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Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 2-in-1 Laptop: i5-10210U, 13.3", 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Expired

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Best Buy has for My Best Buy Student Members (free to join): Galaxy Book Flex Alpha 13" 2-in-1 Laptop (NP730QCJ-K01US, Royal Silver) + Amazon Smart Plug (White) on sale for $599.99 -> Now $549.99 when you check the Apply Offer box on the product page. Shipping is free. Thanks delz4stelz

Note: Must be signed in to My Best Buy account to see offer. Amazon Smart Plug will automatically be added to cart.

Specs:
  • Intel Core i5-10210U Quad-Core Processor
  • 13.3" 1920x1080 QLED Touch Display
  • 8GB DDR4 Memory
  • 256GB Solid State Drive
  • Wireless-AX WiFi + Bluetooth
  • Backlit Keyboard
  • Windows 10
  • Ports:
    • 2x USB 3.0
    • 1x USB Type-C
    • 1x HDMI
    • Audio Combo Jack
  • 4-Cell Lithium-ion Battery
Best Buy has for My Best Buy Student Members (free to join): Galaxy Book Flex Alpha 13" 2-in-1 Laptop (NP730QCJ-K02US, Royal Silver) + Amazon Smart Plug (White) on sale for $749.99 when you check the Apply Offer box on the product page. Shipping is free.

Specs:
  • Intel Core i7-10510U Quad-Core Processor
  • 13.3" 1920x1080 QLED Touch Display
  • 12GB DDR4 Memory
  • 512GB Solid State Drive
  • Wireless AX WiFi + Bluetooth
  • Backlit Keyboard
  • Ports:
    • 2x USB 3.0
    • 1x USB Type-C
    • 1x HDMI
    • 1x Audio Combo Jack

Original Post

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Edited July 23, 2020 at 10:30 PM by
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Samsung Galaxy Book Flex Alpha 2-in-1 Laptop: Intel Core i5-10210U, 13.3" QLED Touchscreen, 8GB DDR4, 256GB SSD, Win 10 $549.99
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sams...Id=6398413

Model: NP730QCJ-K01US

Samsung Galaxy Book Flex Alpha 2-in-1 Laptop: Intel Core i7-10510U, 13.3" QLED Touchscreen, 12GB DDR4, 512GB SSD, Win 10 $749.99
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sams...Id=6398414

Model:NP730QCJ-K02US
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$550
$850.00

Community Wiki

Last Edited by 1dash1 July 25, 2020 at 07:25 PM
Product Specifications & Reference Info

General
Name .............................. Galaxy Book Flex Alpha 2-in-1 13.3" QLED Touch-Screen Laptop
Brand .............................. Samsung
Model Number ............... NP730QCJ-K01US
Color ................................ Royal Silver
Type ................................. 2-in-1 (convertible laptop/tablet)

Display
Screen Size ..................... 13.3 inches
Display Type ................... QLED, glossy, 100% sRGB, 400 nits (boostable to 600 nits)
Screen Resolution .......... 1920 x 1080 (Full HD)
Touch Screen .................. Yes

System
Storage ............................ 256 GB PCIe NVMe SSD
Memory ............................ 8 GB DDR4 SDRAM (soldered, not upgradeable)
Processor ......................... i5-10210U
Graphics ........................... Intel UHD Graphics
Operating System ........... Windows 10 Home
Voice Assistant ................ Amazon Alexa
Speakers .......................... Stereo Speakers, 2 x 1.5W (downward firing)
........................................... RealTek High Definition Audio
Front-Facing Camera ..... 720p/0.92 megapixels webcam with built-in microphone
Backlit Keyboard ............. Yes
Touchpad ......................... Multi-gesture touchpad
Cooling System .............,.. Air
Security Features ............. Fingerprint reader, webcam lockout

Ports
..... 2 x USB 3.0 Type A
..... 1 x USB 3.0 Type C (does NOT support power delivery)
..... 1 x HDMI
..... 1 x MicroSD card reader
..... 1 x Headphone/microphone Combo Jack

