Framework Laptop 16 Deep Dive - 180W Power Adapter

Framework Team Blog
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Framework Laptop 16 Power Adapter
Framework Laptop 16 Power Adapter3742×2730 1.02 MB

Continuing on our series of Framework Laptop 16 deep dives, today we’re sharing more about power. We built a brand new custom high-efficiency 180W USB-C power adapter in partnership with power adapter manufacturer extraordinaire Chicony. This is a jump over the 60W power adapter in the Framework Laptop 13, enabling substantially higher performance. The adapter body is just 116.6 x 58.2 x 27mm, and the enclosure is made of 30% post-consumer-recycled plastic. That’s exactly the thickness and depth and twice the length of our 60W power adapter, while outputting 3x higher wattage. Pretty incredible! Our PFC plus asymmetrical half-bridge flyback architecture uses ON Semi NCP1622 and JoulWatt JW1556 controllers along with latest generation GaN switching parts from both GaN Systems and Navitas, peaking at an amazing 93% efficiency.

We needed to solve for the tricky task of creating an adapter small and portable enough to be a great fit for the Framework Laptop 16 in an integrated graphics configuration while also outputting enough power to handle the Graphics Module with a discrete GPU. 180W covers the majority of use cases while still being extremely compact. If you have a Graphics Module installed, set your OS to maximum performance mode, and run a sustained heavy load, it is possible to draw from the battery while plugged in. If that doesn’t sound like a good tradeoff to you, the Framework Laptop 16 supports 240W USB PD 3.1 power adapters too, so you can configure your DIY Edition without a power adapter and bring your own 240W one instead.

Historically, USB-C power adapters have been limited to 100W. We’ve been able to make a 180W USB-C power adapter by using the new USB PD 3.1 EPR standard through a Weltrend WT6676F controller, enabling up to 36V/5A output. USB-C enables both flexibility and re-use. You can plug the adapter into either side of the Framework Laptop 16, and you can use it to power any other USB-C device you have on hand too.

Beyond reducing environmental impact through efficiency and recycled materials, we’ve enabled longevity by making both the 2m USB-C and 1m AC cables removable, letting you swap a cable if your cat chews through it. Remember to use a USB-C cable that supports EPR voltages, otherwise you’ll be limited to 20V/3A or 20V/5A. EPR cables have an e-marker chip inside that lets the system ensure it can safely handle both the voltage and current requirements. The AC cable uses the same common IEC C5 connector we used on the 60W adapter, and we have Type B (US/CA/TW/JP), Type G (UK/IE), Type F (EU/KR), and Type I (AU/NZ) versions available.

We’re excited to continue powering your right to upgrade, customize, and repair your devices, this time with 180 watts! We have a bunch of additional detail to share about the Framework Laptop 16 on the path to opening pre-orders, so look out for the next post soon.

More from the Framework Laptop 16 Deep Dive blog posts:

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First laptop I’ve heard of to support 48V/240W EPR charging! Congrats to the Framework team, there is some damn fine engineering going into this machine!

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Nice!

With 180W OOTB, I’m guessing it’s going to be something along the line of up to 100W GPU, 45W CPU (base), the rest for boosting and subsystems.

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I don’t know if I should open a separate topic for this, but how will this work with an existing thunderbolt (I assume the 16’’ version will support thunderbolt as well) dock providing up to 60W, will they work together at all, will it only pull from one charger or will it add up?

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  • Grounded like the existing 60W one?

  • Please more than one output, please please please

and you can use it to power any other USB-C device you have on hand too

:man_dancing:t2:

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They say it uses an IEC C5 connector for the AC cable, that connector does include a ground pin. And they mention it’s same connector used on the 60W adapter.

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180W is great but being able to go up to 240W is super cool. Are there plans for framework to design a 240W charger and cable in future or any chance of having an approved list of compatible wall chargers and cables that support 240W?

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My question is, what port would you plug a self-supplied 240W adapter into? That’s the sort of brick that an Alienware laptop will ship with, but it uses a barrel charger, not USB-C. 180W over USBC is only possible with the bleeding edge standard, and I can’t find a USBC 240W adapter that isn’t “240W but split over four ports” or something similar.

