Can a 97W Macbook Pro charger be used to charge an 86W XPS 15"

I am moving over from a MacBook Pro 2019 to a dell XPS 15" and so will be selling my MacBook Pro and not sure if to sell it with my spare charger.

Would I be able to use my spare 97W MacBook Pro charger with my Dell XPS?

Solution 1:

If the charger is a USB C one that supports PD (Power Delivery) then it should be fine.

USB C PD allows devices to negotiate requested and supported voltages and currents. In theory the power supply will state whether it supports 15V or 20V output, and what current levels, and your laptop (Mac or HP) will request the voltage and current that it wants. If you laptop actively wants more current than the PD charger can supply then your laptop may simply not charge and will tell you as much. Many laptops will simply use the highest charging speed they can, but will limit performance on lower charge speeds.

If the power supply cannot put out some power level that the laptop wants then it will simply fall back and put out a "standard" USB 5V power. In this way it is "safe" and will not cause damage to the laptop components.

It will negotiate up to what is available, or it will simply do nothing.

As long as you are using trustworthy USB C power supplies (I would consider an Apple one trustworthy) then I would not consider it a risk to try on other USB C PD compliant laptops.

From Apple 96W USB-C Power Adaptor

The 96W USB-C Power Adapter offers fast, efficient charging at home, in the office or on the go. While this power adapter is compatible with any USB-C–enabled device, Apple recommends pairing it with your 16-inch MacBook Pro for optimal charging performance.