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USB-C high power output (85-100 watt) chargers and battery packs for Surface and premium laptops

Writer: goldenstateservicesj
goldenstateservicesj
Mar 28, 2018
14 min read

[Updated 2021/08/23 with new models plus USB-IF certification numbers where available]

Introduction

To follow-up from my previous Surface power supply article, I wanted to point out how easy it is to find USB-C chargers and battery packs lately. A search on Amazon returns more than 10,000 results. But if you have a premium laptop like the Surface Book 2 or MacBook Pro, you don’t want just any USB charger – you probably want the most capable charger that can supply 20 volts at 4+ amps (80-watts+) that meets or exceeds the OEM charger so you can be assured of the same performance. Here is a handy list of the most powerful readily available USB-C chargers and battery packs for premium laptops. I compare the travel weights, charge rates, and features of each power supply and battery pack so you can make an informed choice.

AC/Mains Wall chargers (85-100 watt class)

In this list we’ve collected technical details about various high-power USB-C chargers including USB-IF certification, PD mode 2.0 vs 3.0, maximum charge rates, travel weight, and whether AC/Mains and USB-C cable ends are detachable or not to help our customers and the broader Surface Community make an informed decision.

Few broadly available chargers support the maximum 100 watts power delivery (20V @ 5A) although many support ~80-90W. Laptops capable of receiving 100W via USB-C rarely do so and typically step down to lower charge rates quickly as battery temperatures rise. Most laptops will get similar charge speeds across the 80-100 watt class. For long term durability and performance, the exact wattage rating is less important than the quality of the charger. USB-IF certification provides good assurance of compatibility, reliability, and safety so the article focuses on those. Popular non-certified devices are listed as well for comparison since some are also high quality.

This is not intended to be a comprehensive list, its meant to be an array of chargers with the best specs and unique features.

USB-IF Certified

100 Watt class

There are few consumer oriented 100 watt PD USB-IF certified power supplies. With more powerful laptops requiring >90W PD charging for best performance, expect to see more chargers available in 2021.

  • USB-IF certified TID: 3843 (~$32)

  • PD 3.0

  • GaN technology

  • 100W PD output (20 volts @ 5 amps)

  • includes non-detachable 2-prong AC/Mains folding power plug (international adapter included with some models)

  • one USB-C receptacle

  • includes detachable USB-C charge cable

  • 225g / 0.5 pounds without cable

  • White or black

  • Available on Amazon USA

j5Create JUP2290 (KaiJet/MCT) (~$50)

  • USB-IF certified TID: 3272 / 4169 / 5614

  • PD 3.0 with PDO

  • 100W PD output (20 volts @ 5 amps) (the j5Create product website lists this as a 90W output contrary to the certification. Perhaps this works around one of the regulations in the EU?)

  • USB A port 5V@2.4A

  • includes non-detachable USB type-C charge cable

  • includes detachable two-prong AC/Mains power plug

  • black color

  • ~0.7 pounds

  • available at j5Create.com

  • TID: 4170

  • PD 3.0

  • GaN technology

  • 100W PD output (20 volts @ 5 amps)

  • This may be an alternate TID for 3843 CE-Link model and may not launch separately

Alogic WCG1X100 (WCG1X100-UK / WCG1X100-EU / WCG1X100-US)

  • TID: 4066 / 4201 / 4202 /4416 / 4417 / 4490

  • PD 3.0

  • GaN technology

  • 100W PD output (20 volts @ 5 amps)

  • Not available in USA as of February 2021

Sanho HJG100US

  • TID: 6061 / 6022

  • PD 3.1

Panasonic CF-AAP102HM1

  • TID: 5825

  • PD 3.1

IOGear GPAW100W

  • TID: 5467

  • PD 3.1

EnerGear ATRODM100

  • TID: 5231

  • PD 3.1

85-99 watt class

Nekteck TC-AC-90W / NK-ACTC-90W (~$30)

  • USB-IF certified TID: 1200084 / 3953

  • PD 2.0

  • 90W PD output (20 volts @ 4.5 amps)

  • includes non-detachable USB type-C charge cable

  • includes non-detachable two-prong AC/Mains power plug

  • black color

  • 0.5 pounds

  • available at Amazon

  • TID: 1977

  • PD 3.0 with PDO

  • 90W PD output (20 volts @ 4.5 amps)

