J-Go Tech Support Team - October 15, 2021
How to Charge The Microsoft Surface Pro 6
There are a ton of different ways for you to recharge your Surface Pro 6, regardless of how and where you use it.
Photo credit: notebookcheck.net
Today, we’re going to discuss the various ways to charge the Microsoft Surface Pro 6.
As you look at the Surface Pro 6, there is a charging port on the right side of the device:
Charging Port: The standard “Surface Connect” charging port.*
*This is most commonly used, as it matches the original charger that is included with the Surface Pro 6.
The equipment that you will need to charge the Surface Pro 6 will depend upon where you want to charge the device and the charging port you would like to use.
Before we get started, let’s look at the power requirements of the Surface Pro 6 and its charging port.
Feel free to jump ahead to the information you may need by using the index links.
- Surface Pro 6 Charging Basics
- Charging with the OEM Charger
- Alternative Charging Solutions
- USB-CTM PD Power Banks
- Voltage and AMPs
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The Wrap-up
Surface Pro 6 Charging Basics
Inside the box of an SP6, you will find a 44W power supply. As you look at the specifications printed on the charger, you’ll find that 39W (15V/2.6A) is allocated to the Surface Pro 6 and 5W (5V/1A) is allocated to the USB port located on the power supply itself, which is handy for charging a cell phone or other small device.
Surface Pro 6 - Amazon
** Quick Note. The wattage (W) can be calculated by simply multiplying the voltage (V) and amperage (A) (Voltage x Amperage = Wattage). Example: 15V/2.6A = 15(volts) x 2.6(amps) = 39 watts.
If you are using the standard Surface Connect charging port, it is important to know that this port can only receive 12V and 15V currents.
We’ll explain why in a bit.
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s dive into the options you have to charge the Surface Pro 6 in the office or at home. We’ll also discuss portable solutions to keep your device charged on-the-go when you’re completely away from a wall outlet, such as in your car or going on an outdoor adventure.
Charging with The Standard OEM Charger
The first and most obvious option is to charge your Surface Pro 6 with the original charger included in the box. You can easily charge your SP6 by simply plugging the charger into a wall outlet and connecting it to your device. Simple enough, right? To charge the Surface Pro 6 away from a wall outlet, you’ll need some additional equipment, which can be quite cumbersome at times.
Charging in the Car with DC to AC Car Inverter
For those of you that want to charge your device in your vehicle, you’ll need a device called a “DC to AC power inverter.” This device plugs into the DC “cigarette lighter” port of most vehicles and provides a standard AC outlet, just like the wall outlet you’d find in your home, which allows you to plug in your Surface Pro 6 charger.
Picture featuring BYGD's 150W Power Inverter
Charging On-The-Go with DC to AC Power Bank
A more portable option would be to use a portable battery (also called a “power bank,” “battery bank,” “power pack,” or “external battery”). Just as you need a wall outlet to plug the SP6 charger into at home, you’ll need to ensure that the portable battery has an AC power outlet as well. Whether you’re searching for a DC to AC power inverter or an AC power bank, you’ll need to ensure that it can provide 45W or more so your Surface Pro 6 can recharge at its maximum speed.
Picture featuring Zarelo'ds Portable AC Outlet Power Bank
Alternative Charging Solutions
Some of you may be wondering what your options are if you need to keep your SP6 charged without carrying the standard OEM charger everywhere you go.
To explain it simply, the Surface Connect to USB-CTM adapter has a female USB-CTM port on one end of the adapter and a Surface Connect charging connection on the other end. Since you cannot connect the USB-CTM to USB-CTM cable directly from your power source to the Surface Pro 6’s charging port, you would connect the cable to this adapter so that you can connect to the SP6’s Surface Connect charging port.
One thing to note is that although your Surface Pro 6 comes with a 39W power supply, this does not mean that it is always using the entire 39W of power available.
Charging While in the Car with USB-CTM
In order to charge the Surface Pro 6 with USB-CTM power delivery in your vehicle, you could use a USB-CTM car charger, which plugs into the DC “cigarette lighter” port, a USB-CTM to USB-CTM cable, and a Surface Connect to USB-CTM adapter. Alternatively, you could use a USB-CTM wall charger and a DC to AC power inverter as we mentioned previously.
