Anyone notice if the USB-A ports are weak after several uses? I’ve had the laptop right at two weeks and use the USB-A ports occasionally. Generally it remains plugged in with my keyboard.
Tonight I lost ability to use my keyboard and while the USB-A plug from the keyboard was fully seated, plugging it in/out about a dozen times tonight I’m realizing that the actual module port is extremely weak. Like, I know it was only $9 (that seemed really cheap) but my 6-7 year old X1 which has been using the USB-A often over that time frame is still quite firm.
The Framework USB-A module/port is by comparison very “loose” and light to push in and pull out.
1 Like
This is an old post but I had the same experience, one of my USB-A ports got very loose after only pretty light use[*] and in fact stopped working.
Here’s a photo of the two ports, both upside down with the faulty port sitting on top of a good port (good port is installed in the framework):
If you look closely the narrow gap above the “tongue” of the port is narrower on the faulty port, because the tongue has bent very slightly away from the middle of the port rectangle (bent towards the keyboard of the laptop, or the bottom of the photo).
I used a thin plastic spudger to very gently bend the “tongue” back down, and it’s come good for now. I expect it will keep failing in the same way, though. I might see if I can find a footprint-compatible USB-A socket to solder in its place.
EDIT: I also haven’t checked if the SuperSpeed contacts are still working yet.
A lot of USB-A sockets have some metal fingers in the outside of the rectangle to help hold the plug in and push the plug contacts against the socket contacts (see photo below). The expansion card ports don’t have this, I assume it’s for some design reason although I suspect ports with the fingers might be more resilient.
(EDIT 2: Uploaded slightly less potato-cam photo of a port.)
[*] Six months old Gen 12, mostly used in a Thunderbolt Dock. I’d estimate this port had no more than a dozen plug insertions in its life so far. I’m guessing at some point I probably did accidentally apply some upward force on a plug and bent it, so that’s on me (although I’ve never had this problem with a laptop USB port before.)
4 Likes
Apsolutely agree with respect to haptic/feeling.
I got my USB-A expansion cards about a month ago with my 13th Gen. DIY edition,
and to be honest, I’ve never had USB-A ports which feel that cheap. Almost no resistance.
In my opinion, how a port feels like when user plugs, is a very important quality aspect.
I remember the moment clearly, plugging USB-C into iPad Air for the first time,
because I was shocked by the fact that a USB-C can feel/sit that firm.
For USB-C/HDMI/headphone I would say, average.
3 Likes
