Jan | Dec. 17, 2024

Alexander | Oct. 13, 2024

Charalampos | Aug. 7, 2024

Ken | July 29, 2024

Lukas | March 26, 2024

Vikings Gmbh | Feb. 23, 2024

Irda | Feb. 3, 2024

Alexis | Feb. 3, 2024

Kazumune | Jan. 22, 2024

Installed but not charing at all

I purchased 65 type of tis adapter on 16 Oct 2022 and finally tried to install to i5 x220.
But unfortunately it didn't charge at all with Anker nano II 65W charger whose spec is input: 100-240V~ 2.1A 50-60Hz and utput: 5.0V==3.0A /9.0V==3.0A / 15.0V==3.0A / 20.0V==3.25A (65W Max).

Response from MikePDiy | Jan. 23, 2024

Hi Kazumune,

Please reach out to me as if your type-c cable is known good then it might be that the mod suffered during shipping and I am happy to find a solution for you.

Warm Regards,
Mike

Pablo | Oct. 29, 2023

Chris | Oct. 16, 2023

Jasper | Aug. 12, 2023

Clive | Aug. 8, 2023

Nick | June 12, 2023

Steven | May 2, 2023

Great way to modernize an older PC

I bought two of the 65 W version for mine and my wife's ThinkPad X220 with i7 processor in 2023. Old 65 W Lenovo charger was working fine, so I saw no need to get the 90 W version. Installation requires you to take the entire motherboard out, so you might as well put some new thermal paste and pads and blow out your fan while you're in there! The wires are too long on this modded power port, and you have to kink them 180 degrees and smash them into a crevice to make them fit, which made me a little uncomfortable. But at the end of the day, the port works perfectly, looks nice from the outside, and dynamically pulls the right amount of power based on battery charge state and load. Works every bit as well as the original Lenovo charger, with a more modern port. Confirmed to work with "Baseus PowerCombo 65W USB C Charging Station with 2 Outlets Extender" and also with "200W USB C Wall Charger, OTAO 4-Port" from Amazon. I recommend the latter for charging multiple devices at once. Shipping time was ~15 days to the USA.

Response from MikePDiy | May 2, 2023

Thank you very much for the kind and detailes review Steven. Yes the wires are longer as I am always to affraid to not make them too short but in fairness it is enough space to tuck them in so this is why I leave them long :-) .
I am glad the mods are up to your requirements.

Warm Regards,
Mike

Ryusei | Feb. 22, 2023

Neil | Nov. 22, 2022

Great product with great quality

I bought this type-c port replacement not expecting much, but got a really nice part that i really do appreciate on my day to day use of my x220. my variant is transparent and looks great. I Did unfortunately run into an issue when i bought a 65w charger and used it with a 2m apple type c to type c cable, i had a loud screech coming from the port and it would fail to charge. My mistake as the amperage was incorrect at 3.0A instead of the 3.25A requested in the description. now using a apple 61w charger and it works flawlessly. My only request would be to lower the price slightly as I do feel like £23 is a bit steep.

Response from MikePDiy | Nov. 22, 2022

Thank you very much for the review Neil and I am glad it works as it should :-) . In regards to the price, it is 23usd and about 20gbp. Sadly the parts cost has increased in the last 2 years and that is a true factor plus the amount of work that is involved is really considerable. I have am making these mods since late 2019 and only raised the price by 3usd since then just to keep up with the parts costs increase. About the loud screech issue, it is a particular one. I can't think now where that came from as the in the mod, there is nothing that can generate sounds like a coil or simmilar.

Cody | Oct. 24, 2022

Gillian | Sept. 24, 2022

Julien | Aug. 18, 2022

Robert | Aug. 13, 2022

Aitor | Oct. 29, 2021

Works perfect on my X230

Great mod to have a Type-C charging port.

My specs:
- Thinkpad X230 Intel Core i7
- With Coreboot firmware
- Baseus 100W GaN2 Pro Quick Charger

I recommend putting a bit of foam to make it firmer as MikePDiy indicates in the video (min. 17:40).

Response from MikePDiy | Oct. 29, 2021

I am glad it all works as expected Aitor !
Thank you for the kind review@

Best Regards,
Mike

Jeffrey | Sept. 19, 2021

Works great and easy to install!

I had a question for Mike and he got back to me right away. The installation couldn't be simpler (x220 - these machines are really easy to work on in general). Took the opportunity put some fresh thermal paste on as well. This makes my thinkpad even more useful. Thanks Mike!

