Laptops are amazing things. Whether you use yours for work or play, computers nowadays are more powerful and can do more functions than anybody could have ever imagined. However, as with all technology, one thing that plagues the devices is power management.
Without power, laptops are useless, and if you have a laptop battery that’s not holding charge, dies quickly, or simply isn’t charging correctly, your device will be rendered useless. That’s why it’s so important to look after them.
Today, we’re going to take a detailed look at the top five ways you can look after your laptop batteries, making sure they stand the test of time for as long as possible, as well as making sure they operate to their full potential.
1 – Understand Battery Cycles
A battery cycle basically refers to the cycle of it going from full charge to no charge and then back up to full charge. This is a power cycle. Understanding these cycles is the key to laptop battery longevity.
Typically, batteries are designed to last around 500 cycles before they start to decrease in efficiency, so you need to minimize this. This means putting your battery is hibernating mode before it reaches 0% power and making sure you turn it off when you’re not using it.
2 – Ideal Battery Zones
There used to be a time where it was general knowledge that keeping your battery powered to 100% would overcharge it, and keeping them low would damage them, but this is no longer the case; at least not entirely.
Ideally, you’ll want to keep your battery above the 20%-mark, hand in hand with the consideration above. However, modern batteries are designed to thrive at 100%, so don’t be afraid, where you can, to leave your charger in and running off the mains power. This won’t harm the battery.
3 – Monitor Battery Temperature
While modern-day laptop batteries aren’t typically bothered by coldish conditions, unless it’s ice-cold, in which case the laptop itself will stop working first, high temperatures can cause a problem.
With this in mind, make sure you’re keeping your batteries in a cool and ventilated place. Also, ensure your laptop fans are working and can ventilate air to keep your laptop vented and cool while in use. If you’re using an older battery or recalled lithium battery, you may want to upgrade it.
4 – Managing Software Power Consumption
The more software you’re using on your laptop, the more your battery will be drained, and as we spoke above about, the quicker your batteries drain, the quicker it will lose functionality. Instead, keep your software updated for the best optimization, and close any apps you’re not using.
5 – Monitor Your Voltage
Finally, you’re going to want to check to make sure your laptop is plugged in and charging from an outlet that’s the right voltage that is suitable for your battery. A voltage that’s too low or too high can damage your battery instantly, so keep an eye on it.
Summary
As you can see, there are lots of easy and effective ways to maximize the lifespan and effectiveness of your battery, so make sure you’re being mindful of what you’re doing and then enjoy the best functionality from your device!
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