Laptop battery usage tips

Many users learn little about laptop battery maintenance. As a result, the battery life of their gadget decreases sharply. Typically a laptop battery runs up to 3 hours, but after a while, we discover that the battery starts to run out quickly and requires more time when charging. Regardless of brand; battery degradation will take place overtime. But the very good news is, battery degradation can be minimised and potentially extended for longer time. Here are 13 tips to help you achieve that:

1. Most laptop manufacturers (except Apple) don’t generally tell you about this, but a simple process known as reconditioning (or occasionally, recalibrating) can breathe new life into your laptop battery and add the capacity back. To do that, turn off your screen saver and any other power management tools that put your PC to sleep. Fully charge the laptop, and then let it run all the way down.

2. It’s recommended to charge for at least 12 hours non-stop for the first time, as it prolongs the lifespan of your battery.

3. Charge more often. Do not discharge the laptop battery when in critical level (i.e. less than 10%), and do not plug the laptop if the battery is fully charged. Frequently charging and discharging can extend the life of the battery.

4. Lessen battery utilisation by always lowering/darkening the brightness on your laptop’s monitor. Brighter display consumes far more energy. Also, when operating on battery, avoid using heavy applications on the same time.

5. Stay away from employing external gadgets like external hard disk, external DVD writer and iPod. These gadgets are going to utilise and quickly drain the battery.

6. Add more RAM if you have an extra expansion slot, it will reduce the usage of hard drive.

7. Close unused software in your notebook.

8. Remove unused PC Cards or USB devices from your notebook.

9. Don’t watch DVD or play graphically demanding video games.

10. Don’t short circuit terminal or store your battery pack with metal parts.

11. Don’t drop or mutilate the battery pack.

12. Don’t expose the battery to moisture or water.

13. It’s normal for the battery to get warm when charging or normal use. If it is getting too hot, there may be a problem with the device and qualified personnel should check it.