Response from MikePDiy | Sept. 19, 2021

Thank you very much Jeffrey! I am glad that you are enjoying the mod :-D .

Joon | June 29, 2021

Nik | May 26, 2021

Mark | May 12, 2021

Joseph | April 25, 2021

Andrew | April 24, 2021

Nathan | April 11, 2021

edit/reply to creator of product

It's a blessing to have this product but it is now broke, after doing 2 DIY fixes it is broke. My soldering skills are novice I know so I was bound to break it more when fixing it. The problem is the plastic mold it is placed in does not fully hold the product in place therefore the wires can fall/break off.... How does it break off? Problem 2 is that the module does not SIT inside the block slot(?) So when applying pressure to insert the USB-C connector it will just move out of the way so I used tape and/or blu-tak to hold the module in place which over-timd (especially with clumsy insertions) the wires break. It worked for me for about a year before it finally broke today... The exact break is when trying to resolder the green (ID?) Wire the SMD resistor came off, I'm sure with even more time and patience I could fix that but to "improve" the design I recommend you make the next modules with part of the plastic stick out into the hole found in the piece of metal that folds on top. You could also place more resin(?) Around the wires, can you choose thicker wires as well? Possibly? I will pay extra for thicker wires that won't break after a few tugs.

Just to clarify both times I've gone to repair the symptoms that I saw that caused the need to repair is the laptop either went into a sort of trickle charge state or the charging only worked when I angled the connector correctly, usually one wire would be torn

Response from MikePDiy | April 15, 2021

Thank you very much for the review Nathan :-) !
The mod is not intended to be flush as the type-c receptacle would not be able to pass thru the case without some force being applied; also in the picture of the mod installed in the laptop it can be seen it is a bit recessed.
About the troubles you had with the mod and fixed on your own I would be keen to learn about them as I am happy to assist if there is any problem and learn where I can improve the mods. More so that you have succeded to take the mod apart and put it back together which to be honest is a difficult job as I pot these things with a very strong potting compound.

MikeP

Tseklias | March 10, 2021

Elam | Feb. 22, 2021

Alexander | Jan. 17, 2021

Arturo | Jan. 12, 2021

David | Jan. 4, 2021

Docs about available amps

I've run the component on both a regular USB-C adapter connected to an automotive battery and a QC port with higher available amps, and the x220 charger circuitry really seems to want more than I've given.

The QC charger is of course a cellular charger intended for tiny batteries, but I don't know what I can expect running the included USB-C charging cable directly into a 45 or 60 watt QC port either directly on a 12v 10a circuit, or a high current QC automotive adapter, or whether there's a wall adapter for another brand of laptop with an adapter that is more suitable, so I can sample the current draw across the wire and build something equivalent.

More documentation around the current requirements and optimum charging setup would help.

I appreciate the Taiwan drop shipping fabricator, really good to know about them, the package arrived very, very quickly, the high quality cable was a nice surprise.

Response from MikePDiy | Jan. 4, 2021

Dear David,

Thank you for the kind words.
Please message me thru the Tindie messaging/email and I will explain in more details but in short the mod is for the Power Delivery(PD) protocol and not for the Quick Charge(QC) protocol. They both can work over type-C but they are not the same thing. The mod is specially made to work on PD protocol at the 20V section of the protocol and the charger you will use has to be able to output 3.25A or 4.25A (depending on the mod you have bought). The laptop expects 20V at the charger input so giving it 12V for example will not satisfy the condition to open the switch that starts charging. In the video linked in this page I explain about the PD protocol needs and also in the listing itself I explain what is needed, if that is not enough I am happy to add more details based on a chat with you to see where can I improve the information :-) .

Brendan | Dec. 18, 2020

Life changing, such a nice way to modernize

Like other reviewers, I was so excited to receive this in the mail and mod my ThinkPad x220. I wanted to be able to use a more modern charging brick and not have an extra mess of wires in my bag. Now, I have a small USB charger and a USB C cable in my tech accessories pouch, nicely organized and ready to go. The disassembly took about 2 hours. Being a ThinkPad, I used two screwdrivers to take apart the whole machine. I learned a lot along the way and this has given me the confidence to go after bigger modding projects in the future. The connector wiring was a few millimeters too long for my particular laptop, actually, the stock connector was bent/routed between a little differently. I assume this is because that connector is a made with a mode standard length of wiring for multiple models from MikePDIY. Regardless, it fit. I was a little worried about the connector snagging of the edge of the board, but it won't be moving so I'm not too worried. I used the Hardware Maintenance Manual to figure out how to take apart my specific model of laptop and it worked smoothly.

