A laptop needs a charger with the right connector and enough power (watts). The wattage is printed on the charger's label. A charger with more watts than your laptop needs is safe; one with fewer watts may not charge it, or may stop it starting.
Connector types
| Connector | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| USB-C | Small oval plug that fits either way up. Must be a laptop charger (USB-C PD). Phone chargers are too weak. |
| Dell 4.5 mm | Thin round plug with a centre pin |
| Dell 7.4 mm | Thicker round plug with a centre pin, on older and high-power models |
| HP 4.5 mm blue tip | Thin round plug with a blue ring |
| HP 7.4 mm | Thicker round plug, on older EliteBooks and ZBooks |
| Lenovo slim tip | Flat rectangular plug, yellow or black inside |
| Surface Connect | Thin magnetic plug that clicks onto the side |
| MagSafe | Magnetic plug on MacBooks: MagSafe 2 (2012–2015) or MagSafe 3 (2021 onwards) |
Which charger suits my model?
This is a guide to the models we sell most. Always check the label on the charger we supplied or the product description.
| Brand | Models | Connector | Typical wattage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dell | Latitude 5320, 5420, 5520, 5430, 5530, 7210, 7310, 7320, 7410, 7420, 7430 | USB-C | 65 W |
| Dell | Latitude 5400, 5410, 5500, 5510, 3000 series | 4.5 mm (some also USB-C) | 65 W, or 90 W with dedicated graphics |
| Dell | Latitude 5411, 5511 | 4.5 mm | 130 W |
| Dell | Older Latitude E-series (E5470, E6440, E7470) | 7.4 mm or 4.5 mm | 65 to 90 W |
| Dell | Precision 5550, 5560, 5570, XPS 15 | USB-C | 130 W |
| Dell | Precision 3000 and 7000 series | 4.5 mm or 7.4 mm | 90 to 240 W |
| Dell | OptiPlex Micro (3070 to 7090, 7000) | 4.5 mm | 65 W (T processors) to 90, 130 or 180 W |
| HP | EliteBook 830, 840, 850 G5 and later, EliteBook x360, ProBook G8 and later, ZBook Firefly | USB-C | 45 to 65 W |
| HP | EliteBook G1 to G4, ProBook G1 to G7 | 4.5 mm blue tip (some also USB-C) | 45 to 65 W |
| HP | EliteDesk and ProDesk Mini (600, 800 G3 to G6) | 4.5 mm blue tip | 65 W, or 90 W for standard processors |
| HP | ZBook 15, 17 and Fury | 4.5 mm blue tip or 7.4 mm | 150 to 230 W |
| Lenovo | ThinkPad T, X, L and E from 2018 (T480, X280 onwards), X1 Carbon, X1 Yoga, X12, X13 | USB-C | 45 to 65 W |
| Lenovo | Older ThinkPads (T440 to T470, X240 to X270), ThinkCentre Tiny (M720q, M920q, M70q) | Slim tip | 45 to 135 W |
| Lenovo | ThinkPad P-series workstations (P1, P15, P16, P52, P53) | Slim tip | 135 to 230 W |
| Microsoft | Surface Pro 3 to 9, Surface Laptop, Surface Book, Surface Go | Surface Connect (newer models also charge by USB-C) | 24 to 127 W |
| Apple | MacBook Air M1, MacBook Pro 13" (2016–2022) | USB-C | 30 to 67 W |
| Apple | MacBook Air M2 and later, MacBook Pro 14" and 16" (2021 onwards) | MagSafe 3 or USB-C | 30 to 140 W |
Wall leads: most laptop chargers use a C5 "cloverleaf" lead. Some Surface chargers and small power bricks use a C7 "figure-8" lead. Desktops and monitors use a C13 "kettle" lead.
Signs of a charger that's too small
- A "slow charger" or "unknown adapter" warning at start-up
- The battery drains while plugged in, or won't charge while you're working
- A Mini PC beeps or flashes lights and won't start
Received the wrong charger? Send us a photo of the charger's label and your order number through the Contact Us page. We'll send the correct one by express post. Chargers bought elsewhere aren't covered by our warranty.
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