Have been asking some people what this bulge is and what is the function and why it is always built into so many laptop power charger cables but they seem not to have any idea but I can't just relax with it being there without knowing what it is and most times I've googled it but it is like I don't even know the real name so google returns nothing reasonable. Please any guru in the house to help explain what it is cos it is now giving me sleepless nights

hmmmmmm, now that you mentioned it, I never thought about it!

My guess, maybe some sort of surge protector?? Crack one open if you can, if the components are just inductors/capacitors, then yes its a surge protector.

Lets wait for others here...someone just might know what it is...

dat just popped into my mind now, I'll look 4 1 and open it but it has 2 b a bad one but as can b seen in d picx, dz cord has two of it

Mine has only one,but no idea wat it does.

Its a sort of step down device dat steps down your 220volts to about 19.5 volts that the average laptop uses

ideamaster: Its a sort of step down device dat steps down your 220volts to about 19.5 volts that the average laptop uses

i kno d one u meant but ie not wat am asking about, am talking about d burge in d power cord not d console containing d rectifier and filter circuit.

Anyway i was in a computer repair shop 2da 2 buy some computer accessory, I asked d computer technician der and he said dat it is just a hinge ie 2 support the movement of the cord end bearing d pin which is inserted into
d system 2 minimise stress along d cord though not so satisfied wid d explanat and will still crack 1 open if i c a faulty charger

There is a bulge in every cord especially very close to where you have to bend its mouth to your laptop charging port. It serves as protection to the cable at the most likely "point of failure"

so far, 2 folks say its for "protection to minimize stress on the cord at the most likely points of failure"

Its making some sense to me now...Lets see other folks opinion

They are called ferrite beads or ferrite chokes. Their goal is to reduce EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) and RFI (Radio Frequency Interference). You can google with the little info I've given you to find out more.
computer.howstuffworks.com/question352.htm

sting_224: They are called ferrite beads or ferrite chokes. Their goal is to reduce EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) and RFI (Radio Frequency Interference). You can google with the little info I've given you to find out more.
computer.howstuffworks.com/question352.htm

Finally! Thanks @sting_224