As far as charging, it started charging right away. You will want to read the notes in the product description to see what type of charger you need. In my case, I needed a 65W PD USB C charging brick and a cable capable of carrying that wattage with the PD (Power Delivery) standard as well. After some searching, I found a few candidates and chose based on price. Amazon had some coupons that brought the price down to 20$. I had also bought the optional USB C cable from MikePDIY, because I didn't have any USB C devices (you'll want a USB C to USB C cable for charging). The cable is great. It has really nice strain relief parts and feels solid. The only downside is the size. I ordered two 6.6 foot cables to have a few extras. Moving forward, I plan on having more USB C devices and I'm sure the cables will come in handy.

All in all, this mod makes my laptop feel that much more modern. It charges quickly, not sure if it charges any faster, it works well. I did notice that the USB C cable moves around in the charging port, like it isn't the most solid in the port. I don't have any other devices to compare, but so far it hasn't affected the function at all. If you're on the fence about this mod: I say, do it.

Response from MikePDiy | Dec. 18, 2020

Thank you very much for the awesome review Brendan !
The wire loom is a bit longer as I prefer to leave a bit of slack just in case because I cut and trim them by hand. Though as you have noticed it is easy to tuck it out of the way.
About the Type-C connector, there is a bit of movement and mostly because I can not pull the connector further back in the case to secure the type-c cable that plugs into it with some plastic casing, there are connectors that allow more of the type-c part from the cable to get inside but that would make the mod impossible due to the size restrictions in the laptop casing but by now I had no failures with these connectors :-D .
About the type-c to type-c cable , I chose to make it 3ft long as 6ft long is a bit uncommon in my humble opinion to use but I will take that into consideration when I restock :-) .

Enjoy the mod,
MikeP

Andrew | Dec. 14, 2020

Looks great and I'm sure it works, but read the disclaimer

I was very excited to receive my mod in the post today, and quickly disassembled my X230 and installed it. I powered it up without a charger connected to ensure everything was still working before trying the new power connector, which it was.

Unfortunately as soon as I connected power to the new USB-C port the laptop shut off and now won't power on. I had read the disclaimer before purchasing and knew that killing the power management IC was a risk. Therefore I'm still leaving a 5 star review because I love the product and appreciate the maker community - but I would like people to have an accurate number of affected X230's, so that they can make an accurate risk assessment before purchasing.

Replacing the power management IC on the board is beyond my capability, so the laptop will be going in the bin after a lot of years of love. As long as you're willing to take the risk - go for it. The product is awesome and I just wish it had worked for me!

Response from MikePDiy | Dec. 14, 2020

Dear Andrew,

Thank you very much for the review and I am truly sad that the mod turned out not so good for your beloved x230.
Please read the guide on how to fix it and message me if you need any support in that area as the laptop can be fixed if you have a bit of soldering skills.
Also I have just updated the disclaimer to reflect the correct number of affected devices .

Best Regards,
MikeP

Cheehan | Nov. 13, 2020

Brandon | Sept. 28, 2020

Neat design and concept, but ended quite poorly for me

I bought this kit to refurbish an old X230 that had been gathering dust for years. The concept is clever and the design is very clean. I was concerned at first about the fact that the USB-C opening is slightly recessed within the circular opening for the factory barrel connector, but the assembly was sturdy and USB-C cables fit snugly.

The installation is not difficult, but it is not entirely trivial. Careful disassembly and reassembly took around 30 minutes. After installation I plugged in the laptop to an OEM Apple 61W USB-C charger that I had on hand and everything worked perfectly — the battery charged to full overnight.

The next morning my Anker 65W USB-C charger (A2712) came in the mail and I plugged it in to confirm that it worked. The laptop immediately shut off and will no longer power-on. Now, whenever a battery is attached to the laptop, the front-left corner (near the PCI Express slot) slowly heats to an alarmingly high temperature. I wasn't able to identify any damage to the laptop after re-disassembling it and inspecting underneath the adhesive layer, but given the symptoms I have little hope of the motherboard functioning again. I may be the one unlucky person who has this happen, but caution is warranted.