Connectivity
WiFi ........................... Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 ax)
Bluetooth .................. Bluetooth 5.0

Power
Battery Life ............... 18.5 hours
Battery Cells .............. 4-cell, 54WH
Battery Type .............. Lithium-ion
Power Supply ............ 40W

Size
Dimensions ................ 12.00" x 7.95" x 0.55"
Weight .......................... 2.62 pounds

Qualifications and Warranty
ENERGY STAR Certified ................... Yes
EPEAT Qualified ............................... No
Manufacturer's Warranty ............... 1 year Parts, 1 year Labor

Other:
Aluminum body.
Does not support S-pen. Customers report other types of pens have worked, such as the Wacom Bamboo Ink Smart Stylus [bestbuy.com].

261 Comments

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Featured Comments

That's what she said!
I really don't get why people would come on a thread that clearly states it is for a 13 inch laptop and then tell us they would rather have a 15 inch laptop. Then why open this thread in the first place? They are 2 very different products for different niches. 13 vs 14, maybe.

Do you go on every 55 inch TV thread and say you want a 75 inch TV?

Btw, try fitting a 15 inch laptop into most international hotels' safe.
Really wish this had usb c charging

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Joined Nov 2007
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> bubble2 864 Posts
157 Reputation
rupter
07-30-2020 at 05:17 PM.
07-30-2020 at 05:17 PM.
Quote from mydealcollections :
Regarding this whoosy fan noise, I just wish Samsung will tweak some settings in future Bios updates for fan to kick in gradually (slowly).
Have you tried "silent mode"? I'm not hearing any kind of whoosy fan noise on my i7 model and I'm not using silent mode but read others have success with it.. It's annoying that there is not one charging indicator light on this laptop. You have to open the lid to check charging.
Reply
Joined Aug 2011
L3: Novice
> bubble2 199 Posts
38 Reputation
mydealcollections
07-31-2020 at 07:29 AM.
07-31-2020 at 07:29 AM.
Quote from rupter :
Have you tried "silent mode"? I'm not hearing any kind of whoosy fan noise on my i7 model and I'm not using silent mode but read others have success with it.. It's annoying that there is not one charging indicator light on this laptop. You have to open the lid to check charging.

Yes. Silent mode makes the fan to kick in less or none most of time. Annoying thing is you have to manually turn it on every time. I wonder if I can remap F12 key to activate the silent mode. Yes no indicator light for charging is kinda annoying as well
Reply
Joined Nov 2007
L5: Journeyman
> bubble2 864 Posts
157 Reputation
rupter
07-31-2020 at 08:05 AM.
07-31-2020 at 08:05 AM.
Quote from mydealcollections :
Yes. Silent mode makes the fan to kick in less or none most of time. Annoying thing is you have to manually turn it on every time. I wonder if I can remap F12 key to activate the silent mode. Yes no indicator light for charging is kinda annoying as well
Yeah, I don't know if you can remap. If you enable the quick settings on the taskbar you can toggle it on and off there.
Reply
Joined Jul 2009
L5: Journeyman
> bubble2 837 Posts
431 Reputation
walletNgromice
08-02-2020 at 01:38 PM.
08-02-2020 at 01:38 PM.
Quote from webdd :
Have you guys done all of the windows updates, including version 2004? I'm leaving it parked there at the moment. Mine seems to be running fine with the default Samsung apps - do you really notice much of a difference with the clean install, or is that just a preference? I may wait a while to decide to go that route, I've gotten rid of McAfee and other apps through the normal settings route.

Thanks to everyone for posting the tips here. I've read the Wacom - Bamboo Ink Smart Stylus for Windows Ink; 2nd Generation will work with this and Windows ink, vs. the S pen. Not sure if I want to drop $50 on one though...
I can't get 1909 (or whatever it is) installed. It fails every time. I might try to do 2004 manually.

