One of the most common reasons customers cite for needing a replacement laptop is short or non-existent battery life in their current computers. Like all electronics, laptops will lose some of their battery life over the years. However, there are many things you can do to help your laptop battery last longer. Continue reading for some helpful tips on preserving the health of your laptop so that it holds a charge every time you plug it in.
Avoid draining your laptop battery fully after every charge.
You may have heard that you should always drain your laptop battery fully before plugging it in for a charge. While this was true with nickel-based batteries of older generation laptops, the same wisdom doesn’t apply for modern lithium ion batteries.
Rather than letting your charge fall to 0% every time, plug your computer in when it’s at about 50%. If you do need to let your battery run out, plug it in and let it charge partially. Then, let the battery life fall about 10% before charging back to a full battery. Allowing your battery to remain in the 40-90% range most of the time is optimal.
Don’t keep your laptop plugged in when the battery is fully charged.
Because lithium batteries work best when they are in the upper mid-range of their charge, they should also not spend too much time charging. Therefore, when your battery does reach a full charge, you should unplug your laptop. Allowing your computer to continue charging once it reaches 100% can degrade your battery’s life over time. Fortunately, there are helpful solutions to keep your battery from overcharging. For example, you can use a power conserving socket that will kill the power to your device once a full charge is detected. Thus, you can still leave it plugged in overnight without any lasting damage.
Keep your laptop cool.
Despite their name, laptops aren’t ideal for laps. Laptop computers, like any other computer, will become hot during use. While there are fans inside your laptop to keep things cool, your laptop can overheat if it doesn’t have space to properly vent. Keep your laptop on a table, desk, or stand rather than directly in your lap or on top of a pillow. Allowing your laptop to run too hot will not only degrade the battery, but it will also damage the processor.
Consult a computer repair specialist for battery replacement.
Even with the right care and maintenance, laptop batteries will eventually wear out. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll need a brand-new computer. Alternatively, you can simply purchase a replacement battery for a fraction of the cost. It’s always best to visit your local computer repair shop for replacement laptop batteries and other parts. Not all batteries are alike, and even those that are technically compatible with your computer may not give you much life.
When you need computer repairs on your laptop or desktop computer, Smart Parts PC is here to help. Our skilled team doesn’t work on commission, so we won’t try to sell you a brand-new machine when all you need is a few simple repairs. For everything from replacement batteries to virus removal, you can count on Smart Parts PC. Call us in Tucson at (520) 468-2320 or visit our website to book your appointment for computer repairs.