Fiddling with the magnetic power charger cord

[plasm0]

Is it just me, or does it take a longer than normal amount of time to secure the magnetic power cable in place to charge the Surface Pro?
I wish it were easier to just snap in place, but it needs to be aligned perfectly to get that white charging light to turn on...

 

[bosamar]

I think it was a deliberate decision on MS' part. When you plug the cord in you want to be SURE it's connected. Not haplessly plug it in, walk away for a few hours, return and find out it wasn't plugged in properly and didn't charge. My only complaint is I wish the light turned to green when fully charged.

 

[J515OP]

It can be a little fiddley but no more so than micro usb connectors (the worst ). If I had to pick only one thing to fix I too would go with color changing light over ease of connection since I don't find it too bad.

 

[vook]

I noticed it too, it's weird because the pen snaps in easily.

 

[Tom T]

I noticed it too, it's weird because the pen snaps in easily.

I think this is because of the cable, you can easily line the pen up.

 

[elee532]

I hate this connector more than I hate the limited battery life or any other Surface weakness. I end up with an uncharged battery too often because I was just too lazy or in too much of a rush to fiddle with the awkward connector. I read my tablet in bed at night, and it's just to cumbersome to connect when its dark and I'm tired. Likewise, when I'm at the office I'm just in too much of a rush sometimes to fiddle with the connector. What I really want is a desktop docking station and a keyboard dock for more easily working on my lap at which point I think the Pro can completely replace the laptop that I use at work.

 

[zhenya]

I love that someone other than Apple is finally using a magnetic connector. I don't love that it is so finicky. It really just feels like the magnet is still not quite strong enough - that or the cable is a little bit too stiff. I do find that holding it by the cable and letting the magnets do the work is a little bit better than holding the head of the connector and trying to 'place' it by hand.

 

[mesii23]

I think it was a deliberate decision on MS' part. When you plug the cord in you want to be SURE it's connected. Not haplessly plug it in, walk away for a few hours, return and find out it wasn't plugged in properly and didn't charge. My only complaint is I wish the light turned to green when fully charged.

I can't see any company intentionally making something that is such a pain in the backside. I have no issue with a dedicated power connector, just the very poor execution of it. Kudos to them for trying, but that connector should have never made it past quality control.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

 

[plasm0]

Someone should create a Type Cover that has a built-in WIRELESS charger for the Surface Pro. (like the Nexus 4 or Nokia 920)

 

[eL777]

Anyone else notice scratches/scrapes around the magnetic port where you have tried to line up the connector and missed? I've got one that I didn't even realize I did the first day I had this...hope it isnt this easy to scratch everywhere.

 

[MSurfaceWA]

I can't see any company intentionally making something that is such a pain in the backside. I have no issue with a dedicated power connector, just the very poor execution of it. Kudos to them for trying, but that connector should have never made it past quality control.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

I agree 100%. It was intentional to have a magnetic power cord, but not intentional to make it work as badly as it does. Additionally, like el777 noted it makes it really easy to scratch the unit, which I have. Maybe this is some rookie quality control being Microsoft's first shot at a hardware tablet?

 

[bosamar]

Then why isn't my port scratched?