Replies posted by wirelessnet2 | Razer Insider

Replies posted by wirelessnet2

18 Replies

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wirelessnet2
posted in Systems

2020 Razer Blade Advanced USB-C PD Charging Issues

@Pavlogal The EC in the 2020 Blade 15 Advanced is the IT8390VG-256. I can't find anything about this chip online. Though we have had an EC firmware update for this... maybe I can try to look at the binary downloaded from Razer's website, but I have no idea how the ITE firmwares work so not sure that would be terribly useful.

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2 years ago
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wirelessnet2
posted in Systems

2020 Razer Blade Advanced USB-C PD Charging Issues

The TPS65987 firmware probably has some hash or checksum or something that prevents me from just editing parts of it. There's a few options to move from here: 1. Try to talk to the TPS chips over I2C. If we can do that then maybe we can force them to do things we want. 2. Try to access the hardware I2C debug interface of the TPS chips. I assume this would require soldering wires onto the motherboard. Not great. 3. Dump the firmware (already done), correctly edit it (stuck here), and then flash this firmware back to the SPI memory connected to each of the TPS chips (easy). If anyone wants to try help pls dm me thanks

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2 years ago
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wirelessnet2
posted in Systems

2020 Razer Blade Advanced USB-C PD Charging Issues

@Pavlogal Razer admitted that the laptop has issues with charging. They told me they were able to reproduce the issue in their lab. That was like a year ago. They probably will never release a fix. Which is why I will never buy another Razer laptop. Piss poor support. The 2020 Blade 15 Advanced uses the Texas Instruments TPS65987DDJ USB-C controller for both USB-C ports. They have separate firmwares. I dumped the firmware for the TPS65987DDJ connected to the Thunderbolt-enabled port and tried to reverse-engineer the region of the firmware that normally holds the USB-PD Sink Capabilities, but it looks empty, or I'm just bad at reverse engineering stuff. I have a suspicion that the ITE Embedded Controller (EC) is controlling these TPS65987 chips over I2C or something, and that the TPS chips are not actually programmed to handle charging independently. I've abandoned the reverse engineering effort for now, as college is kinda killing me.

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2 years ago
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wirelessnet2
posted in Systems

2020 Razer Blade Advanced USB-C PD Charging Issues

As of right now, no Thunderbolt certified docks will charge the laptop at any rate over 60W. If someone somehow manages to sneak a true 100W power delivery dock past Intel certification, I'd assume it would work. I have contacted Razer support, and they said they have identified the issue, and they are apparently working on a fix, though I have no clue how long that would take. If you want to try some docks, I'd maybe try to find a USB-C/Displayport Alt Mode (NOT THUNDERBOLT) dock that advertises true 100W USB-PD. I haven't tried one of those yet, but I think it should actually deliver the full 100W.

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2 years ago
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wirelessnet2
posted in Systems

2020 Razer Blade Advanced USB-C PD Charging Issues

Yeah thread is still technically alive. Razer support said they identified the issue and are working on a fix. If it will ever come... idk.

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2 years ago
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wirelessnet2
posted in Systems

2020 Razer Blade Advanced USB-C PD Charging Issues

I bought Razer's own Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma for testing. Guess what? It doesn't charge my Blade 15 at 90w. It's also stuck at 60w. Razer screwed up their implementation of USB-PD so badly that their own dock doesn't work properly with their own laptop. wtf

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2 years ago
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wirelessnet2
posted in Systems

2020 Razer Blade Advanced USB-C PD Charging Issues

Base0x02Sorry if you've checked this but there is a Allow USB Charging option in the bios that was disabled by default on my laptop. I've got it enabled and its charing with my apple USB-C charger. IIRC that option is for the USB-A ports. Anyways, I have that enabled.

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2 years ago
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wirelessnet2
posted in Systems

2020 Razer Blade Advanced USB-C PD Charging Issues

SupaFlankaThanks a lot for the information so far everyone! Great analyses. Current I am using a Baseus 120W GaN charger rated 20V-5A with a 2m 100W cable from same brand as well. https://www.amazon.com/Charger-Baseus-Adapter-MacBook-Surface/dp/B08G85BWSN Did a basic check/test with a voltage reader and indeed, couldn't achieve more than 60W for some reason. Will conduct further tests if anyone is interested. Wow that's strange. I could at least get 100W from a 100W USB-PD charger. If you're sure that your cable is a 5A rated cable, then I guess the charger isn't advertising 5A @ 20V. I really need to get a good USB-PD protocol analyzer. Will probably go with Cypress's CY4500.

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2 years ago
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wirelessnet2
posted in Systems

2020 Razer Blade Advanced USB-C PD Charging Issues

I will contact customer service and see if they are willing to issue a firmware patch if I find that the dock is not advertising a 5A @ 20V profile. The SD5600T looks exactly like the Plugable TBT3-UDZ, which uses a Cypres EZ-PD CCG5C USB-PD solution. These chips have really easily upgradable firmwares over I2C.

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2 years ago
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wirelessnet2
posted in Systems

2020 Razer Blade Advanced USB-C PD Charging Issues

Update: I got the Kensington dock, and it does not charge at 100w. I'm guessing their marketing was wrong, but I'm going to analyze the dock's power delivery profiles and see. Expecting to see a 96W or 97W PDO, and not an actual 5A @ 20V profile.

