MSI GF63/GF65/GF75 - power connector replacement

This week I replaced the power connector on my MSI GF65 gaming laptop. Many MSI GF laptops have been brought in for power connector replacement. A similar connector is also used in the GF63 and GF75 models.

The power connector is located on the left side of the machine's central area, making it quite prone to accidents. For example, dropping the machine on the floor can break the power connector, or the prong of the charger can break off inside the power connector.

The symptom was that the machine no longer charged at all after falling to the floor, unless the charging cable could be placed by luck in just the right position.

With the charging cable in place, the power connector moved more than normal, indicating that it was damaged. The picture shows the broken plastic around the connector.

I opened the machine to assess the situation. The connector was clearly damaged, with the most visible damage being the broken 'support leg'. The power connector should be replaced with a new one to repair the machine.

I removed the motherboard and heatsink. Then I protected the other components of the motherboard from heat.

After this, it's just a matter of disconnecting the power connector. The power connector came off quite neatly, but removing it with just a soldering iron would have been very challenging. However, the broken "support leg" was still attached to the motherboard, but I managed to get it off.

Then the removal of the tins from the holes was quite stubborn.

Eventually, the machine was assembled and tested. As one might expect, the machine started up flawlessly and the empty battery began to recharge again.