Need Advice Regarding Connection of a USB C Monitor to a GPD Pocket 2 Laptop

Musabbir99 on 14/04/2023 - 01:46

I need some advice regarding a GPD Pocket 2 I got recently. I also have a 144Hz 2.K USB C monitor that I am trying to use with it. The problem is there is only one type C port on the Pocket 2. When I just plug it in, it works great, but the laptop is powering the big monitor which seems to be taking a lot of power.

The monitor has two type C ports, when I use my 25W Samsung wall charger it seems to power the monitor, and pass through to my laptop, so it gets charged as well.
The problem is, I keep getting this strange flickering every few seconds when I use this set up. So I guess the monitor is not getting enough power? I don't have this issue when I connect my phone for Samsung Dex, even though my phone gets fast charged by the monitor as well.

I also tested this all in one HP PC that is available at my university, I think it had a 12th gen i7 in it. That didnt have any flickering, and I just used the one usb C cable; not a second cable to give power to the monitor.

So I guess the laptop is drawing more power than my phone which causes the monitor to not get enough? I tried reducing the resolution and refresh rate but it still doesn't help. Do I just need a more powerful brick to plug in the monitor? The strange thing is the monitor came only came with a small 20W wall charger (but not with an AU adaptor so I am not using it).

Is there some kind of USB C hub I can buy to allow my laptop to get charged by the wall, while also giving me another USB C port to give power to the monitor?

Also, anyone have any recommendations for a case or sleeve I can use for it? Somehow I already got a noticeable scratch on the lid.

The monitor does not have a touchscreen in case that is relevant.
This is where I got it from: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004866405494.html

Computing Game Console GPD

Comments

  • Crosscade on 14/04/2023 - 11:18
    +2

    If the laptop requires 20w and you are using a 25w charger, then the laptop is probably pulling more than 5w to charge. It looks like the GPD Pocket 2 pulls 25w when charging.

    You should get a usb c charger that is around 60w which should hopefully be sufficient to power both monitor and laptop with passthrough.

    • Musabbir99 on 14/04/2023 - 23:47

      Thank you so much for your reply. I have another question in case you happen to know. My s23 doesn't seem to power the monitor, even if I use a 18W powerbank to also charge the monitor on the other port. It only works when I use the 25W Samsung wall charger to power it.
      Would this happen to be any different for a S23 Plus? Since it has 45W charging instead of 25W? Sorry I know it is a stupid question because power input by USB C and output is probably not the same thing, right?
      If a S23+ still can't power the monitor then I am assuming I need a powerbank that gives at least 20W? Since that is what the brick that came with the monitor is rated for.
      I am using the same USB C 3.1 data cable on my phone and on the laptop so I don't think it is the cable that is the problem. (On the laptop it powes the monitor by itself) i am so confused because the laptop also is rated at 25W like you said.
      Is it maybe a setting on my phone? Type c to type c confuses me so much compared to A to C.
      How does the phone know to give out power instead of receiving? When I plug the monitor on the 25W brick it does pass through and charge my phone.

  • Crosscade on 15/04/2023 - 00:26
    +1

    Your phone will likely have limited reverse charging capability via the USB C cable. The 45w charging is input into the phone, not output. The output from the phone will just be enough to power low wattage usb devices like usb thumb drives etc. I highly doubt it will be able to power the monitor without a separate power source.

    The wattage of the charger is only one part of it. The wattage is made up of a combination of possible voltage and amperage combinations. A 20w charger is likely 5V/4A (20W), 7V/3A (21W), and 9V/2.4A (21.6W). An 18 watt charger may only be 5V/3A (15W), 9V/2A (18W) and maybe 12V/1.5A (18W). It could be that the 18w charger does not have enough amperage at the voltage needed to power the monitor, or even that the voltage that the monitor runs at is not possible from the charger.

    A 65w or so charger or battery bank is going to have a large range of voltages it will work at, and will have plenty of amps at each.

    For example, one of my 65w usb c chargers has 5V/3A (15W), 9V/3A (27W), 15V/3A (45W), and 20V/3.25A (65W).

    Things are a bit more complicated if it supports PD, but I don't think your portable monitor does.

    Higher wattage is fine as the device will only pull as much amperage as needed, and should negotiate to use the correct voltage.

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