4230, 4230-6499, 4230-6704, 4260, 4270, 4280, 4401LMi, 4672WLMi, 5110, 5610, 5620, 6410, 6410-6189, 6410-6248, 6460, 6460-6263, 6460-6752, 6479, 6500, 8200, 8202WXMi, 8204WLMi, 8210 | 201 |
Aspire5570z, 5580-6432 | 102 |
AcerNote 367D, 367T, 390 | 206 |
Anywhere 1100LX, 1120LX | 206 |
Extensa366D, 367D, 367T, 368D, 391C, 391T, 392C, 392T, 393, 393C, 393T, 394T, 395T, 900, 900CDT, 900T, Ess3-391T | 206 |
TravelMate 512DX, 512T | 104 |
Aspire 1200, 1680, 1690, 2001LCi, 2002LCi, 2002LMi, 2003LMi, 2012WLCi, 2012WLMi, 2025WLMi, 3000, 3002LC, 3002LMi, 3003WLMi, 3022WLMi, 3050-1047, 3050-1594, 3618AWLCi, 3634WLMi, 3680-2022, 3680-2633, 3690-2710, 5002WLMi, 5024, 5050-5278, 5100-3357, 5100-3577, 5100-3583, 5100-3825, 5100-3959, 5100-5328, 5100-5540, 5100-5840, 5100-5873, 5110-5447, 5570-2609, 5570-2758, 5570-2792, 5570-2935, 5570-4421, 5680-6509, 9410-4923 | 207 |
Extensa 2300 | 207 |
Ferrari 5005WLMi-FR | 207 |
Tablet TMC104TCi, TMC110TCi, TMC110Ti | 207 |
TravelMate2200, 222X, 223X, 225X, 225XC, 225XV-PRO, 2300, 2301LC, 2301LCi, 2301WLCi, 2301XC, 2303LC, 2303LCi, 2304LCi, 2304WLCi, 230X, 230XC, 230XV, 230XV-PRO, 2310, 233LC, 233X, 233XV, 233XVi, 234LCi, 2350, 2400, 2450, 2460, 2470, 2480, 2480-2153, 2480-2551, 2480-2705, 2480-2779, 261XC, 261XV, 272LC, 272XV, 273LC, 273XV, 281XC, 281XV, 283LC, 283LCi, 283XV, 283XVi, 290, 292, 3000, 3002WTMi, 3004WTMi, 3010, 3020, 3030, 3040, 3200, 3210, 3220, 3230, 3250, 3260, 3270, 3270-6569, 3300, 350TE, 350TE-N, 351TE-N, 351TEV, 351TEV-D, 351TEV-N, 353TEV, 354TEV, 380, 4000, 4000LCi, 4000WLCi, 4001LCi, 4001WLCi, 4001WLMi, 4002WLMi, 4010, 4020, 4050, 4060, 4070, 4080, 4100, 4150, 4501WLMi, 4502WLMi, 4600, 4650, 6000, 6003LMi, 6020, 6030, 6050, 6050NT, 610TXVi, 610TXVi-Me, 611TXCi, 611TXCi-d, 611TXV, 612TXCi, 612TXV, 613TXV, 614TXCi, 630XCi, 630XV, 632XCi, 633LCi, 634XCi, 636LCi, 661LCi, 662LMi, 730TXV, 732TLV, 732TXV, 734TL, 734TXV, 735TLV, 736TL, 736TLV, 737TLV, 738TLV, 739GTLV, 739TLV, 740LVF, 741LVF, 744LCF, 8000, 8002LCi, 8003LMi, 8006LMi, 800LCi, 800XCi, 802LCi, 803LCi, 804LMi, 8100, 8100A, 8103WLMi,8104WLMi, C110, C200, C210, C301XCi, C301XCi-G, C301XCi-G-SP, C302XCi, C302XMi, C303XMi, C310, TM279, TM360, TM370, TM380, TM520, TM530, TM620, TMC113LCi | 207 |
Asus
Asus | Tip |
A1 series, F7 series, F7000, L1 series, L7 series, L7000, L7000C, L7200, L7300, L8 series, M1 series, M5, M5N, M8 series, S1 series, S200, S200N, S300N, S5, S5N, S8 series, T9 series, M5200N, S5200N, GRANDIO F7400 | 102 |
Dell
Dell | Tip |
Inspiron: 1200, 1300, 2200, 3000, 3200, 3500, 7000, B120, B130 Latitude: 110L | 206 |
Inspiron: 1150, 1420, 1501, 1520, 1521, 1720, 1721, 300M, 500M, 510M, 6000, 600M, 630M, 6400, 640M, 700M, 710M, 8500, 8600, 9200, 9300, 9400, E1405, E1505, E1705 Latitude: 131L, ATG, D400, D410, D420, D430, D500, D505, D510, D520, D531, D600, D610, D620, D630, D800, D810, D820, D830, L100, X1, X300 Precision: M20, M60, M65, M70, M2300, M4300 XPS: M140, M1210, M1330 | 202 |
Lenovo
Lenovo | Tip |
ThinkPad: 240, 240X, 290, 365, 365XD, 380, 380D, 380E, 380ED, 380XD, 380Z, 385, 385D, 385ED, 385XD, 390, 390E, 390X, 560, 560E, 560X, 560Z, 570, 600, 600E, 600X, 701, 770, 770E, 770ED, 770X, 770Z, A20, A20m, A20p, A21, A21e, A21m, A21p, A22, A22e, A22m, A22p, A30, A30p, A31, A31p, A50, A50p, A51p, i1200, i1300, i1400-2621, i1500-2621, i1720, i1721, R30, R31, R32, R40, R40e, R50, R50e, R50p, R51, R51e, R52, T20, T21, T22, T23, T30, T40, T40p, T41, T41p, T42, T42p, T43, T43p, X20, X21, X22, X23, X24, X30, X31, X32, X40, X41, X41 Tablet, Transnote | 104 |
ThinkPad: R60, R60e, R61, T60, T60p, T61, X60, X60 Tablet, X60s, Z60m, Z60t, Z61e, Z61m, Z61p, Z61t, 3000 C200, 3000C C100, 3000N N100, 3000V V100 | 204 |