  • includes detachable USB-IF certified 5A USB type-C charge cable

  • includes non-detachable two-prong AC/Mains power plug

  • black color

  • 1 pound (including cable)

  • Available at ebay (affiliate link)

  • TID: 1100084 / 2776 / 3450

  • PD 3.0

  • 87W / 90W PD output (20 volts @ 4.35-4.5 amps)

  • includes non-detachable USB type-C charge cable (very short cable according to reviews)

  • includes non-detachable two-prong AC/Mains power plug

  • black color

  • ~0.77 pounds

  • available at Amazon

NekTeck TC-ACPD-95W / NWC9002BK

  • TID: 3951 / 3952

  • PD 3.0

  • 87W / 90W PD output (20 volts @ 4.35-4.5 amps)

  • includes detachable USB type-C charge cable (6 feet)

  • includes non-detachable two-prong AC/Mains power plug

  • Not available in all markets

  • TID: 1892

  • PD 3.0

  • 87W PD output (20 volts @ 4.3 amps) with 95W total output power

  • includes detachable USB-IF certified 5A USB type-C charge cable

  • includes non-detachable two-prong AC/Mains power plug

  • includes one USB-C receptacle and two USB-A receptacles

  • black color

  • 1 pound (including cable)

  • Available at ebay (affiliate link)

  • TID: 1014 /1366

  • PD 3.0 with PDO

  • 87W PD output (20V @ 4.35A) with 90W total output power

  • includes detachable 2-prong IEC 7 AC/Mains cable

  • does not include USB-C charge cable

  • 1 USB-C receptacle

  • 3 USB-A receptacles – QC 3.0 up to 19.5W on each port, but total power supply limited to 90W

  • 0.8 pounds

  • black

  • TID: 268 / 194 / 1249 / 1248

  • PD 3.0

  • 86W PD output (20 volts @ 4.3 amps) with ~112W total output power

  • includes detachable USB-IF certified 5A USB type-C charge cable

  • includes non-detachable two-prong AC/Mains power plug

  • includes one USB-C receptacle and four USB-A receptacles

  • black color

  • 1.32 pounds (including cable)

  • available at Amazon

  • TID: 1100019 / 1020059 / 3267

  • PD 3.0

  • 85W PD output (20 volts @ 4.25 amps)

  • includes detachable USB type-C charge cable (6 feet)

  • includes detachable two-prong AC/Mains power plug

  • includes one USB-C receptacle

  • black or white color

  • ~0.5 pounds

  • Nathan K’s notes

  • available at Amazon

Not USB-IF certified

Many of these are high quality (check reviews) even if they are not USB-IF certified. Note that USB-IF does not yet have a testing protocol for chargers with more than 1 USB-C port. Properly designed multi-port chargers will intelligently split the power delivery when multiple devices are connected to not over-drive the charger. Poorly designed chargers can get extremely hot when multiple devices are connected.

100 watt class

There are quite a few brands with very similar GaN technology 100W class chargers. GaN technology does not imply high quality – it does imply that a charger will run cooler, weigh less, and be more compact compared to non-GaN. Do pay attention to the reviews on the cheaper models. Notable GaN and non-GaN chargers are below

  • PD 3.0 with PPS 3.3

  • 100-watt PD output (20 volts @ 5 amps)

  • includes folding two-prong AC/Mains power plug

  • does not include USB-C cable

  • Two USB-C ports and 1 USB-A ports (with intelligent power splitting between ports 100/0/0, 87/30, 60/60, 60/30/30)

  • Uses high-efficiency GaN+SiC chipset

  • white or black color

  • ~0.5 pounds

  • available on Amazon

Hyper HJ-GAN100 ($69 pre-order)

  • PD 2.0

  • 100-watt PD output (20 volts @ 5 amps)

  • includes detachable two-prong AC/Mains cable

  • does not include USB-C cable

  • Two USB-C ports and 2 USB-A ports (2.4A)

  • white color

  • ~0.84 pounds

  • available at Amazon

  • PD 2.0

  • 100-watt PD output (20 volts @ 5 amps)

