Context:
I suspected my original 230w charger was malfunctioning as it was having an intermittent charging issue with my Blade 17 2021. I looked to purchase a higher wattage charger so the charger does not have to overheat and burn itself out like the original did. I posted multiple threads on both Razer and Reddit asking whether the Razer 280w and 330w were compatible with my laptop with close to no replies. Here is the link if you are interested: https://www.reddit.com/r/razer/comments/14y9sxk/are_the_330w_and_280w_adapters_compatible_with/
I really shouldn’t have fallen for this but I did. I even did research and found the same problem happening with the Blade 14:
https://www.reddit.com/r/razer/comments/14cuqi4/blade_14_not_pulling_full_power_from_330w_charger/
However I still decided to gave Razer a chance and bought the adapter. Easy to say I am extremely disappoint in myself.
Problem:
When plugged in, Synapse raises a warning indicating insufficient power and locks the custom performance option, disabling CPU and GPU boosting. Not only that, I found the GPU only pulling a maximum of 40 watt underload, *rendering* mid to high graphic games completely unplayable.
I am unsure about the source of the problem:
- It could be a hardware compatibility issue, since someone is also experiencing the same thing with their 2021 Blade 14 (2nd link). The SlimQ 330w charger also does the same with their 14. The unfathomable part is someone on Reddit told me they use the 330w SlimQ with their 2020 230w Blade with no problem (1st link), so it could just be a 2021 model thing?
- It could also be a Synapse software issue since lots of 2020 Blade 15 owners have been experiencing the warning message since June, even though they are using their original chargers. The Blade 14 Reddit post also happened to be posted in June after the problematic Synapse update, so these could be connected. As of now there seems to be no fixes from Razer for the Blade 15 crisis.
Next steps:
I feel trapped. My options seem limited and uncertain.
- I will most likely return the 330w charger. Given the problem might not be fixable with a Synapse software update any time soon or at all, I think it will be better if I return it before the return period runs out.
- I could risk buying the 330w SlimQ charger. The problem being I have mixed information; some claiming that it works while the Blade 14 post claims it doesn’t.
- I could buy another 230w from Razer. This will most likely work fine with my laptop, but I doubt it will last long. There have been many complaints online about the 230w charger and how quickly it burns out. From my personal experience it wasn’t any better. I do not know about how the 240w SlimQ will perform since it is even smaller in size in comparison with the Razer 230w (meaning more heat probably), but it could be worth looking into.
It seems as if I have to test the depth of the river by dipping money in it no matter what. If I do not get any useful replies in the coming week I will be returning the charger.
TR;DR: What the title says, whether the problem is hardware or software is unknown. I have no idea what to do next except for returning the charger and continue my suffering. I suggest reading the full thing since there are lots of details and unanswered questions.