The Surface Pro pens do work. The SP4 generation is cheaper but has no tilt and coarse pressure sensitivity. I'm not that impressed with it, but since I already owned the pen the price was right.

I'm debating between the well reviewed Renaisser Raphael 520 ($40), or just sucking it up and buying the SP7 generation pen ($80). Wacom Bamboo Ink reviews indicate diagnal line jitter so at $50 l might just wait until I see a price drop on that model.
Reply
Joined Aug 2007
L3: Novice
> bubble2 299 Posts
107 Reputation
webdd
08-02-2020 at 02:58 PM.
08-02-2020 at 02:58 PM.
Quote from walletNgromice :
I can't get 1909 (or whatever it is) installed. It fails every time. I might try to do 2004 manually.

The Surface Pro pens do work. The SP4 generation is cheaper but has no tilt and coarse pressure sensitivity. I'm not that impressed with it, but since I already owned the pen the price was right.

I'm debating between the well reviewed Renaisser Raphael 520 ($40), or just sucking it up and buying the SP7 generation pen ($80). Wacom Bamboo Ink reviews indicate diagnal line jitter so at $50 l might just wait until I see a price drop on that model.
I've installed all of the windows updates, except for the last. So I have this message pending under updates: "Feature update to windows 10, version 2004". So I'm on whatever version is prior to 2004. I returned a DELL laptop that really got hung up after this update, apparently there are/were issues with Malwarebytes and the 2004 update. Didn't realize until after I returned it- the DELL would freeze up for 30 minutes or more, making it unusable.

Didn't have any problems updating this one, other than a Samsung display driver that took 3+ times/reboots to work- I've installed all of the Samsung updates too. Haven't heard any whooshing noises, but haven't really pushed this too hard, just surfing the web mostly.

What would you recommend for a cheap pen to try- don't really want to drop $50 on the Bamboo. Has anyone thought about a docking station or using this with a TV as a display monitor?


Reply
Joined Jul 2009
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> bubble2 837 Posts
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walletNgromice
08-02-2020 at 05:40 PM.
08-02-2020 at 05:40 PM.
Quote from webdd :
I've installed all of the windows updates, except for the last. So I have this message pending under updates: "Feature update to windows 10, version 2004". So I'm on whatever version is prior to 2004. I returned a DELL laptop that really got hung up after this update, apparently there are/were issues with Malwarebytes and the 2004 update. Didn't realize until after I returned it- the DELL would freeze up for 30 minutes or more, making it unusable.

Didn't have any problems updating this one, other than a Samsung display driver that took 3+ times/reboots to work- I've installed all of the Samsung updates too. Haven't heard any whooshing noises, but haven't really pushed this too hard, just surfing the web mostly.

What would you recommend for a cheap pen to try- don't really want to drop $50 on the Bamboo. Has anyone thought about a docking station or using this with a TV as a display monitor?
My experience of the fan has been quite similar. Rare and quiet. I didn't bother to fresh install. I just removed some bloat using add/remove. The non-functional S-pen app in the icon tray with the permanent status "S pen detached" is annoying. I'll need to remove that too.

For a pen, the Raphael 520 is $40 on Amazon, which is about as cheap as I'd be willing to go. Just make sure you get the legit listing. There are two listings and one has reviews where people received fakes.

The Wacom Bamboo Ink is $50 at Best buy but was $35 for a day back in May. At that price I'd try it.
Reply
Last edited by walletNgromice August 2, 2020 at 05:43 PM.
Joined Nov 2010
L9: Master
> bubble2 5,571 Posts
367 Reputation
JK1982
08-03-2020 at 04:30 AM.
08-03-2020 at 04:30 AM.
Quote from walletNgromice :
My experience of the fan has been quite similar. Rare and quiet. I didn't bother to fresh install. I just removed some bloat using add/remove. The non-functional S-pen app in the icon tray with the permanent status "S pen detached" is annoying. I'll need to remove that too.