  • includes non-detachable integrated USB type-C charge cable

  • requires separate detachable three-prong AC/Mains cable

  • AC/Mains cable is 3-prong – no “touch current” or touchpad interference issues

  • OEM replacement power supply for Wacom Mobile Studio Pro devices

  • black color

  • ~1.1 pounds (with AC/Mains cable)

  • available at Amazon

  • PD 3.0

  • 100-watt PD output (20 volts @ 5amps)

  • includes detachable USB-C cable

  • includes folding two-prong AC/Mains power plug

  • includes international adapters (EU/UK/AU)

  • white color

  • 0.75 pounds

  • additional USB A port supports BC 1.2 protocol

  • Available at Amazon

  • PD 2.0

  • 100-watt PD output (20 volts @ 5 amps)

  • includes detachable two-prong AC/Mains power cable

  • does not include USB-C cable

  • Silver or Black color

  • 1.05 pounds

  • two USB-C ports and 2 USB-A ports (2.4A)

  • Available at Amazon

  • PD 3.0 with PPS

  • 100-watt PD output (20 volts @ 5 amps)

  • does not include USB-C cable

  • includes detachable 2-prong AC/Mains cable

  • white color

  • 0.75 pounds (with AC/Mains cable)

  • additional USB A ports support QC3.0 and BC 1.2 protocols

  • Available at Amazon

 85-99 watt class

  • PD 3.0

  • 96-watt PD output (20.5 volts @ 4.7 amps)

  • requires separate detachable charge cable

  • includes detachable two-prong AC/Mains power plug

  • includes one type-C receptacle

  • white color

  • ~0.85 pounds (with USB-C cable)

  • available at Amazon, Apple, and other retailers

  • Notes: unlike some older Apple USB-C power supplies, this unit can provide 15V @ 3A

  • PD 2.0

  • 90-watt PD output (20 volts @ 4.5 amps)

  • includes non-detachable USB type-C charge cable

  • includes detachable three-prong AC/Mains power cable

  • black color

  • ~0.92 pounds

  • available from Amazon, Dell, and other retailers

  • PD 2.0

  • 90-watt PD output (20 volts @ 4.5 amps)

  • includes non-detachable USB type-C charge cable

  • includes detachable three-prong AC/Mains power cable

  • black color

  • ~1.3 pounds

  • available from HP retailers

  • PD 2.0

  • 90-watt PD output (20 volts @ 4.5 amps)

  • includes detachable 5 amp PD USB-C cable

  • includes detachable two-prong AC/Mains power cable

  • includes two USB A receptacles and one type-C receptacle

  • supports quick charge (QC 3.0) for cell phones/tablets

  • white or black color

  • ~0.57 pounds

  • available at Amazon

  • PD 2.0

  • 90-watt PD output (20 volts @ 4.5 amps)

  • includes non-detachable integrated USB type-C charge cable

  • includes detachable three-prong AC/Mains power cable

  • black color

  • ~0.88 pounds

  • available at Amazon

  • PD 2.0

  • 90-watt PD output (20 volts @ 4.5 amps)

  • includes non-detachable integrated USB type-C charge cable

  • includes detachable two-prong AC/Mains power cable

  • includes one USB A receptacle

  • black color

  • ~0.59 pounds

  • available at Amazon

  • PD 2.0

  • 87-watt PD output (20 volts @ 4.3 amps)

  • requires separate detachable charge cable

  • includes detachable two-prong AC/Mains power plug

  • includes one type-C receptacle

  • white color

  • ~0.85 pounds (with USB-C cable)

  • available at Amazon, Apple, and other retailers

  • 3rd-party clones at various quality levels and price points are available from many Chinese brands

  • Notes:

    • Supports 20V but not 15V and therefore is not fully PD compliant.

    • According to chargerlab.com, it can easily provide >100W even though it is rated for 87W.

There are dozens of other brands that appear to be clones of the same designs but are not certified. If you are skeptical of the price point and durability of a new brand, contact the company and ask for their USB-IF certification number. If they are not certified, it may be better to go with an alternate brand.

Portable Battery Packs (85+ watt output)

Most portable laptop and tablet battery packs deliver 18-30 watts which means your premium laptop will take a long time to charge and may not deliver enough power to keep your machine running at full performance. Battery packs that deliver 60-watts or more (20 volts at 3 amps) are preferred. When evaluating the overall capacity of the battery pack to understand how long it will keep your device running on the road, compare the watt-hour rating of the laptop vs the battery pack.

