GTrusted
The Windows-based Surface Book 2 is a new 2-in-1 notebook PC release by Microsoft and comes with a USB Type-C connector supporting USB Power Delivery fast charging. We will observe how this PC sets up USB Power Delivery power contract with a Apple based charger like the Apple 87W USB-C Power Adapter that was made to keep the Apple 15" MacBook Pro (Late 2016) charged using USB Power Delivery.
When the Microsoft Surface Book 2 and the Apple 87W USB-C Power Adapter are both connected through a USB Type-C to Type-C cable, we access the Granite River Labs GRL-USB-PD-A1 analyzer to take a good look at the USB Power Delivery Protocol transactions.
The Apple 87W USB-C Power Adapter starts communicating with the Microsoft Surface Book 2 over USB Power Delivery by constantly declaring only a single 12 watts (5 volts @ 2.4 amps) power profile.
While at 29% battery charge, the Microsoft Surface Book 2 is first seen to request this 12W power offering which is accepted by the Apple charger.
After voltage and current adjustments over several Vendor Defined Messages have completed, the Apple 87W USB-C Power Adapter goes on to offer not only the 12 watts (5 volts @ 2.4 amps) it initially declared but also two other power profiles: 27 watts (9 volts @ 3 amps) and 86 watts (20 volts @ 4.3 amps).
The Microsoft Surface Book 2 in turn calls 39 watts (20 volts @ 1.95 amps) from the Apple charger which also complies. This then continues with the charger exchanging Vendor Defined Messages including Discover Identity and SVIDs with the PC.
With the Microsoft Surface Book 2's battery being 29% charged, from initial plugin, the PC is observed to get about 38 watts (20 volts @ 1.9 amps) of steady state charging at power on with the Apple charger.
The Microsoft Surface Book 2 works well with the Apple 87W USB-C Power Adapter to charge at a similar power level as expected with the PC’s original Surface power adapter. It's also great knowing that the Apple 87W USB-C Power Adapter can also be used to power certain Windows PC’s like the Microsoft Surface Book 2 quickly besides its own Apple 15" MacBook Pro (Late 2016).
