Needed: Laptop Adapter

March 28, 2009 8:16 PM

Lost my laptop's AC adapter, time to find a new one.

I was an idiot and lost my AC Adapter to my Vostro 1000 at a hotel 10 hours from where I am now. I looked, didn't find it, asked at the hotel desk, they didn't have it. Oh well, so I managed the rest of the time I was there and bummed charges off of friends that had compatible adapters.

But I can't do that anymore, so it's time to get a replacement. I've seen other questions here asking in generalities and specifics for laptops that I don't have.

Specifically for my laptop, what are the advantages of getting a Dell brand over any other brand? Is there any reason to get a new one over a used one?

I'm not going to give links to specific places to buy, but Ebay has some off brands new for around $15 and used Dells for $30. Dell's site has adapters starting at $65 and I'm not sure which one of those I should be looking at, or even if there's any important stat other than how much power is needed by my laptop.

posted by theichibun to computers & internet (3 answers total)

Dell intelligently use standard chargers. Any secondhand computer store, or pawnbrokers with a decent selection of new computers, might have one. Ask to try it before you buy.
posted by aeschenkarnos at 8:47 PM on March 28, 2009

It's true that you can buy an off-brand charger for a Dell. But, as a story of caution, don't buy one that's really cheap. I bought one for $17. It would get inordinately hot to the point that I think the internal parts of the little boxy part melted (the boxy part was then no longer a box but a curved cylinder). It still worked, but I was a bit scared by that, and just ordered one from Dell.

My friend has successfully bought ones off of eBay in the $30 range that work fine.
posted by bluefly at 8:24 AM on March 29, 2009

You can buy a laptop charger in most computer stores.

BE WARNED: They have an adjustable power outlet switch!
E.g. 5 V, 10V 11.5 V 12 V 15V 20V 21V.

Find the right position and then HOT GLUE IT. The switch changes easily and you will fry your laptop if you plug it with the switch in the wrong position. Trust me on this one!
posted by yoyo_nyc at 11:59 AM on March 29, 2009