Can I use the USB-C port to charge the notebook? USB-C advertised specs say I should be able to?

[Bill-NM]

Subject says it all...if the answer is no, is there a planned firmware update to allow the notebook to be charged via USB-C?

Thanks...

[David_J_W · Accepted solution]

A recent discussion in these forums indicated that notebooks that have a DC power jack can only be charged via that power jack and not via USB-C. This is presumably a hardware restriction - it makes no sense to spend the money and circuit board space implementing USB-C current sink hardware and charging circuitry when charging circuitry is provided for a power jack.

The mention of "Sleep and Charge" on the USB-C port is misleading - this is referring to the ability of the USB-C port to charge external devices when the notebook is turned off and says nothing about the ability of the notebook to be charged via USB-C.

I do not think a future BIOS update will add USB-C charging capability as firmware cannot work round hardware limitations.

HP are gradually moving towards USB-C charging except for systems with a maximum power requirement over the 100W USB Power Delivery limit (such as the ZBook mobile workstations) which stick with DC power jacks. In this case, I think the designers have opted for a power jack because of the limited number of USB ports - there are only three in total, two type A and a USB-C port. If the design included a second USB-C port, maybe they would have gone for USB-C charging. It is a bit of a shame that USB-C charging is seemingly not supported on this system, as the system appears to have DisplayPort alternate mode over USB-C support (judging by the description of the USB-C port in the User Guide) which would make the system ideally suited for USB-C docking solutions if USB-C charging was implemented.

It is a difficult balancing act for designers. Users like having USB type A ports, as so many devices still require a type A port. The development of USB-C peripherals is still rather slow; even USB-C hubs and docking stations primarily offer type A ports. However, USB-C ports are more flexible and users are gradually embracing that flexibility.

[Bill-NM]

Dave thanks for that thoughtful/thorough response...much appreciated.

You said the issue is "presumably" a hardware issue...I think you're probably right...but since it's not known (by us) for sure, then perhaps a firmware update could do the trick. That said, I won't of course be holding my breath.

In any case, I would have chosen the overall less bulk and more convenience of a USB-C port that can charge the notebook battery, esp since I already carry one of those chargers for my phone, as opposed to having to mess with the bulky notebook charger.

Thanks again.

Bill

P.S.  I looked for discussions on this matter before posting, but couldn't find anything...for whatever reason.

[David_J_W]

My feelings are the same as yours - I would prefer to have USB-C charging on any notebook that has power requirements within the USB Power Delivery limit. This opens up a wealth of scenarios for supplying and receiving power if an appropriate current sink and source is provided within the notebook - in particular the ability to fast charge a USB-C phone by connecting it to the notebook using a USB-C to USB-C cable. Unfortunately, as my notebook requirements are into ZBook territory, I have to stick with a DC power jack.

The only consolation is that your USB-C mobile phone charger is of limited or perhaps no value with a notebook. Even higher end USB-C phone chargers are typically capable of no more than about 18W (often something like 5V @ 3A and 9V @ 2A) as a phone's power requirements are rather lower than a notebook, also battery and thermal constraints limit the speed at which you can charge the phone's battery. 18W is too low to charge all but the lowest power notebooks at any reasonable speed and no use whatsoever for powering the notebook when it is turned on. Some USB-C charging notebooks refuse to take power from a source capable of providing less than 25-30W (depending on the model) as discussed in this article (click). You really want a minimum of 45W charging capacity for any charger or power bank you intend to use with a notebook.

In time, I am sure USB-C charging will mature further, not least through improvements in charger and power bank technology. A combination of increased energy efficiency of notebooks (not least as transistor sizes shrink) and perhaps an increase in the 100W power limit in a future revision of the USB Power Delivery standard (which may well require the use of voltages above 20V to stick within the 5A limit for cables and the current capacity of the small pins in the USB-C socket; perhaps 30V @ 5A for 150W) will hopefully bring higher power requirement notebooks into scope for USB-C charging. I look forward to the greater flexibility USB-C offers - but for now, my notebook requirements mean USB-C charging is limited to my phone and tablet.

[Bill-NM]

Dave,

This is the charger I have for my phone...it claims 43.5 watts, but maybe that's the output wattage only if all four ports are being charged simultaneously...it's not clear if it can output all 43.5 watts to a single port:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N2HIR9R/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks again for the good information.

--

Bill

[David_J_W]

I like and use Anker chargers - I find them to be good quality products. There's a similar Anker multiport unit next to me that is charging my Samsung Galaxy S8+ phone, my Huawei Watch 2, my Bluetooth headset and an Anker power bank.

43.5W is the total rated power output for all ports. If you look at the manual, the Quick Charge 3.0 port is 18W (the highest output options are 9V @ 2A and 12V @ 1.5A). Not only is the output limited to 18W, but a USB Type A QC 3.0 port with a Type A to USB-C cable is, so far as I am aware, limited to Qualcomm's signalling method rather than the signalling method from the USB Power Delivery 3.0 standard using the dedicated pin on the USB-C connector.

In time, I expect Quick Charge over USB Type A to disappear and standards compliant USB Power Delivery over USB-C to take over. Anker do make a handful of chargers where the 'fast' port is USB Power Delivery over USB-C but that is not the predominant standard yet. Indeed, I am unsure whether the likes of my Galaxy S8+ will fast charge from a USB Power Delivery over USB-C port - I hope it will, but I have never tried it. (My phone is the international Exynos variant as I am in the UK, not the Snapdragon variant that I believe was supplied in the US).