I have an MSI GS75 Stealth 9SF with an i7-9750H, 16 GB of RAM, a 1 TB SSD, and an RTX 2070 Max-Q. For a while, games would briefly lag every few seconds, and Chrome would occasionally switch into energy-saving mode. Event Viewer showed a "power source change" message whenever this happened. The problem eventually became constant. My original power brick was about six years old, smelled unusual, and became extremely hot, so I replaced it with a 240 W adapter. The laptop worked normally for a short time, but now the battery will not charge to 100% and the power keeps cutting in and out. The replacement brick, charging plug, and laptop jack all become very hot. I have tried different outlets, performing a power reset, reinstalling the Microsoft AC Adapter and ACPI battery drivers, and checking the cable and port. The connector does not look bent and the port appears clean. The laptop sometimes charges or runs games normally if I jiggle the plug into a certain position, but that no longer works reliably. I have also ordered a replacement battery because the current one is around six years old. Could this still be a software or battery issue, or is the DC charging jack likely damaged? Should I stop using it and have it inspected?
2 Answers
A charging jack that becomes extremely hot and only works when the plug is moved is very likely worn, loose, or damaged. The intermittent connection can cause the laptop to switch between AC power and battery, which explains the gaming stutters and energy-saving behavior. I would avoid continuing to use it under load, since excessive heat at the connector can damage the jack, motherboard, or adapter and may become a safety issue. Have the jack and charging circuit inspected soon. Also confirm that the adapter is the correct MSI-compatible voltage, plug polarity, and wattage; 230 W is generally appropriate for this model, and using a higher-rated compatible adapter is fine, but incorrect specifications are not.
Reinstalling the battery drivers normally will not fix a physically intermittent charging connection. A battery that stops below 100% can sometimes be limited by a battery-health or charge-threshold setting, but that would not explain the hot connector or the need to jiggle the plug. The old battery may also be worn out, but replacing it should not be treated as the main fix until the jack and charging circuitry are checked. Back up important files and arrange a repair rather than continuing to test it by repeatedly moving the plug.
Windows automatically reinstalled the Microsoft AC Adapter and ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery after I removed them, and there was no improvement.
I replaced the 230 W adapter with a 240 W one because I thought the laptop might be demanding more power, but the plug and jack still get hot and the connection remains unreliable.