Response from MikePDiy | Sept. 28, 2020

Dear Brandon,
I am sorry for the poor experience that you have got out of this. I am ready to make it up to you so please email me or message me here on Tindie as I want to make sure you will not remain with a bitter taste. You are the 4th person to experience this problem out of 283 that are actively using this mod. The problem has nothing to do with my mod but rather with an IC that does the power management of the laptops pcb; it is exactly wha tis getting very hot on your pcb. I have put together a guide on how that can be fixed but again in your case as I did not have a disclaimer for this when you have ordered, I am waiting for a message so we can sort this. I have posted the guide on github and also I will add now a clear disclaimer to this listing. Again I am very sorry for this experience and I am looking forward to get your message. The guide posted is here : https://github.com/mikepdiy/thinkpad-mod/blob/master/Lenovo%20X230%20Thinkpad%20Dead%20-%20No%20Power%20up%20and%20Not%20Charging%20Debug%20and%20fix.pdf

Best Regards,
MikeP

James | Sept. 23, 2020

Ricardo | Sept. 16, 2020

Emilio | Sept. 2, 2020

Pawel | Aug. 26, 2020

Shimon | Aug. 20, 2020

Tito | Aug. 17, 2020

Simon | Aug. 4, 2020

Raphael | July 15, 2020

Robert | June 25, 2020

Chung | June 22, 2020

Cameron | May 27, 2020

Michael | April 19, 2020

Worked perfectly! Very Happy.

Item worked exactly as described. Plug & play, drop in upgrade.
It was however a little on the larger side as it was fairly difficult to fit into the area where the original power port sat. This wasn't really a problem though since it was just barely bigger than the original and could be sanded down if necessary. In the end, I got it to fit by just nudging it into place with some soft hammering. I might readjust it later but for now it works fine.
My laptop is an i7 CPU model so it needs a near 100W charging adapter to take a charge as the seller had mentioned. My 18W phone charger for example won't even trickle charge the laptop when powered off, but that's okay.
Overall, I am very happy with the product and would highly recommend it to others. Seller was very accommodating. Thank you Mike P!

Response from MikePDiy | April 20, 2020

Dear Michael,

I am very glad that the mod delivers up to your expectations. In regards to the casing, yes there have been other reports also and I am now working on sourcing SLA printed cases in black and I will retire FDM printed ones. I am sorry for this inconvenience and thank you again for the support :-) .
About the 18W charger you have tried, it will not work and the reason is : The Lenovo Power Management will only allow the laptop to be charged if it senses 19-20V on the input. A 18W charger will offer only 12V while starting fromo 45W PD chargers will have 20V output. The 20V output is key for this matter so any PD charger with a lower voltage output will not be able to charge the laptop. A mod to change that could be made but then it will no longer be a drop in mod :-D.

Ivan | April 16, 2020

Great product for ThinkPad enthusiasts

A dream come true!
This replacement charging port works great with my ThinkPad X220. Of course you need some patience to dissassemble the laptop and put the new charging port in. It fits very well, I did not encounter any problem. Shipping was really fast.
Now I need just one charger for laptop and phone one travelling.
Again, thank you very much for developing this great little product!

Response from MikePDiy | April 16, 2020

Dear Ivan,

Thank you very much for the review and the kind words.
I am glad you enjoy it and hope it will prove useful for long time to come :-) .

Best Regards,
MikeP

Craig | April 8, 2020

Great idea poorly executed.

Main body (3D printed) was visibly larger than the Lenovo original. I could have sanded it down but after looking under magnifying glass I could see that the outermost red wire was not attached to the board. I must assume that it had shaken loose in transit and that even if it had stayed connected it would be a very short time before
it failed. I don't have the skills to perform such fine soldering so it's going in the bin. Real shame, I really was looking forward to having a USB-C x230.

Response from MikePDiy | April 8, 2020

Dear Craig,

I am sorry for the experience you got. Please check visually if the wire is detached or it is the insulation of the wire protruding toward outside a bit? There are modules where the wire insulation can protrude to the outside a bit but there are 2 layers of coating that I apply to the entire product(board with wires soldered) before it gets in the case and then it is potted. For the case size I have to apologize as the colored ones tend to be bit bigger in size but generally I did not have problems fitting them. Please be kind and send me a message with a picture of the module thru Tindie as I would like to understand if the cable is affected by the shipping and if there is anything I could do to improve the experience for you.

Best Regards,
MikeP

Fahed | April 7, 2020

Dehreck Louis | April 5, 2020

H. | March 26, 2020