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Comment by Thoeu388 | Hacker News Reader

> The back two slots on each side can take up to 240W power input over USB-C using USB-PD 3.1.

I would like an option for normal barrel jack power connector. I found USB-C power delivery very unreliable and not universal. For many applications (Pi4, Rock5) you are limited to original makers power adapter. Framework in this case is using very new PD spec to deliver 180W, so I assume it will be the same.

There is also power renegotiation, when voltage drops to zero for couple of seconds. This board is also supposed to operate without batteries!

With barrel plug I just need to know diameter and voltage. I already have many adapters, or power sources. Much easier to operate.

All minipcs (minisforum, beeling) come with barrel plug and USB PD.

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I strongly disagree with this. I purposely do not buy anything that’s not USB-C or lightning because I like being able to bring one charger for everything. Do you have older version of the RPi4? They accidentally made the USB-C non compliant but was fixed in late 2018, early 2019. Overall, as long as you have a 100W USB-C cable, you can practically charge anything (minus the now 240W standard).

To clarify: I want both. I only buy laptops with barrel jack and USB-C. The same with mini PCs.

It is OK for travelling. But my portable USB-C monitors randomly switch off for power renegotiation!

USB-C is not so great for stationary use. I always run into issues where all USB ports can not be fully powered, despite sufficient power rating on USB-C adapter. Older Macbooks would even discharge, while plugged, USB-C could not deliver enough juice, for high performance apps!

And those bloody things are supper expensive (like 100 euro). Cheaper are highly questionable and not even grounded!

> Cheaper are highly questionable and not even grounded!

Hey man, I like the light vibrations I get when I rest my forearms below the keyboard at night.

Nope.

I'm fine with either. The big advantage of the old way is if you have something approximately the right voltage (and sufficient wattage) all you need is a $0.25 barrel connector to charge. I damaged the power brick for my laptop once and ran it off of a bench supply with the original DC cable while I was waiting for the replacement to arrive in the mail.

With USB-C PD, If you live sufficiently close to a Best Buy (or similar) you can usually just get the USB PD brick with the most listed versions supported and have it work "good enough" but I have definitely seen laptops/PD brick combinations that negotiate rather low power.

We're using the USB-PD 3.1 standard and are testing for compatibility. We haven't seen issues when testing with other compliant USB-PD 3.1 adapters.

Latter please provide list of adapters, that are tested with your product. Some mid-range stuff like Anker. It may save you many headaches on support.

Wow. Strong disagree. I have been using USB-C power only across 4 different makes of laptop on windows, mac and linux for about 6 years now and I don't recognize these issues.

I literally have never seen power renegotiation after the first time I plug a device in even a single time. I have seen problems where external displays don't find display signal just as you do with hdmi or displayport sometimes but I've never had a power problem. Are you using sketchy cables perhaps?

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