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I powered my desktop PC with a phone charger
I have hated using barrel jacks as power sources for years, but never realized that I wanted a USB-C-powered mini PC until I tried out GEEKOM's latest IT13 Max system. While you can power other mini PCs with barrel jacks, GEEKOM went the extra mile and built in a Power Delivery port just for that purpose.
Barrel jacks have no place on modern computers
I get why they existed years ago, but why are we still using them?
Many years ago, barrel jacks were the solution to the problem of DC power in devices. AC power was a simple 2-prong setup, but DC had different needs and requirements.
You technically could do DC over a traditional 2-prong setup, like a figure eight plug, but since low-voltage DC is less risky compared to AC, the needs are a bit different.
So, the barrel jack was born, and it's still in use today. The problem is, we have way more efficient ways of delivering power to devices, like USB-C. With USB-C Power Delivery 3.1, you can send up to 240W of power over a USB-C cable.
This is enough power to run many gaming laptops, and definitely more power than normal devices would ever need. So, it's reasonable to think that it's time to transition from using barrel jacks to a much more common USB-C port.
GEEKOM's latest mini PC runs on USB-C PD natively
You can finally have a simpler cable setup for your homelab
I recently got GEEKOM's latest IT13 Max mini PC, and I was actually very surprised to see a special symbol on the back of it, right above a USB-C port. That symbol? It's a plug icon.
So, I started looking into it a little more and I found that specific USB-C port to support Power Delivery in. This means that the mini PC can be plugged into a compatible USB-C power supply and run just fine.
LEONI
Kia Nalbandi
Ideas cornerNow, what power supply is up to interpretation. The mini PC ships with a 120W AC to DC adapter from the factory, so I went with as close to that as possible. Thankfully, I have a handful of 100W chargers around the house.
Since the USB-C port is proper Power Delivery, it handles the negotiations properly for the mini PC. This removes not only having to source an adapter, but also having to source just the right charger. So long as you have a USB-C Power Delivery charger of sufficient power, it'll work just fine.
I haven't heavily stressed the mini PC while running it on my 100W USB-C power adapter yet, but so far it has been working flawlessly over USB-C PD.
One other thing to note is that the USB-C Power Delivery port on the GEEKOM IT13 Max is also a USB4 port. This means you could even use a USB-C docking station like you'd use for a laptop and gain all the ports and capabilities of that docking station, while still powering your mini PC at the same time.
You can convert USB-C to barrel jacks for a cleaner setup
Homelabs are already complicated enough without needing extra adapters
A few months ago, I saw a YouTuber converting his mini PCs from barrel jacks to USB-C-powered. At first, I thought he was actually changing the hardware on the mini PC for this, but it turns out he was just using USB-C to barrel jack adapters. This works because both USB-C and barrel jacks are delivering DC power.
Now, this isn't the simplest thing in the world to do, as you need to find the right size barrel jack with the right polarity. Then, you need to get a USB-C power adapter that will negotiate at the correct voltage and amperage that the computer needs to run.
However, it's definitely possible. The YouTuber was able to shrink his setup down considerably by using USB-C power bricks with short cables and adapters instead of the big AC to DC converters that the mini PCs shipped with.
The problem is, doing this type of conversion isn't the simplest. You have to find just the right adapter and just the right power supply. It would be so much easier if mini PCs started shipping with the ability to be powered over USB-C natively—and that's just what GEEKOM is starting to do.
More desktops should be powered by USB-C
The fact that I can now run this desktop in my homelab over USB-C thrills me. Why? Because I have many USB-C chargers around the house that can easily power it. I can't tell you how many times I've lost a DC power brick for a system and had to try and find something that fit it.
Sometimes it's easy to find one. Other times, I can find the proper power output but not the right barrel jack size. If it's USB-C-powered, I don't have to worry about that at all. Plus, it's way cleaner.
There are also a growing number of USB-C multi-port chargers that can send 100W out of multiple ports simultaneously. This means a single wall outlet could power multiple mini PCs.
Plus, the mini PC I have from GEEKOM needs up to 120W because it's got a Core Ultra 9 185H and Arc graphics (though typical usage will likely be around 65W). But, if it was something lighter weight like a Core Ultra 5, Ryzen 5, or even a Celeron processor, then you could easily get away with a 65W, or sometimes even a 30W power source.
I really hope more mini PC manufacturers pick up on this trend and start to move away from barrel jacks as primary power sources for their systems. USB-C is just more convenient in every way.
