Yesterday I left my charger at my friend's place, and it was a frustrating experience as I had to go on without my daily staple of anime. It struck me that I had an old Compaq laptop lying around in my house and immediately I thought of using the Compaq charger for my Toshiba laptop to satisfy my craving. But the question is, can I use a charger of a different brand for my laptop?
Well I did some research and browse through a number of sites. It seems like there is a few points to take note of:
1) Physical
Make sure that the size and shape of the connector of the charger fits snugly with your laptop
2) Electrical
The voltage and polarity of the new charger must be the same. The current can be higher than your old charger.
My advice:
Dude, do you really want to take the risk!?
When I was contemplating to use my Compaq charger on my laptop, a few questions went through my mind.
1) Do I really need to use my computer so urgently?
2) What happens if it blows and I can't use it anymore?
At the end of the day, can I really not wait so badly that I really want to take the risk? The alternative could be waiting for a day or two to retrieve your lost charger, or swing by the electronics store for a new laptop charger for US$20. Anyhow, they sound better than a dead laptop to repair/replace anytime.
Thus I would advise even if you could find a charger of a different brand that fits both criteria, don't take the risk, you never know what nuances each company have that might damage your precious laptop.
It’s a good thing you thought of using a replacement charger. This is really possible, just as long as the plug and socket match, and the battery and charger are of the same voltage. But remember that this is only good for emergencies. It would be better if you invest on a universal adapter. ;]
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