The FSP NB Q90 in gloss white
There are several reasons why one would want an aftermarket power supply for their laptop; perhaps the OEM one is huge and bulky, perhaps it got lost in the luggage, perhaps your cat chewed through the cord (that last one actually happened to me). Replacing an OEM power supply can be an expensive endeavor; OEMs don’t generally have any interest in making replacement power supplies affordable.
That’s where companies like FSP come in. FSP sent us their small form-factor NB Q90 universal power supply to review.
Specifications
- Slim & Sleek design; thickness: 18.9mm/0.74” only
- Available in 3 colors: Black, White & Pink
- High efficiency > 87% & Power saving < 0.5W
- Eco-friendly with Active PFC | ErP Ready
- Full range AC input voltage (100-240V)
- EZ-cable management
- Complete protection: OCP, OVP, SCP, OTP
- Compatible with 18-20 Vdc input laptops
- Content Included: Adapter Unit/ 9-iPoint Connector Tips /AC Cord / User’s Manual / Soft Carrying Case / Velcro Cable Tie
- 9 i-Point Interchangeable DC Output Tips For Maximum Compatibility with Dell, HP, Sony, IBM, Lenovo, Acer, Asus, Compaq, Gateway, Hitachi, Toshiba, Viewsonic, Panasonic, Fujitsu, Samsung, NEC, Sharp, LG and more notebook models.
The first thing I noticed about the NB Q90 was how small it actually is; in a world where power bricks are usually bulky, the NB Q90 is so thin and small that it almost looks like it won’t power a laptop.
The FSP NB Q90 next to a mini notebook
Alas, power a notebook it will. I tried it on a large ASUS 17″ gaming laptop as well as a small HP mini-notebook; it would not, however, power my HP EliteBook 8740W… which is no surprise, given that the HP EliteBook requires a 230W PSU. I’m stuck with a giant brick for that one.
One thing that might turn some people off is that the NB Q90 is designed to sit right next to your laptop; the DC side of the cord is very short at about 4″. The brick has to sit next to your laptop no matter what. Luckily, the extremely low profile and attractive finish shouldn’t make this too big a deal. I could see certain situations (like LAN parties where horizontal space is at a premium) where this could be annoying, however.
Still, one of FSP’s selling points is that this is ideal for travel, and I can’t argue with that. The low profile and removal of long, bulky cords that can tuck away into the side of the unit definitely do make it ideal for packing into luggage… and it’s far less bulky than OEM supplies.
The NB Q90 comes with the standard gamut of tips for various notebook models. None of these would fit in my Google CR-48 ChromeBook, so that’s a thing… but I can’t really blame FSP for the oversight, because it’s not like the CR-48 is a common device. You can check out the available tips on the FSP Group USA website.
The NB Q90 also comes with a carrying case to make travel even more convenient.
The FSP NB Q90 is available now in three colors: glossy pink (hey Fooman, this will go perfectly with your pink Vaio), glossy white, and glossy black. They retail for $54.99 but Newegg has a $10 rebate on them right now for $44.99.
If you travel a lot, if you want to reduce the bulk of your notebook power adapter, or you want to get a pink or white power supply to match your notebook, the FSP NB Q90 is pretty slick. We’re happy to award it with the Icrontic Stamp of Approval for a helpful product that we recommend.
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