Jun 18, 2021 Pageview:1032
We all know all batteries, laptops, toys, remotes wear out over time. The difference is that they do not wear out at the same time. Two different people given the same brand of new batteries at the same time will not have maintained the same battery life after two or three years. The difference will be noted after comparing the maintenance that was directed towards the battery.
The difference arises due to storage conditions, avoiding total zero charge, heat exposure, and charging levels. Laptops are appealing due to their convenience and portability factor. Keeping the laptop battery healthy is a worry most people with these devices face as a laptop is only good as its battery. In this article, we look at; how to keep your battery healthy, whether to leave your laptop plugged in all the time, and what percentage you should charge your laptop.
How to Keep a Gaming Laptop Battery Healthy
Gaming laptops are high-powered devices that require constantly charged batteries. These laptops tend to discharge faster. The higher the number of discharge cycles, the more reduced the battery's life. More people are worried about ways of keeping their gaming laptop battery's healthy. It should not be a cause of concern, provided you do the right things to prolong your laptop battery life.
Watch out for the battery charge cycle.
Every battery is built to handle a certain number of charge cycles, and a laptop battery is different. A charge cycle is a full discharge to 0% and a recharge back 100%. A 50% discharge and then back to 100% will be equal to half a charge. Over time, complete charge cycles would decrease the battery's life. Therefore, it is vital to watch out for this, as the fewer times you drain your battery, the longer the battery will last.
Make use of the hibernation mode.
Paying attention to the hibernation mode comes in handy when you want your battery to stay healthy. The mode will allow your laptop to enter into hibernation before the battery is drained. Apart from this, during downtimes, when you would not be using your laptop for some time, hibernation mode is effective. It is good to check your battery settings and activate this mode.
Heat tends to damage the composition of your battery hence reducing its life. If your battery overheats, it is advisable to take it out if possible and give it a break to cool down. You can also power off your gaming laptop to cool it off hence maintaining the health of your battery.
Save on your battery power by disabling apps running in the background and consuming battery life. Making use of the Battery saver option helps save your battery life. It automatically activates when your charge is low. It will block background apps like calendars, lower screen brightness, etc.
Is it bad to leave your laptop plugged in all the time?
Dealing with prolonging battery life is a reality most tech-obsessed people face. It is a dilemma to most people whether leaving their laptop plugged in all the time is the right thing to do. It is a tough question as there are differing recommendations and answers on what is right or wrong. Despite this, let's agree on some things.
You cannot overcharge your laptop's battery.
The one thing that is assured is you cannot overcharge your laptop battery. Modern laptops use Li-ion or LiPo batteries, making it hard to overcharge them. Instead of continuing to suck up power when at full capacity, the battery in your laptop will be bypassed even if it remains plugged in. The charge coming through your power cable will be used directly to power the laptop instead of passing through your battery.
Remove your battery if it is overheating.
Most times, while charging your laptop, you may notice the excess heat that always comes from the bottom. It is a normal byproduct of the charging procedure. But what if the temperatures get too high? For a laptop with a removable battery, it is advisable to remove the battery to allow it to cool off and rely solely on the charging cable if you plan on leaving it on charge for a long time. For a non-removable battery, power off your laptop and give it some time to cool off.
All in all, no matter what type of care you dedicate towards your battery, note that with time it wears down. It is advisable to avoid subjecting it to more charge cycles or leave it at 100% capacity as it will reduce the lifespan. The real question every laptop holder should ask themselves is what prolongs the battery and makes it wear out slowly.
At what percentage should you charge your laptop?
We already know it's a given fact that batteries become obsolete over time. Factors like more charge cycles and heat contribute to this. Most batteries have about 500 charge cycles. When depleted, you may need to replace them. A complete discharge is bad for the battery, just as a constant high charge level is.
According to Battery University, a battery that is charged to its 100% capacity has battery cycles of between 300 to 500 times before it wears down. On the other hand, a laptop battery charged to 80 percent may have charge cycles of between 850 to 1500. Therefore, it is safe to say that 80% is recommended as the preferable charge your battery should be.
To get the most life out of your battery, there is an optimum charge you should keep it at (between 40% to 80%). Letting your battery reach a zero charge level is not advisable. In most Lithium-ion batteries, it is advisable not to let the battery discharge to 40% and below.
Note that
?It is recommended to leave your battery capacity at 50% when you are planning on not using it for a while. It is also good to store the laptop in a cool area to prevent the risk of heat affecting the battery.
?Replace your battery when its capacity falls below 80%. Once a battery capacity is below 80%, having to charge it to its full capacity takes longer than usual as the resistance level builds up. In short, your battery becomes less reliable as it may power down anytime or frequently while you are using it.
Conclusion
Maintaining the health of your laptop battery is vital when you rely on it most days. There are different tips suggested that any laptop user can follow and use to achieve this. Some of them are mentioned in the article. Despite the battery being the easiest thing to replace in a laptop, it is crucial to consider ways of getting the most out of a battery before it wears down. Knowing your laptop's battery life is just the first step to get started and start doing things right.
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