For a pen, the Raphael 520 is $40 on Amazon, which is about as cheap as I'd be willing to go. Just make sure you get the legit listing. There are two listings and one has reviews where people received fakes.

The Wacom Bamboo Ink is $50 at Best buy but was $35 for a day back in May. At that price I'd try it.

Have you experiences it getting hot on the bottom as many ppl mentioned?
Reply

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1dash1
08-03-2020 at 03:28 PM.
08-03-2020 at 03:28 PM.
I've been lamenting the lack of a PD port. So, I've been looking for a work-around solution.

I ordered this USB power bank. [ravpower.com] Checking various bulletin boards, the consensus seems that it will work, even though 20V @ 2A isn't quite the same as 19V at 2.1A.

Finding a USB-C to Samsung pin adapter was a lot more dicey. I narrowed the barrel diameter down to either 3.0x1.0mm or 3.0x1.1mm. Here are my references sources:
Connector size 3.0 x 1.1 mm:
Samsung Chat:Representative "... the power adapter pin size is 3.0x1.1mm."
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Original...1#viTabs_0
https://www.amazon.com/Superb-Cho...B07HHSWCP6
https://www.amazon.com/Limited-Ad...B086YSTRC6

Connector size 3.0 x 1.0 mm:
https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Co...B07L2TX34Q
https://www.one-cable.com/origina...UuEALw_wcB
https://www.amazon.com/TYJYUN-Cha...B07R4MJCHN
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SZL4KTM (Q&A answer)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08B5XX6PB (Q&A answer)
So, I ordered both sizes from Amazon.
3.0mm x 1.0mm [amazon.com]
3.0mm x 1.1mm [amazon.com]
And I'll return whichever one doesn't work. My guess is that the tolerances of the port are such that both will work. But I'll try the 3.0x1.1mm first because that's the one that Samsung's Chat support said is the correct size. (Chat Support isn't necessarily reliable. A different agent, when asked what the RAM speed was, responded "The RAM speed is 1920 x 1080." LMAO)

All items are on order (including the Flex Alpha). I'll report the results when all items have been delivered.

Note: The item that is most worrisome is the RavPower power bank. 3 weeks and it still hasn't been shipped. Oh, they sent me a shipping notice last week, "Your order is on the way." But the UPS tracking only shows that the label has been created, the item has not yet been dropped off for them to ship. Three requests to RavPower for a status update have gone by ignored... not a happy customer. I guess it's time for me to write a letter to the CEO of Sunvalley Group​.

* * * * *

EDIT: RavPower Customer Service finally responded. They asked for another week to fill the order. vomit

I guess I can just hook up the USB-C cable to a 40W USB charger while I wait for the power bank to arrive. If the system works with the USB charger (20V @ 2A), it should work with the power bank.

EDIT2: Another week has passed and RavPower still has no idea when they will actually ship my order. I canceled the RavPower order and I ordered an Elecjet 45W [amazon.com] instead from Amazon.
Reply
Last edited by 1dash1 August 14, 2020 at 12:18 PM.
Joined Nov 2007
L5: Journeyman
> bubble2 864 Posts
157 Reputation
rupter
08-03-2020 at 05:30 PM.
08-03-2020 at 05:30 PM.
Quote from 1dash1 :
All items are on order (including the Flex Alpha). I'll report the results when all items have been delivered.
Awesome..thanks!
Reply
Joined Jul 2009
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> bubble2 837 Posts
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walletNgromice
08-04-2020 at 06:38 AM.
08-04-2020 at 06:38 AM.
Quote from JK1982 :
Have you experiences it getting hot on the bottom as many ppl mentioned?
Not yet, but my usage has remained pretty light.