Option 1 Pictured: Surface Connect to USB-CTM charging cable. J-Go Tech's Surface Connect to USB-CTM charging cable is pictured. You're able to connect one end of the cable to your SP6's magnetic charging port and the other end to a 45W USB-CTM wall charger.
Option 2 Pictured: Surface Connect to USB-CTM charging adapter. J-Go Tech's Surface Connect to USB-CTM charging adapter is pictured. You're able to connect one end of the cable to your SP6's magnetic charging port and the other end to a USB-C to C PD cable.
Charging While On-The-Go with USB-CTM
If you want to charge the SP6 away from outlets, such as outdoors, you would need a USB-CTM power bank, a USB-CTM to USB-CTM cable, and a Surface Connect to USB-CTM adapter. Be sure to check out the frequently asked questions listed below for more information about confirming compatibility. With all of these options, please ensure that the power source that you choose provides at least 45W of power via the USB-CTM port and supports 15V/3A output.
Picture featuring J-Go Tech's 45W PD Car Charger.
Charge multiple devices at once with some power banks.
Some power banks are also TSA or FAA compliant making it easy to bring on your next flight.
USB-CTM PD Power Banks
USB-CTM PD Wall Chargers
A Quick Note About Voltage and USB Type-CTM Power Delivery
As I mentioned earlier, the proprietary “Surface Connect” charging port on the Surface Pro models can only accept 12V and 15V. This comes into play when you’re using a USB-CTM power source to charge your Surface device. While many power sources comply with the standard USB-CTM Power Delivery power profiles, there are also many that do not, so please ensure that yours is compatible.
While you can use 12V or 15V, we prefer 15V because it has a higher power limit (45W vs 36W), it’s more common and allows your device to recharge faster when it’s needed.
It’s unlikely to find a USB-CTM charger that supports 12V but doesn’t support 15V, unless you’re looking at power supplies that provide less than 27W.
These are commonly used to charge phones and small tablets, but are not powerful enough to charge most computers anyways. However, we have encountered several products that are powerful enough to charge many computers that support 15V but do not support 12V.
For your reference, we have compiled a chart below that outlines the voltages supported through USB-CTM Power Delivery and their limits:
USB-CTM Power Delivery (PD) Power Chart
| Voltage (V) | Max. Amps (A) | Total Power (W) |
|---|---|---|
| 5V | 3A | 15W |
| 9V | 3A | 27W |
| 12V | 3A | 36W |
| 15V | 3A | 45W |
| 20V | 5A*** | 100W*** |
*** Quick Note. ***20V/5A (100W) requires a USB-CTM to USB-CTM cable with an eMarker chip. Both, the power source and cable must support 5A power delivery. USB-CTM to USB-CTM Cables without an eMarker chip may only reach up to 3A (60W). Please consult with the manufacturer/supplier of your product(s) for more information.*
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions we receive that may help you out:
The Wrap-Up
To summarize everything, there are a ton of different ways for you to recharge your Surface Pro 6, regardless of how and where you use it.
We believe that USB-C is a great charging alternative and is becoming the standard charging method across portable devices in the market.
As we see more and more companies beginning to adopt USB-C as the standard charging port, you’ll be able to use USB-C chargers for your Surface Pro 6 (with the help of our Surface Connect to USB-C adapter) and other common devices that you carry, such as your cell phone, smartwatch, wireless headphones, portable gaming console, drone, camera, and much more. As of recently, we’ve even seen men’s electric razors and gaming controllers adopt USB-C charging ports.
With this technology, you have a great opportunity to consolidate the number of chargers and cables that you have sitting around.
At J-Go Tech, we focus on developing innovative charging solutions that primarily support USB-C charging. As USB-C charging becomes a standard way of charging, we understand that there will be many opportunities for people to charge their devices faster, easier, and with less equipment. With this, we are on a mission to educate consumers on the advantages of USB-C charging technology.
Have questions or need a personalized solution? Want us to cover another topic or model?
Reach out and let us know at support@jgotech.com!
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