MSI Summit E14 Flip-Evo: need to fix MSI Center Pro or the BIOS; Battery Optimizer not working properly (solution found)

[detakuro]

For Battery Optimizer in MSI Center Pro, there are two options:

Balanced: Charge battery when under 70%, stop at 80%

Best for Battery: Charge battery when under 50%, stop at 60%

When I select the latter, it charges the laptop to 79%, not 60%. I don't know whether this issue is specific to this model laptop only, in which case the BIOS needs to be fixed.

It would be nice if there was the option to configure the lower and higher setting as you wish, using slider bars. The Dell XPS does this. So you can set charging to start when the battery drops below 50% and to stop charging when it hits 55%, for example.

 

[detakuro]

Never mind found the problem. I was charging thru a USB-C hub. Apparently the hub stores some power after charging ceases and feeds it to the laptop so the charge goes over 60%. If I connect my charger directly to the USB-C socket on the laptop it stops at 60%.

I am using a Baseus 65W charger instead of the factory Chicony charger and it is working flawlessly and is way more compact and lighter. I am also using a 100W USB-C charging cable with a digital Wattmeter on it so you can monitor the watts feeding the laptop.

 

[funky323153602d7]

Thanks for sharing! I'm looking forward to buy an USB Type-C charger too

 

[Saeba Ryo]

Thanks for sharing the useful information.
Just curious why the battery optimizer can't control the charging via the USB hub.

 

[mimimaomao]

When I select the latter, it charges the laptop to 79%, not 60%. I don't know whether this issue is specific to this model laptop only, in which case the BIOS needs to be fixed.

I would like to know thate the situation happened on which laptop? which generation?

 

[mimimaomao]

When I select the latter, it charges the laptop to 79%, not 60%.

and could you share what charger you used and the situation happened?

 

[detakuro]

It's working OK now, charging thru a USB-C. I am using a generic non-OEM 65W charger (made in China) designed for use on a Lenovo IdeaPad 5, or any laptop which requires a 65W charger. I have Battery Optimizer set to charge when battery level drops below 50% to top off at 60%. I have the USB-C plug of the charger charging thru a Vention USB-C hub. Tops out perfectly at 60%.

I bought the Vention hub off Lazada Thailand; don't think it's available in the U.S. I always buy a hub that includes HDMI, 3-USB 3.0 ports, a USB-C charging port, and a 1GBPS Ethernet port. Be careful buying these hubs, because a lot of them don't work right. Either the HDMI port is squirrely or the Ethernet port only goes to 100 MBPS even though the hub is advertised as 1000 MBPS. I had to return 2-3 brands until I found one where all the ports work as advertised, then I bought spares since I have five laptops. The absolute best is the Sinstar 8-in-1 but it is no longer available on Amazon. The USB ports on those even show up in File Explorer! The hubs do get a bit hot when you are charging thru them.

Another way to check these USB-C hubs is get a USB CD-ROM. Plug it into the hub w/o using any auxiliary power and see if you can actually play back a CD. A lot of times the CD won't play because of inadequate power to the USB ports on the hub - unless you are actively charging thru the hub which boosts power delivery to the ports. On the Sinstar I can play a CD thru the USB ports w/o actively charging thru the hub.

One complaint about the factory 65W charger on the Summit E14 Flip-Evo (as one web reviewer mentioned) is that the power cord from the outlet to the brick is unusually short, around 1-1.5 feet. I replaced it with a longer cord from the Lenovo IdeaPad 5, but I was able to find a source of high quality, 3-foot flat power cables on Lazada Thailand for these laptop power bricks.