  • Surface Book 2/3 15″ devices have two batteries totaling ~90 watt-hours

  • Surface Book 2/3 13.5″ Core i7 devices have ~75 watt-hours total

  • Surface Book 2/3 13.5″ Core i5 devices have ~69 watt-hours total

  • Surface Pro 2017/Pro 6/Surface Laptop ~45 watt-hours

  • Surface Go/Go2 has ~26 watt-hours

  • MacBook Pro 15″ has ~83.6 watt-hours

  • MacBook Pro 13″ has ~54.5 – 58 watt-hours

  • MacBook 12″ has ~41.4 watt-hours

Note that the capacity is in watt-hours (Wh) which describes how much energy the battery pack can store. Some manufactures list mAh (milli-amp-hours which is not the correct measurement to use. In order to effectively use mAH, you also need to know the voltage that the battery pack cells are charged to. Some charge to 3.5V while others charge to 4.2V. A 4.2V battery pack has 20% more capacity than a 3.5V model. If the manufacturer doesn’t specify the voltage, it is safe to assume it is 3.7V.

Because battery charging is not 100% efficient, some energy will be lost as heat if you attempt to charge your laptop battery with an external battery pack, so charging one battery with another may result in lower than expected runtime.

The charge rate is described in watts or volts multiplied by amps. A higher peak charge rate can charge your laptop faster and ensure your laptop runs in the highest performance mode rather than a low-power-low-performance mode. Below are a few of the the more robust battery packs suitable for Surface Book 2 and similar premium USB-C chargeable laptops. (For the Surface Go, you need not search for a 60+ watt output unit – 29-45 watts is fine.)

USB-IF certified

The highest rated certified power bank as of August 2021 outputs ~65-watts with 99wH capacity TID: 3919 / 5560 Model: Insignia NS-PWLB80

Not USB-IF certified

85-100 watt output class

Sanho HyperJuice HJ307 (out of stock)

  • 100-watt output (20 volts @ 5 amps)

  • 100 watt-hour capacity (27,000 mAH @ 3.7 volts)

    • ~1.2 charges for 13.5″ SB2 Core i5

    • ~0.9 charges for 15″ SB2

  • 1.2 pounds

  • available on Amazon

  • 100-watt output (20 volts @ 5 amps)

  • 100 watt-hour capacity (27,000 mAH @ 3.7 volts)

    • ~1.2 charges for 13.5″ SB2 Core i5

    • ~0.9 charges for 15″ SB2

  • Includes detachable USB-C to USB-C cable certified for 5-amp charging

  • available on Amazon

  • 100-watt output (20 volts @ 5 amps)

  • 100 watt-hour capacity (27,000 mAh @ 3.7 volts)

    • ~1.2 charges for 13.5″ SB2 Core i5

    • ~0.9 charges for 15″ SB2

  • 1.4 pounds

  • Includes 2 USB-C receptacles (dual simultaneous outputs of 60W) and one USB A Quick Charge receptacle

  • Includes detachable USB-C to USB-C cable certified for 5-amp charging

  • Optional AC/Mains 87 Watt USB-C power brick

  • available on Amazon

  • 90-watt output (20 volts @ 4.5 amps)

  • 98 watt-hour capacity (26,800 mAh @ 3.66 volts)

    • ~1.2 charges for 13.5″ SB2 Core i5

    • ~0.9 charges for 15″ SB2

  • 1.25 pounds

  • includes 4 USB A outputs

  • supports QC 3.0 for cellphones/tablets

  • includes type-C charge cable

  • AC/Mains power supply to charge the battery pack is included

  • black or white color

  • available at Amazon

  • 90-watt output (20 volts @ 4.5 amps)

  • 148 watt-hour capacity (40,000 mAh @ 3.7 volts)

    • ~1.75 charges for 13.5″ SB2 Core i5

    • ~1.3 charges for 15″ SB2

  • 1.25 pounds

  • includes 4 USB A outputs

  • supports QC 3.0 for cellphones/tablets

  • includes charge cable

  • AC/Mains power supply to charge the battery pack is included

  • black or white color

  • available at Amazon

  • permitted for air travel with airline permission

  • 90-watt output (20 volts @ 4.5 amps)

