OSB-C PD 3.1 charging

The answer is that if the system won't operate at full power with the adapter directly connected, neither will the docking station.

They wanna sell their chargers and docks, so no it won't supply more than 100w via a third-party type C charger. You will get error "AC adapter type cannot be determined" Also it will reduce processor power state whenever it's plugged in. Being a photo editor you will need all the power it can delivered to that RTX.

@XPS_Man ​ That is amazing!  I had no idea that my CPU / GPU performance was being reduced when I plugged in the non-Dell USB C PD 3.0 or 3.1 charger.  The whole idea behind the PD standard is to not have proprietary bricks stuffing our briefcases and bags.  One for all.  Everything is going to USB C PD 3.1 charging for perfect handshakes between device and charger up to 240 watts.  I am shocked that Dell would fight this or deliberately limit it.  Anyway, if that is true (that the CPU / GPU performance is reduced) if the PD charger is plugged in, that means I will unplug it while in Photoshop or Lightroom and go off battery power, then stop and charge up the battery with the allowed 90 watts.
Are you sure that Dell is not honoring the PD 3.1 standard on the three DP 4 ports on the new XPS 16?  That would not be good.  I see no advantage in that for them.  It is clawing their way backwards.  PD 3.1 will provide a perfect handshake between the Dell device and any PD 3.1 USB C 140 watt or above charger.  Those are becoming plentiful and cheap.

The Advantage for Dell and other OEMs is to sell their branded chargers and more importantly since these XPS machines do not have USB A ports anymore, it boosts their sale of docking stations.  Only a Dell branded dock can supply 130w of power required for XPS 15 and XPS 17. So a cheaper TB/Type C dock is out of question.

We see the same issue here in India for different devices Cellphones for example. My 120w cellphone charger works fine with some other brands and doesn't with Some.

This isn't purely an issue with Dell not accepting non OEM chargers, the issue is your charger cant output the correct voltage/amperage.

All the 140W chargers I've seen use PD 3.1 which can utilize >20V, and they hit 140W by outputting 28V @ 5A. 5A is the typical limit for chargers though thats not a hard limit.

The Dell doesnt have PD 3.1, it uses PD 3.0 so has a maximum voltage of 20V. The two charging amperages it allows is either 6.5A (for 130W) or 4.5A (for 90W).

The decent USB-C charging cables also are pretty much all rated for 5A. When you see 240W, what that really means is 48V @ 5A.

Since the Dell cant accept 28V, you're knocked down to 20V. Since your charger can't output more than 5A, you're knocked down to 4.5A. Total charging is 90W then even for a 140W rated USB-C.

However, that's not to say that there aren't chargers/cables out there that can output 6.5A @ 20V, its just not typical and I don't think anyone would bother to crank up the amperages for this one edge case.

@XPS_Man ​

I have the same charging Problem even with an original Dell Monitor. Dell U4025QW in theory it should have a 140 W Charger but does not charge my Dell XPS14 9440 with full speed :-(

The original PSU has 100W 20V*5A. It seems that the problem is also with the charging protocol?

I tested several GaN PSU´s Anker, Ugreen etc. no one is working...

I'm really disappointed with that...

Is there any Solution for that? I thougth even an original Dell Monitor with Charging should work but it isn't.....

@CBA2024 ​ I just got this charger.  It is rated at 6.25 amps (even thought it says 6.5 amps) at 20V, or 125 Watts.  It is the closest I could find.  It does charge the laptop but I'm not sure if the CPU is throttled.

@CBA2024 ​ Yes I just discovered this 140W thunderbolt 4 Dell monitor doesn't deliver 140W and I get weak charge warnings - bizarre a Dell monitor is not compatible with a Dell laptop.

I have an XPS15 and I also purchased a smaller, lighter USB C power pack for travel - to be hand luggage friendly I risked a 65W model, and it seems to keep my laptop charged without any problems (albit it more slowly). But I am not running it at full power or doing anything too demanding, especially when travelling.

The most a Thunderbolt 4 connection can deliver is 100 W -- and most are capped at  90W.

I have charged my Dell XPS 15 (130 watt) laptop many times overnight with an old small 15 watt phone early version PD charger.  It is slow, but any PD charger will charge the Dell even at the slowest possible throttle back speed. It just takes all night.  But it saved me in a jam 2 years ago.

However, my new 140 watt GaN5 PD 3.1 PPS charger still will not properly handshake with the Dell all the way to fully powering it during use.  But it does charge it pretty fast so you can go off battery power and then just charge it back up.  I hate traveling with the giant Dell proprietary non-GaN gigantic old brick.  I want my small GaN multiport chargers to charge everything I pack - phone, tablet, shaver, earbuds, laptop, camera, kindle reader, etc....  But remember, you have top make sure you have the right cable and not too long....

Refer to my previous post. It doesn't matter how many watts and volts your charger can output via PD, it has to be specifically capable of 20V @ 6.5A to get the 130w rated charging.

I haven't found any multi chargers that support above 5A for whatever voltage, so you will be capped at 20V @ 4.5 at best, or 90w, since the next amperage the dell supports at 20V below 6.5A is 4.5A.

@Apneal ​

Yes, I can't believe that as much as I have studied and read about the latest Gan5, PD 3.1 and PPS chargers that this is not said more openly and often.  For example, go on the Anker site and look at all their brand new just released GaN5 chargers with DD 3.1, QC 4.0 and PPS capability.  The 140, 200 and 240-watt multiport chargers are all still mazed out at 100W on single ports.  This Dell 20V @ 6.5 130-watt charging is interesting.  Technically, I would think PD 3.1 should handshake with that, but like you said, none of these chargers have a port that goes above 5A!  I never knew that.  That is very valuable info.  Is that 20V @ 6.5A combination just Dell thing?  If so, Dell, please make your charger you send with the laptop GaN so it is not so big, and make sure it is POD 3.1 and rated 30 watts above the need of the laptop and an additional port or two so we can use it as a multiport PD 3.1 charger.  Haha.

The PD spec allows for more than 5.0 amps, but you very well will not find a company that makes a charger that allows for it, because almost all cables are rated for 5A and at best degrade quickly or worst burn your house down by overdriving it. That's why the usb-c cable coming off the 6.5 oem charger is so chonky.

That said, it would be trivial for them to spec up to 28+V which any PD charger advertising >100W uses, instead of staying at 20V, so yes it's a conscious decision by Dell to force you to buy their chargers.

@Apneal ​

This is superb and eye-opening info and very impotent for Dell laptop buyers to understand.  I have lost a bit of respect for Dell over this revelation, but my next laptop will be purchased in two months and very high end from Dell....  Waiting for

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