Thinkpads Forum

I bought a used T410s, and it came with a non-Lenovo AC adapter.

Part # 92P1156; 20V ~3.25A

I see this listed as a suitable replacement for the older T and X series laptops. Just wondering if it's OK for a T410s, thanks.

Avoid non-OEM AC adapters at all costs! There have been many cases of fried/ruined motherboards because of generic power supplies. They often lack necessary certifications and features that safeguard the laptop and provide reliable power. Make sure you get a genuine lenovo AC adapter for your T410s.

brchan wrote:Avoid non-OEM AC adapters at all costs! There have been many cases of fried/ruined motherboards because of generic power supplies.

Even generic power supplies that have a part number that matches the Lenovo FRU #?


On Lenovo's web page for the T410s (http://support.lenovo.com/us/en/documents/pd012257#pow), it shows 2 AC adapters:
1. 90W adapter: http://support.lenovo.com/us/en/documents/migr-61193
2. 65W adapter: http://support.lenovo.com/us/en/documents/migr-62473

So either of these are fine? I suppose the 65W adapter is meant to reduce the bulk/weight when traveling, and I guess the 90W will charge the battery faster. Which would you use if you were mostly keeping the laptop plugged in (the weight is irrelevant as any traveling I'm doing with the laptop is by car)?

If it makes a difference, the battery that came with the laptop is Lenovo FRU P/N 42T4833, which appears to be a 6-cell battery.

serpico wrote:... I suppose the 65W adapter is meant to reduce the bulk/weight when traveling, and I guess the 90W will charge the battery faster. Which would you use if you were mostly keeping the laptop plugged in (the weight is irrelevant as any traveling I'm doing with the laptop is by car)?

Historically, the 65-watt adapters have been provided with Intel graphics laptops and the 90-watt adapters have been provided with laptops containing discrete graphics. I always buy 90-watt adapters since they are usually only a dollar more than the 65-watt models. And, a lot of the 90-watt adapters come with 3-wire plugs rather than 2-wire plugs (which make them better in my view but others will dispute that). On a side note, Dell provided a lot of inferior 65-watt 2-wire adapters a few years ago ... their 90-watt 3-wire adapters were fine.

One more thing, I don't have any problems buying non-OEM power adapters from reputable eBay sellers ... the best sellers do their own research and it is surprising how many of them sell the exact same power adapter.

GACrabill wrote:

serpico wrote:... I suppose the 65W adapter is meant to reduce the bulk/weight when traveling, and I guess the 90W will charge the battery faster. Which would you use if you were mostly keeping the laptop plugged in (the weight is irrelevant as any traveling I'm doing with the laptop is by car)?

Historically, the 65-watt adapters have been provided with Intel graphics laptops and the 90-watt adapters have been provided with laptops containing discrete graphics. I always buy 90-watt adapters since they are usually only a dollar more than the 65-watt models. And, a lot of the 90-watt adapters come with 3-wire plugs rather than 2-wire plugs (which make them better in my view but others will dispute that). On a side note, Dell provided a lot of inferior 65-watt 2-wire adapters a few years ago ... their 90-watt 3-wire adapters were fine.

Thanks, that makes sense. My T60 came with discrete graphics and a 90W power supply. Looks like this T410s uses only Intel graphics, so 65W should be fine, but as you note, price difference is minimal.

GACrabill wrote:One more thing, I don't have any problems buying non-OEM power adapters from reputable eBay sellers ... the best sellers do their own research and it is surprising how many of them sell the exact same power adapter.

The 65W adapter I have is made by SIB USA, for whatever that's worth.

Note that FSP has a 65W http://www.fsplifestyle.com/product.php?LID=1&PSN=771 supply which is way, way lighter if that matters to you than anything else on the market and this is not some random junk company, this is the 5th largest power supply company in the world, countless PC companies are selling PSUs made by FSP including Silverstone, Nexus and Antec.

Anker and Power+ are good supplies, as good as Lenovo OEM.

But if you attempt to purchase a "genuine" Lenovo supply from Amazon or eBay, be aware they are the target of counterfeiters. It can be impossible to tell the difference by appearance only.

One possible problem with the aftermarket / non-genuine power supplies is that they may not communicate their capabilities to the laptop correctly.

I've had one such non-genuine adapter that was 65W but likely did not communicate it to the system, so the laptop considered it a 90W power supply. By thinking it has a more powerful PSU attached, it is conceivable that the system can initiate certain power scenarios that would overdraw the adapter.

I've had bad experiences with two third party adapters. One was a Besdata generic one, caused so much interference my wireless mouse wouldn't work within a metre of it. Second was a counterfeit Lenovo one, I should have known better, it got hot even after light use and I could hear what seemed like an internal short circuit sparking away inside it. One returned, the other recycled.

The problem with non-genuine adapters is whether they will be of decent quality. If it's quality (appropriate electrical shielding, voltage regulation, heat dissipation etc.) it's fine, doesn't have to have a Lenovo badge on it. However, if not original it can be hard to be sure given that there's so much cheap crap out there. Suppliers such as Anker may well make quality compatible adapters, seems so from their reviews, though I've no personal experience with them.

rjwilmsi wrote: The problem with non-genuine adapters is whether they will be of decent quality. If it's quality (appropriate electrical shielding, voltage regulation, heat dissipation etc.) it's fine, doesn't have to have a Lenovo badge on it. However, if not original it can be hard to be sure given that there's so much cheap crap out there. Suppliers such as Anker may well make quality compatible adapters, seems so from their reviews, though I've no personal experience with them.

Anker and PWR+ are both excellent. You don't have to look further.

I have no interest in the companies, other than the purchase and use of 12+ adapters of these brands.

precip9 wrote: But if you attempt to purchase a "genuine" Lenovo supply from Amazon or eBay, be aware they are the target of counterfeiters. It can be impossible to tell the difference by appearance only.

True.

That's why I purchase adapters from trustworthy members of this forum.

Might be a buck or two more, but peace of mind is priceless.

I don't use generic adapters with any of my ThinkPads. Ever.

My $0.02 only...

Both Anker and PWR+ offer adapters in the "thin" form factor, which can be useful in packing a bag.

The PWR+ adapters use a high frequency switching design. This results in a 90W adapter only an ounce heavier than a Lenovo 65 watt unit. So go with the 90.

The Anker adapters run at more typical frequencies, as evidenced by the greater weight, which is driven by the need for iron in the transformer cores. These adapters do not provide a weight advantage over Lenovo, but the thinness does make it easier to fit in a laptop bag.

Anker offers a two year warranty. Amazon has stories of quick and generous response by Anker tech support, supplying replacements in just a few days. See http://www.amazon.com/review/RFM5ZECIRX ... e=wireless for an example.