  • 210 watt-hour capacity (56,000 mAh @ 3.75 volts)

    • ~2.6 charges for 13.5″ SB2 Core i5

    • ~1.95 charges for 15″ SB2

  • 1.56 pounds

  • includes 4 USB A outputs

  • supports QC 3.0 for cellphones/tablets

  • includes charge cable

  • AC/Mains power supply to charge the battery pack is NOT included

  • black or white color

  • available at Amazon

  • prohibited for air travel

Notes

100-watt 5-amp USB-C PD certified cables

By default, USB-C cables only support up to 3 amps for 60 watts maximum power delivery. Premium 100-watt certified cables have thicker wires and internal electronics that enable safe, reliable, and fast charging at up to 20v @ 5 amps. This is the one exception where you probably don’t want to mess around with off-brand cables. Get a name brand USB power delivery cable if you are working with >60 watts power delivery. Some of the cheaper USB-C charging cables do not offer full USB-C Gen 3.1 or Gen 3.2 data syncing capabilities and are intended for power/charging only. If you need high speed data syncing, make sure to check the specifications closely.

100W USB-IF certified charging cables with high-speed data:

100W USB-IF certified charging with USB 2.0 data capability:

USB-C power delivery metering hardware and software

If you have doubts about the capabilities of a laptop or charger, a PD compliant hardware power meter can be helpful in diagnosing issues:

FAQ

Can I use a USB-C power supply or battery pack on older Surface devices without USB-C?

Yes. Please see the relevant Reddit discussion. There is a full featured Microsoft certified data+power adapter as well as 3rd-party solutions.

  • Works with Surface Pro 2017, Surface Pro 6, Surface Laptop, and Surface Laptop 2 (does NOT work reliably on any other model)

  • Intended for Enterprise deployments where universal USB-C docking stations are used across multiple laptop brands

  • Passes power, data (USB 3.0), and video (DisplayPort 1.2 alt-mode) via 40-pin Surface connector

  • Requires a USB-C PD 2.x/3.x capable charger or hub that delivers at least 27w (12v @ 2.25 amps, 15v @ 1.8 amps, or 20v @ 1.35 amps)

  • Maximum Surface charge rate is 39W

  • Able to supply up to 5v @ 1.5 amps to downstream USB-C connected devices

  • Terminates in USB-C receptacle

  • SKU numbers depending on region, sales channel, and packaging:

    • HVU-0000x (where x=1-9)

    • HVV-0000x (where x=1 or 3)

3rd-party power + data (no monitor) adapters

3rd-party power-only USB-C adapters & cables

  • Work with Surface Pro 3 and later devices

  • Provides power via 12-pin Surface connector

  • no data connectivity

  • Max charge rate is 15V @ 2.58 amps (~39 watts)

  • Requires USB-C power supply with 15V @ 1.9 amps+. Some accept 12V @ 2.25 amps.

  • Does not implement Microsoft spec anti-arc scheme – sparking may result in accelerated wear of the Surface Connect port over time. Recommend against “hot-plugging” these adapters

  • May have major compliance issues such as those noted by Nathan K

Various re-brands of the aforementioned cables are available on AliExpress, eBay, and Amazon.

What about Surface Go or the 12″ MacBook? Do I really need all that power?

For smaller laptops like the Surface Go or the entry-level MacBook 12″ there is no advantage in getting a high-power output charger or battery pack – 45-watt class chargers will max out the charge rate just fine. Similarly 30-45 watt output battery packs which output 15 volts will work fine.

I recommend against using 5-18 watt phone chargers on laptops – while some will trickle-charge your laptop overnight or while the system is idle, they will often have no effect while the laptop is switched on and actively being used.

What about Surface Pro 7, Pro X and Laptop 3?

60-watt class power supplies and battery packs will max out the charge rate of these devices. 45watt class are the easiest to find at reasonable prices (see Surface Go section above). I recommend against using 5w-18w class power supplies on these devices – but most 18w-29w class power supplies will work OK.

Further reading

Please let me know of additional AC/Mains USB-IF certified chargers that supply 80+ watts or portable battery packs that supply 60+ watts and I’ll add them to the list.

 
 
 

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