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2 years ago
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wirelessnet2
posted in Systems

2020 Razer Blade Advanced USB-C PD Charging Issues

Kensington has released a Thunderbolt 3 dock with 100W PD. https://www.kensington.com/p/products/device-docking-connectivity-products/laptop-docks-usb-accessories/sd5600t-thunderbolt-3-and-usb-c-dual-4k-hybrid-docking-station-100w-pd-winmac/

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2 years ago
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wirelessnet2
posted in Systems

2020 Razer Blade Advanced USB-C PD Charging Issues

dudepare01I was able to utilize the PD charging on my Blade Pro 17 2020 and the battery remained fully charged with light use (browsing, netfilx etc.). Used a 100w GAN charger. 100W chargers work. I said that in the original post. It's docks that are the main issue. There aren't any Thunderbolt-certified docks that have a 100W PDO in their USB-PD firmwares. It's not allowed.

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2 years ago
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wirelessnet2
posted in Systems

2020 Razer Blade Advanced USB-C PD Charging Issues

EvilEnslaverI've tried blupeak and Lenovo docks with PD as well as some USB chargers rated at 100W, and none worked, yet they worked with my ThinkPad. Also tried a few different cables JIC, but was also a failure. The whole proprietary restricting to only razer products is why I'll my next laptop won't be a razer branded one. Of anyone develops a hack device to get around it, please be sure to let us know. I agree the proprietary stuff is BS. With regards to chargers, just make sure you get a charger that explicitly supports 5A @ 20V = 100W. Your charger needs to have this exact USB-PD profile for the Blade to pull 100W. Also make sure you have a proper 5A-rated USB C-C cable. I have this charger and it works at 100W: https://www.amazon.com/hyppr-100W-Charger-Foldable-Black/dp/B088666T68/ref=sr_1_5?crid=29X17S48RH8G&dchild=1&keywords=hyppr+100w&qid=1623419846&sprefix=hyppr%2Caps%2C173&sr=8-5 Unfortunately, there are no docks that I know of that explicitly have a 5A @ 20V USB-PD

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2 years ago
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wirelessnet2
posted in Systems

2020 Razer Blade Advanced USB-C PD Charging Issues

BrasticSince the USB-C charging was not office for the 2020 laptops, I held back from buying one. Now that the 2021 laptops are coming out and support USB-C charging, I am already planning on getting one. I have a 2020 Blade 15 Advanced. 2080Super MaxQ and 10875H. It has USB-PD support (well, kinda.) A big reason I got the 2020 was because of this feature, since I would be going to college, and I didn't want to lug around the 230W brick. Unfortunately COVID happened, and I barely had any in-person classes, so I couldn't even take advantage of my USB-C charger, but hopefully that will change this upcoming semester. Rip freshman year lol

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2 years ago
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wirelessnet2
posted in Systems

2020 Razer Blade Advanced USB-C PD Charging Issues

Update: It seems like Razer's engineering team purposely gimped the charging speed of docks by not properly implementing USB-PD, and then they made their own proprietary protocol on top of/beside USB-PD to enable their first-party accessories to work properly. https://mysupport.razer.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3948/kw/power%20over%20usb-c Razer's new fancy RGB Thunderbolt dock pushes 90W to the laptop. Their dock seems to be exactly like this Kensington SD5700T: https://www.kensington.com/p/products/device-docking-connectivity-products/laptop-docks-usb-accessories/sd5700t-thunderbolt-4-dual-4k-docking-station-with-90w-pd/ However, the Razer dock is missing one USB port on the front, presumably because it got routed to the RGB controller inside the dock. (A tradeoff I think is pretty dumb but ok.) However, that Kensington one is also rated for 90W of power delivery. If Razer's dock can deliver 90W to the laptop but this Kensington one can't, then Razer intentionally neutered USB-PD

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2 years ago
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wirelessnet2
posted in Systems

2020 Razer Blade Advanced USB-C PD Charging Issues

ha1o2surfer96Interesting, I'll try my Startech dock when I get back to the office, that dock claims 97w USB PD so I'll let you know. I'd definitely be curious. I've tried three docks, all with >90W Advertised PD capabilities, and none of them could do it. If you don't have a USB-C power meter, you can try use a Kill A Watt between your dock's PSU and the wall. I couldn't even get close to 75W power draw for the entire dock.

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2 years ago
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wirelessnet2
posted in Systems

2020 Razer Blade Advanced USB-C PD Charging Issues

ha1o2surfer96Also depends on your cable, you have to have an "e" marker cable or the amperage will be throttled. I had no problem getting 80+ watts from an apple "e" marker cable. Both my 2020 and 2021 can draw upwards of 95w from the USB c ports I ruled out cable E-Markers from the issue. Test results were shown in the OP. I could get 95w from a dedicated USB-PD charger, but not a dock.

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2 years ago
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wirelessnet2
posted in Systems

2020 Razer Blade Advanced USB-C PD Charging Issues

JoikansaiProbably it is to avoid any issue using third party charger same as Apple that recommended using their original usb C power brick. Other thing to notice Razer blade 15 use their proprietary power brick, the implementation of USB C power delivery starts on 2020 advanced model, if users use dual charging for some reason it might also harm your device (battery), so there comes the limitation, I might be wrong it’s only my assumption. For original usb C power delivered Razer’s laptops like book 13 and stealth (stealth 2016 and 2019) itself I never measured the pulled wattage nor trying on TB3 dock (since I use core v2 power delivery maxed at 65 watt appparently due specification), but it’s working as it should to supply the devices. When the 230w adapter is plugged in, the laptop does not accept power over USB-C (which is good). It's just sad that Apple, of all companies, has a product that is less proprietary than Razer's solution. The MacBook I tested alongside my Blade had no

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2 years ago

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