I think adding a barrel to the Graphics Module might be a smart play considering how much demand there is (and also because from my experience, no one likes knowing that their battery is draining while it’s on charge).

On the opinions side, I’m a little worried about the eventual reception of the 16”. People were very excited at the announcement, but there are more and more little theoretical gripes which have been confirmed that are piling up. I’m still buying in, but there are definitely going to be people who see that accumulation and stay away as a result.

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@Be_Far I kind of agree with you about the reception issue. I’m super excited for this product and lurk on this forum quite a bit, and I see so many people hoping that this machine will be exactly the laptop that they would dream up if they made a modular 16 inch performance laptop, then getting disappointed when one or more specs differ from what they had dreamed up. I don’t think it’s wrong to hope for something, but it’s important to keep in mind that Framework is a relatively small consumer electronics company, and they can only do so much. The Framework 13 really didn’t do that much new, but it had very clear goals, and reasonable compromises in all areas such that it turned out to be a very usable laptop that was just ambitious enough to be something new, while still being a reasonable price, and allowing Framework to follow through on its promises of upgrading the mainboard (twice now).

I fully expect the Framework 16 to have compromises too, and not every spec is going to match exactly what I would have wanted. If they are able to make some reasonable compromises though, and deliver on the specific goals that they have promised (ie, the modular, USB based input modules, and the flexible GPU modules), then I’ll consider it a success, and decide whether the other components actually meet my wants and needs. It’s just counter productive to get overly invested in a product that likely has most of its key specs and features set in stone. It’s worth expressing what you want for future generations though, I’m just not kidding myself into thinking they will add major features 6 months before shipping the device.

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Wooo PD EPR in the wild.

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This is the issue I’m referring to, this has happened a LOT over quite a few different areas of the 16. It’s almost like the culture of the forum surrounding this laptop, and it’s going to drive people away.

I’m mostly shocked by it because of how little FUD-alike there was for the 13 as we were doing deep dives for it (people only started to gripe once it started shipping and thus early adopter problems arose). It’s almost like FW set the bar too high by doing everything right for their flagship, haha.

All I can remember being a major prerelease complaint about the 13 was the lack of a TrackPoint.

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To compare the 13’s blogs to the 16’s, since day 1 on this forum Linux users have been asking about either a 1080 or 4K class display on the 13 for better integer scaling vs the 1440p-ish one it has.

All products have their compromises, and its not accurate to say that the 13 didn’t have many critiques.

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240 W would also be over USB Type C. Power Delivery 3.1 Extended Power Range allows this, with 48 V at 5 A. However, I don’t think any production implementations exist yet.

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Yes, that more or less confirms it’s grounded. I would still appreciate an official comment on this though, because of a recent experience with an Anker that also has a ground pin but doesn’t use that with its USB outputs. Used it with the Framework 13, a Macbook, and a metal-body Pixel phone, got leakage current “buzz feel” on all three.

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Just read the new deep dive and I have some questions.
Would using a 100 watt charger still charge the 16? (without the dgpu module)

Rather not have to have another power lead when I already have a dock if possible

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Very likely. The new adabter is still usb-pd so as long as power in > power used you will have charging.

Unless they pull a dell and just refuse to charge off chargers they don’t like but that doesn’t sound very framework like.

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The 16 should work with any PD source like the 13 does, so 60 and even 27W modes should be supported.

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If they’re targeting a gaming audience with this laptop, I’m curious why they went with only 180W. A gaming session can easily go for several hours and push all systems into high power draw. This was an issue I had on an old Sager laptop with a GTX 770m, it would end overdraw the power supply’s capabilities and then would draw from battery. Nvidia would then detect the battery being in use and kick in battery optimizations, i.e. killing the framerate. I hope they provide a list of suggested 240W adapters that are known to be compatible.

I would also like to know if the 60W can run the FW 16 at full power without a dGPU, because as someone who plans to hot swap between a dGPU and extra battery I’d love the option to carry a smaller power supply while traveling without a GPU and a bigger one when I am using the dGPU.

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One of the biggest points of USB is that if it follows the spec, it works. You just need to buy a USB PD 240W power supply from a reputable brand.

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I’ve had a lot of compatibility issues with usb-c power supplies in the past… granted Dell was involved. So I’m trained to hold some reservations.