I managed to get the 2004 update on my laptop after updating using a usb Windows installer image and the pen seems to be tracking faster now. That's very unexpected.
Reply
Joined Apr 2020
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> bubble2 94 Posts
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FairDime683
08-05-2020 at 12:34 PM.
08-05-2020 at 12:34 PM.
Will this sale come back?
Reply
Joined Aug 2011
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> bubble2 199 Posts
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mydealcollections
08-06-2020 at 03:19 PM.
08-06-2020 at 03:19 PM.
Please update us with the result... Thank you


Quote from 1dash1 :
I've been lamenting the lack of a PD port. So, I've been looking for a work-around solution.

I ordered this USB power bank. [amazon.com] Checking various bulletin boards, the consensus seems that it will work, even though 20V @ 2A isn't quite the same as 19V at 2.1A.

Finding a USB-C to Samsung pin adapter was a lot more dicey. I narrowed the barrel diameter down to either 3.0x1.0mm or 3.0x1.1mm. Here are my references sources:
Connector size 3.0 x 1.1 mm:
Samsung Chat:Representative "... the power adapter pin size is 3.0x1.1mm."
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Original...1#viTabs_0
https://www.amazon.com/Superb-Cho...B07HHSWCP6
https://www.amazon.com/Limited-Ad...B086YSTRC6

Connector size 3.0 x 1.0 mm:
https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Co...B07L2TX34Q
https://www.one-cable.com/origina...UuEALw_wcB
https://www.amazon.com/TYJYUN-Cha...B07R4MJCHN
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SZL4KTM (Q&A answer)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08B5XX6PB (Q&A answer)
So, I ordered both sizes from Amazon.
3.0mm x 1.0mm [amazon.com]
3.0mm x 1.1mm [amazon.com]
And I'll return whichever one doesn't work. My guess is that the tolerances of the port are such that both will work. But I'll try the 3.0x1.1mm first because that's the one that Samsung's Chat support said is the correct size. (Chat Support isn't necessarily reliable. A different agent, when asked what the RAM speed was, responded "The RAM speed is 1920 x 1080." LMAO)

All items are on order (including the Flex Alpha). I'll report the results when all items have been delivered.

Note: The item that is most worrisome is the RavPower power bank. 3 weeks and it still hasn't been shipped. Oh, they sent me a shipping notice last week, "Your order is on the way." But the UPS tracking only shows that the label has been created, the item has not yet been dropped off for them to ship. Three requests to RavPower for a status update have gone by ignored... not a happy customer. I guess it's time for me to write a letter to the CEO of Sunvalley Group​.

* * * * *

EDIT: RavPower Customer Service finally responded. They asked for another week to fill the order. vomit

I guess I can just hook up the USB-C cable to a 40W USB charger while I wait for the power bank to arrive. If the system works with the USB charger (20V @ 2A), it should work with the power bank.
Reply
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> bubble2 3,644 Posts
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1dash1
08-14-2020 at 12:25 AM.
08-14-2020 at 12:25 AM.
I haven't received my Samsung yet. It's 10 days late. Should've been delivered on August 3rd.

Perhaps this is a casualty of the politically-motivated slowdown in postal services. Dontknow

I'll post the results of my PD experiment if and when I get the laptop.

P.S.

Also picked up this in-line multimeter [amazon.com] to test the PD charging circuit.

From what I've researched, the charging circuit tolerance varies from laptop model to laptop model. Indeed, even individual laptop models may differ due to substitution of parts.

However, the general consensus is that +/- 5% voltage tolerance is probably acceptable. The use of a 20V power supply to charge a laptop designed for 19.1V pushes the upper limit of this (presumed) tolerance. I'm taking the step of measuring the power supply output to ensure that the voltage isn't too excessive.

I'm also curious about how well regulated the supplied wattage is coming from the USB power bank. My guess is that as the power bank's capacity is used up, voltage remains reasonably constant but amps will drop.

