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June 11th, 2023 07:00
Power supply rating
I currently have an Inspiron laptop around five years old and the AC power adaptor is rated at 45W. I am looking to purchase a Precision laptop replacement but shocked to discover the rating has shot up to 130W. I also notice the new Inspiron laptops are now sold with a 130W adaptor.
What has happened? As a rule I always keep my laptop plugged in and this becomes a necessity when the battery eventually gives out after a few years. A couple of years ago I would not have baulked at this but electricity is expensive now!
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filbert
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June 11th, 2023 11:00
A higher rate of battery drain, caused by more power-hungry components, requires a higher-wattage AC adapter to maintain a charge and/or charge the battery while the system is running.
Inspiron comprises many models with a range of component options. And, there is the G-series of gaming laptops.
I don't know.
There is a lot of corporate greenwashing in the computer industry.
filbert
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June 11th, 2023 08:00
I agree with you. Electricity should be considered as a scarce resource, both financially and environmentally. Both desktop and laptop computers have increasing power needs.
The reason is that manufacturers now use much more power-hungry components. Many require a 130-watt adapter or a 180-watt adapter. Some Alienware laptops require a 330-watt adapter.
You can reduce your power needs by selecting lower-performance CPU, FHD screen rather than higher-resolution, integrated graphics rather than discrete graphics, etc. That's the tradeoff: if you want lower electricity needs, you must select lesser-performing options.
rsquest
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June 11th, 2023 11:00
Thanks for your thoughts. You say manufacturers use more power hungry components but these are laptops that run off a battery; the adapter is simply keeping the battery topped up. And I cannot see much difference between the Inspiron spec from five years ago and now.
Do you know whether these adaptors reduce their power consumption when the battery is fully charged?
Certainly this sort of claim needs to be called out -
https://www.dell.com/en-us/blog/getting-to-net-zero-it-takes-an-entire-company/#:~:text=and%20in%20the%20energy%20intensity%20of%20our%20products
ejn63
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June 12th, 2023 09:00
You can buy a Toyota Corolla and get 35-40 mpg, with moderate performance and the ability to carry five people.
You can also buy a Mustang GT500, which carries two people plus two children with fuel consumption of 12-18 mpg.
The Inspiron you ask about is the Corolla; the Precision is the GT500.
You can no more power a Precision with a 45W adapter than you can get 35-40 mpg from a GT500.
rsquest
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June 12th, 2023 11:00
Nice attempt with the analogy but it is wrong; like I mentioned in my first post the Inspiron and Precision laptops both have 130W adaptors now.