How many times have you taken your laptop out to use it and realized your battery was almost dead? The fun is looking for an emergency charge, and depending where you are could be a plug finding quest. The stability of a laptop battery is questionable after 1-2 years depending on your usage. Most laptop batteries are created to last around 400 recharges and will then have the possibility of losing its ability to hold a charge.
Here are some tips to help you extend the life of your current battery:
- Using your laptop as a primary desktop PC that is always plugged in wastes the amount of recharges available to you. Did you know the battery is not needed if its plugged into an AC outlet? Pop the battery out until you need to travel with your laptop.
- Turn off Wi-Fi and BlueTooth when it is not needed. Laptops have an easily accessible shortcut key to instantly disable wireless networking.
- If its going to be awhile before you can grab a charge don’t play computer games, music or DVD movies. Multimedia activities will drain a laptop battery.
- If your running any programs from a CD or DVD note that it can be copied to and run from the hard drive do so. The hard drive usage will consume less power than an optical drive.
- Disconnect external devices (i.e. external hard drive, USB devices) when not needed.
Good to Note: Make your battery have a longer life by utilizing standby and hibernation mode. Use standby to save power when you will be away from the computer for a short time. Use hibernation to save power when you will be away from the computer for an extended time while working.
Tim Grier
Computer Magician
CET Computer Magic
704-677-3035
Tim Grier