Where can I buy a Lenovo X220-compatible charger in DC today?

February 19, 2014 8:57 AM

Right now I'm at the airport, waiting to fly into DC, and just realized I forgot my charger. I'll see what I can pick up at my layover, but I would like to a) not fry my laptop and b) continue to use my laptop. I would like to buy the charger after checking into my hotel. I will not have a car. Relevant facts: 1) The X220 is the small Lenovo Thinkpad (not touchscreen.) 2) Staying in Dupont Circle 3) No car
posted by chesty_a_arthur to Shopping (8 answers total)

Response by poster: Note: I can Amazon it to my hotel but won't get it til tomorrow, at best.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 9:04 AM on February 19, 2014

Best answer: I've never bought just a charger from Best Buy, but that would probably be my first choice. There is one in Columbia Heights that is accessible by Metro from Dupont Circle.


http://stores.bestbuy.com/1092/
posted by infiniteguest at 9:06 AM on February 19, 2014

Best answer: Looks like your best bet is to go to the Office Depot near Dupont Circle and get this universal laptop charger:

http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/284100/Targus-APA31US-90-Watt-AC-Laptop/

From what I can tell, it comes with the tip that your laptop uses (Type R from what I can glean)
posted by thewumpusisdead at 9:08 AM on February 19, 2014

Response by poster: I LOVE YOU MEFI!
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 9:13 AM on February 19, 2014

Ask at the hotel too. They may have a collection of left-behind chargers.
posted by Xalf at 9:18 AM on February 19, 2014 [1 favorite]

2nding whaty Xalf said. I have left behind cell phone chargers at home and never had to buy one. The hotel always had one I could use while there. They usually hand you a big box and tell you to knock yourself out. I imagine there would be laptop chargers there too although not as many.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 9:32 AM on February 19, 2014 [1 favorite]

For what it's worth, off brand chargers have caused my X201 to run a bit hotter, so I stick to my regular one whenever possible, but no immediate frying of the computer.
posted by ktkt at 3:00 PM on February 19, 2014

thinkpads are 99% unbreakable, and will take almost anything including spills without exploding. I wouldn't worry too much about an off brand charger, but would note that thinkpad chargers are 20v, not 19v like most laptop chargers. This is likely what's causing the slight increase in heat(from the load on the dc-dc board) described by ktkt. Make sure anyone that advertises being compatible advertises 20v output in addition to thinkpad compatibility(it doesn't need to specifically say x220, x201 and etc chargers should work. As long as it fits in the socket with the silly grey plug, it's the right one.

I generally advise against off-brand chargers, and not because of potential damage to the laptop, that isn't really an issue. Although targus should be fine since that's an established brand. The brandless "replacement charger for lenovo" ones are garbage though. I've had two fail, and one of those for my fujitsu literally melted down and burned my carpet and my hand when i tried to pick it up and throw it in the sink.

Check at the airport lost and found as well. they will DEFINITELY have one. every model of thinkpad takes the same charging plug, ala macbooks. any 65w or higher lenovo charger that fits in the socket will be correct. i've gotten phone chargers this way before, back when EVERY phone took a different stupid proprietary charger.
posted by emptythought at 3:49 PM on February 19, 2014