Amps of laptop power cord/brick

[ringtail]

Need to replace laptop power cord/brick (Sager NP8690, video is ATI Raedon HD 5870).

My original power cord/brick says:
LITEON PA-1131-07 Laptop Adapter
Input 100 – 240V ~2.15A 50 – 60 Hz
Output 19V - 6.3A

QUESTION 1:
The only thing available to buy has that identical LITEON model number BUT with higher Output 19v – 7.1A.
(amazing that Lite-On put the exact same model number onto a unit having different specs. Wow.)

Would the higher amperage power hurt my laptop (replacement 7.1A vs original 6.3A)? Or will the computer ignore the higher amperage available from the new power brick and only draw the amps it actually needs?

QUESTION 2:
Any good places where I can translate the in/out power ratings of this heavy model into the equivalent of some different brand that might offer a physically smaller lighter weight size?

 

[lakedude]

1) The brick could have the potential to put out a thousand amps but the computer would still only take what it needed. A thousand amp brick is not going to force a thousand amps into your computer. The importance of the current spec is to make sure you have enough available current. I=E/R and all that rot.

2) The brick is big and heavy because you have a gaming computer that needs a lot of power. Normal non-gaming laptops can get away with light, tiny power bricks because they do not draw much power. Less power demand equals smaller possible brick. P=IE and all that rot. You are looking at a 125 to 145 watt power supply which is huge for a laptop.

 

[ringtail]

lakedude,

Thank you

 

[mindless1]

You could get one that is poorly made generic junk that is smaller and lighter per the rated capacity, but it will have a shorter lifespan and jeopardize the laptop, risk damaging it. In other words the one they included may have failed because it wasn't larger and heavier, to lower thermal density and increase available space for heatsinking and more robust capacitors.

Then again, it could have just encountered a power surge instead.