How to use a laptop battery most efficiently?

Hey

I just bought a now laptop.

I would like to know how to use a battery in the most appropriate/efficient way

Thanks

 

Opinions will vary.

I prefer to leave it charged and plugged in, even though I primarily use it with the charger connected.

Some people say if you aren't using the battery, to remove it and store @ 40% charge.
I happen to find this to be a waste of a battery. More tears have been shed over data last from a power cord kicked loose than over the cost of a new battery in 3 years' time.

 

Also the way I always have done with my other laptops.

And I can see you point .

Thanks for the reply

 

6 years ago, i would have said to remove it if you kept the laptop plugged in. Now, most laptops simply stop sending power to the battery once it is charged so there isn't a point to do this unless you wouldn't move the laptop at all which would warrant the question: why didn't you get a desktop instead .

 

A desktop takes up floor/desk space, uses more power, attracts more dust, is not mobile when necessary, and makes more noise (fans).

The issue isn't usually whether the battery is continually charged, but the heat generated from the laptop that could potentially degrade its performance over time, regardless of any discharge.

 

You both say just let it stay in so i consider that as the "right" way. And thanks for the information did not know that heat degrade its performance over time.

 

Plug it in and leave it alone. Don't worry about it. That is my montra, and it's the right one.

 

If your laptop runs hot, take it out. The main killer of battery longevity is heat.

 

Agree with most poster's above.

If you really care about your battery's lifetime then do your whole system a favour and buy a good notebook cooler.

Zalman NC2000 highly recommended.

 

it depends on where the vents are on the bottom of his laptop. If the fans on the NC2000 don't line up with the vents, its useless to him.

 

No, it's not. It will still keep his battery cool.

 

QFT! People are so paranoid about their battery. I have found that leaving it in even if you use it plugged in most of the time, doesn't degrade the battery, especially if the laptop and battery are designed right. Whether you use it or not it will degrade over time.

High heat will be detrimental to a battery, but in most cases, it's isolated enough from the high heat components (at least it should be) that it doesn't heat up any appreciable amount to cause problems.

The biggest degradation of a laptop's battery is by doing what it's designed to do, discharge and recharge. It's a consumable item. Something you should expect to replace in your laptop after 2-3 years if you want actual usable battery life. You might save 10% of your battery's life over the course of 3 years by removing it and storing it in a cool place, but then it's still probably going to only provide about half the life it did three years prior.

 

Htwingnut sums up my thoughts. Here are more opinions
http://forum.notebookreview.com/not...icles/444615-remove-battery-when-not-use.html

 

My 7 years old Dell i2500 can still last for about 30 minutes and I never did special things to it(90% of the time plugged in). My 4+ years old Samsung can still last about 2 hours(initially 3) again 95% of the time plugged in. The Dell is no longer used. The Samsung may have another 2 years life before it becomes too slow.

What I want to say ? Like every other post above, no TLC needed as it will become useless(as a main device anyway) before your battery die completely.

 

My dell battery died relatively quickly with staying plugged in. I will see with my next notebook whether or not leaving it out will help extend its battery life.