I have a Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 with a Ryzen 7 4800H, GTX 1650, and 16GB of RAM. It originally came with a Lenovo 135W adapter rated at 20V and 6.75A. The first adapter eventually failed, and a replacement 135W Lenovo charger developed a similar problem after about a year.
During normal tasks such as browsing, downloading, or working with documents, the laptop charges normally. However, when I start a game, charging repeatedly connects and disconnects. The frame rate drops sharply whenever it switches to battery power. The CPU also gets very hot, reaching roughly 107°C, so the cooling system probably needs attention.
A borrowed Lenovo Legion 170W charger works normally during gaming, with no charging interruptions. I am unsure whether that means my 135W charger is failing, whether the laptop is demanding more power than the adapter can supply, or whether there is a problem with the DC-in circuit or motherboard.
Would a genuine new 135W Lenovo charger be a useful test? If it worked for a while and then developed the same issue, would that point toward a laptop-side fault? Is there anything I should check that could be damaging or overloading 135W adapters? Also, is it safe to use the 170W charger temporarily if its voltage and connector match, even though Lenovo lists a 135W adapter for this model?
3 Answers
Before buying another charger, address the temperatures and inspect the power connection. Clean the cooling system, check that the fan is working, replace old thermal paste if appropriate, and make sure the plug is not loose or unusually hot. Also inspect the DC jack and cable for movement, arcing, discoloration, or damage. Excessive heat or a poor connection can make the adapter shut down under load. If a new genuine 135W charger works reliably while the old one fails, the old charger is the likely culprit; if multiple known-good adapters show the same behavior, have the jack and motherboard charging circuitry tested.
The important clue is that the failure happens exactly when the laptop is under heavy load. If the adapter cannot provide enough power, the system may fall back to the battery, causing charging to cut out and performance to drop. That does not automatically prove the 135W adapter is defective, but repeated failures suggest the adapter may be operating at its limit. Check whether the laptop is actually the model variant Lenovo specifies for 135W, and verify the adapter's output with a meter or a known-good genuine replacement.
A higher-wattage adapter is generally safe because the laptop draws only the power it needs. The voltage, connector dimensions, polarity, and Lenovo identification signal must all match; wattage alone is not enough. If the 170W charger is a genuine Lenovo unit with the same 20V output and a properly fitting connector, it is reasonable for testing or temporary use. Still, confirm compatibility for the exact machine type rather than relying only on the fact that it fits.
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