If I have the time, I'd like to also test the theory that it's not a good idea to fully recharge the laptop with a power bank. I've heard that towards the end of the recharge cycle, it takes much more energy for each incremental per cent charge as the laptop approaches 100%. I've seen recommendations to recharge laptops to only 80% whenever using a power bank.
Reply
Last edited by 1dash1 August 14, 2020 at 11:23 AM.
Joined Dec 2008
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> bubble2 3,644 Posts
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1dash1
08-20-2020 at 01:09 PM.
08-20-2020 at 01:09 PM.
Update.

Contacted Best Buy about the laptop-in-limbo and they offered to send me another via Next Day Air delivery. I accepted the offer. Laptop should be delivered tomorrow evening.

Power bank expected shortly. USPS tracking shows it out for delivery.

It's going to take a few days to prepare for the PD test. Need to cycle the laptop through a couple of recharge cycles by itself. Then I need to cycle the power bank at least a couple of times before testing it. Unfortunately, the only thing that draws a lot of power is the new laptop, so this process can't be done concurrently. It looks like Tuesday or maybe Wednesday would be the earliest start date for testing.

I can release some preliminary results on Thursday. Barring any interruptions or unforeseen problems, tests should be complete late Friday. Results compiled and posted on Saturday.

EDIT: 8/21/2020. Everything delivered. Cycling through batteries at the present time. On track to begin testing on Monday, 8/24/2020.
Reply
Last edited by 1dash1 August 22, 2020 at 01:34 AM.

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1dash1
08-24-2020 at 12:09 PM.

Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank 1dash1

08-24-2020 at 12:09 PM.
Work-Around Solution for USB-C Power Support

8/24/2020 _ Started USB-C Power Bank test today.

Power supplied by a 20,000 mAH ElecJet power bank [amazon.com] using the included ElecJet USB-C to USB-C power cable.

Pin adapter 3.0mm x 1.1mm [amazon.com] fits satisfactorily. It is about 1/8 inch too long, so the barrel sticks out from the laptop slightly, but otherwise fits just fine.

Initial charging level = 19.9V @ 2.05A = 40.8W, measured using this multimeter [amazon.com].
That's a little higher than the OEM power adapter's rated 19.0V @ 2.1A = 39.9W, but it is within the (presumed) 5% circuit tolerance.

Sorry, but I have no means of measuring the OEM's power adapter's true voltage and current. The barrel design is such that I cannot measure volts/amps while it is connected to the laptop.
The laptop charged from 5% to 72% in the first 60 minutes, so the USB-C pin adapter seems to be working! ApplauseYahoo!

I will post the first test results when completed later today.

====================================================

EDIT: Final results of USB-C Power Bank charging compared with OEM power adapter.

...Time* ...... OEM Test 1 ... OEM Test 2 .... USB Test 1A .... USB Test 2A
. 00:00 _ ............... 5% .............. 5% ................ 5% ................ 5%
. 30:00 _ ............. 36% ............ 37% .............. 39% .............. 38%
. 60:00 _ ............. 69% ............ 69% ............,, 72%.............,, 72%
. 70:00 _ ............. 79% ............ 79% .............. 82%............... 82%
. 80:00 _ ............. 89% ............ 89% .............. 91%............... 92%
. 85:00 _ ............. 93% ............ 93% .............. 94%............... 95%
. 90:00 _ ............. 96% ............ 96% .............. 96%............... 97%
. 95:00 _ ............. 98% ............ 98% .............. 97%..............100%
100:00 _ ............. 99% .......... 100% .............. 99%
105:00 _ ............ 100% ................................. 100%

* _ Elapsed time (minutes).

.

I'll report back with further test results when finished, including an analysis of power rates (volts and amps versus time) as well as how many charges can be had from the ElecJet power bank before it is depleted or slows down to the point where it is effectively useless.

But for the time being, take heart that this simple pin adapter solution works!


.

EDIT2: USB Test Results updated 8/28/2020, as shown above in red.

Further analysis can be found here [link].
2
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Last edited by 1dash1 August 28, 2020 at 11:39 PM.
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