As previously mentioned, KIWI310 utilizes the industry-standard Type-C PD power input for its power supply. Consequently, Dr. K has collected Type-C power adapters from his colleagues in the office, which include adapters from smartphones, tablets, and notebooks.

Before beginning, it's worth briefly introducing the development of Type-C. USB Type-C, also known as USB-C, is a specification for a type of USB connector. The more commonly seen USB standard connector is Type-A. Both Type-C and Type-A utilize standard USB signals, allowing them to be compatible and interchangeable with one another.

Type-A connectors have evolved from USB 1.0/1.1 to 2.0 without any major changes in appearance. The primary difference between them lies in their increased transmission speeds, which have gone from 1.5Mbps/12Mbps to 480Mbps while providing 5V/0.5A of power supply. Their purpose was to replace analog expansion interfaces such as PS/2 and COM/LPT. USB 2.0 Type-A has largely replaced the above-mentioned analog signal connectors today, except for some specialized industrial computer applications. With the development of semiconductor technology and the rapid advancement of wired and wireless networks, the 480Mbps transmission speed of USB 2.0 no longer meets the requirements of high-speed applications. Additionally, the standard 5V/0.5A power supply capacity significantly restricts the development of expansion devices. As a result, USB-IF (USB Implementers Forum) developed USB 3.0 with 5Gbps and USB 3.2 Gen 2 x 2 with a maximum of 20Gbps transmission bandwidth. To provide higher bandwidth, an additional 5-pin connector point, specifically for USB 3.0, was added to the Type-A connector during the USB 3.0 era.

Taking a closer look at the Rear IO of KIWI310, we can see that the blue USB 3.0 connector has an additional row of 5-pin contacts compared to the black USB 2.0 connector on the right. These additional pins are used to support the higher bandwidth and slightly higher power supply of USB 3.0, making it a new backward-compatible solution for system and peripheral manufacturers. As USB 3.0 became more prevalent, USB-IF began preparing for the next generation of designs, which led to the birth of Type-C. The biggest difference between Type-C and Type-A is that Type-C no longer requires an up-down orientation for the connector, making it fully intuitive and easy to plug in without consideration for directionality. Additionally, the design of Type-C allows mobile devices to provide IP65 or higher dust and water resistance capabilities.

Type-C receptacle (on-board)

Type-C plug (on adaptor)

By utilizing the Type-C connector, both desktop and mobile platforms can be accommodated without the size limitations and incompatibilities of previous connectors such as Type-A, Type-B/Micro B, Mini USB, and Micro USB. The advent of Type-C and its potential to unify the connector market undoubtedly make it the most future-proof and versatile interface.

Next, let's get back to the main topic. A total of six Type-C adapters have been collected, some of which are used for smartphones, some for laptops, and some for tablets. However, their original sources are unknown, and most of them are adapters that come with purchased devices.

Here are the Type-C adapters listed according to their model numbers:

1. ZMI Fast Charger, model: HA612 (This model only supports QC, not PD) 

2. ZMI fast charger, model: HA716 (successor to HA612, supports PD).
   
   
   
    

3. SAMSUNG fast charger for smartphones, model: EP-TA800.
   
   
   
    

4. Power adapter for ASUS laptop, model: ADL-65A1.
   
   
   

5. SAMSUNG tablet fast  charger, model: W16-030N1A.
   
   
   

6. ASUS ROG gaming ssmartphone fast  charger, model: AD2130320
   
   
   

Next, we have our testing platform, KIWI310, and the Type-C power input interface is located on the far left in the photo.

Furthermore, KIWI310 has a built-in LED power indicator that will light up to confirm if the system is receiving power from the Type-C input.

Can the device receive power smoothly? Can it be powered on successfully? Can it run 3D Mark smoothly without any issues? These are the criteria we will be using to evaluate the performance of the adapters.

The results are evident. I intentionally compared the first old model of the Xiaomi fast charger, which doesn't support PD, with the other adapters that come with Type-C PD power supplies for smartphones, tablets, and laptops, all of which passed the tests successfully. However, if you still have doubts about the power supply selection for KIWI310, you can purchase the original Type-C PD Adapter (FSP065-A1BR3, part number 509000000100).
Here are the test results:

1. Xiaomi Fast Charger, Model: HA612

Power supply: Fail

Boot up: Fail

3D Mark: Fail

2. Xiaomi Fast Charger, Model: HA716

Power supply: Pass

Boot up: Pass

3D Mark: Pass

3. Samsung Phone Fast Charger, Model: EP-TA800

Power supply: Pass

Boot up: Pass

3D Mark: Pass

4. ASUS Laptop Power Supply, Model: ADL-65A1

Power supply: Pass

Boot up: Pass

3D Mark: Pass

5. Samsung Tablet Fast Charger, Model: W16-030N1A

Power supply: Pass

Boot up: Pass

3D Mark: Pass

6. ASUS ROG Gaming Phone Fast Charger, Model: AD2130320

Power supply: Pass

Boot up: Pass

3D Mark: Pass

In conclusion, thanks to the widespread adoption of Type-C PD chargers, the rise of environmental awareness and the trend of anti-waste philosophy, along with Apple's move to not include chargers in the standard packaging of iPhone 12, more and more brands have started to focus on reducing unnecessary repetitive spending and waste, as well as the environmental issues caused by the large amount of electronic waste. The design team of KIWI310 follows this trend and incorporates this design philosophy into their product. It simplifies the product configuration, saves users from the waste of buying duplicate accessories, and can also recycle these unused chargers.

With the announcement of the European Union to ban power supply devices other than Type-C for mobile devices starting from the end of 2024, Type-C charging will become even more popular. In reality, the battery of mobile devices gradually deteriorates and is rarely heard of chargers that malfunction due to usage. This trend will help alleviate the problem of chargers in drawers becoming trash in the short term. In addition to being the dominant charging interface, Type-C is also expanding to other areas such as displays. Dr. K believes that the design team of KIWI310 has also noticed this and we can look forward to what new surprises the future KIWIboard products will bring.