Batteries For Laptop Computers


With the relatively recent advent of all this new technology, most people who have to travel for work have a laptop computer. These computers have reduced the need for cumbersome, fixed desktop computers that were once the only option. All that is needed now is a small bag to carry your laptop, and of course, a trusty, fully charged laptop battery. The fact that your laptop needs power to run is sometimes overlooked when people purchase a new computer. One of the main questions that you should ask before buying a laptop is when completing basic tasks, what is the battery life like? Anything under 2 hours is not that good these days with most computers using new technologies that will give you much greater times before the battery runs dead.

At this time there are three main materials that batteries for laptop computers are made from; nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride, and lithium ion. Nickel cadmium batteries were the first kind of rechargeable batteries for laptops that came out, these were followed by nickel metal hydride batteries, and finally, the newest and best of the current batteries for laptops is the lithium ion battery. Lithium ion batteries are the most expensive to make but the cost is far outweighed by the benefits that come with it. This type is probably the most widely used battery for laptop computers and is the most efficient and reliable. Lithium ion laptop batteries are also a lot lighter when compared to the other types of batteries.

In the near future batteries for laptop computers will most likely all be Ion Polymer batteries. These batteries have an even better power to weight ratio than the lithium ion batteries, although they are dearer to produce, the cost should come down as technology advances. If you are looking to purchase laptop batteries or laptop computers click here for some wonderful bargains.

Shown below is a list of a few small things that you can perform to greatly increase the amount of time you will get out of each charge of a laptop battery and they will also help to keep your battery in a lot better condition over the course of its life.

For Lithium-ion (Li-Ion) batteries:

  • During everyday use, try not to completely discharge the battery. Most laptops these days come with power saving devices etc. so they shutdown when the power gets below 10%. But if your computer is older, do not run it dead flat as this will damage the battery.
  • If your laptop is plugged into an AC power supply for most of the time, take the battery out but only after it has been fully charged. Ensure that you put the battery back in before unplugging the computer if it is turned on or it will shut down immediately.
  • If you are putting your computer into storage or just not using it for awhile, take out the battery.
  • Follow the temperature instructions that come with your computer and avoid using it whenever it is outside these temperatures. Most makes and models have a minimum of around 10°C (45F) and a maximum of 35°C (85F). Using your laptop outside this range could damage it and the battery beyond repair.
  • If you have purchased a new battery, it should be fully discharged and then fully recharged two or three times. This should only be done if the battery is new and it helps to give your battery the most charge that it can hold every time you charge it from now on.
  • These batteries are immune from memory damage (i.e. the amount of time that they can give your computer power doesn’t decrease over time).
  • There is no point waiting for the battery to totally discharge before recharging it.
  • Make sure that about once a month you give the battery a full recharge.

For Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries:

  • Over time, your battery will lose the amount of charge that it once was able to hold (memory degradation). This happens to all NiMH batteries so don’t despair.
  • Make sure that the time between each charge that you give the battery is a far apart as possible.
  • Do not charge the battery until it is totally empty.
  • Every second month or so, completely discharge the battery then give it a full recharge.

Although nickel metal hydride batteries are going out of fashion, they are still around. Make sure you follow the above steps to prolong memory degradation as long as possible.

For Nickel Cadmium (NiCd) batteries:

  • Make sure that every time you plug your computer into an external power source, you remove the battery.
  • Never charge the battery until it is totally emptied.
  • This type of laptop battery will suffer from memory degradation similar to the NiMH batteries.
  • This is the oldest of the battery technology and is hardly being used at all anymore.

Similar to the nickel metal hydride batteries, nickel cadmium batteries are going out of fashion but can still be found in some laptop computers so make sure you follow the above steps to prolong memory degradation as long as possible.

For Lithium-polymer (Li-po) batteries:

  • This kind of laptop battery should not suffer from memory degradation
  • This is the best battery to buy if you are looking for a compromise between weight and power.
  • Try not to run this battery completely dry as you might damage the chemical composition and therefore lead to subpar performance from it.
  • The overall lifespan of a lithium-polymer battery is quite short when compared to other kinds of batteries.
  • When you are ready to charge this battery, do not do it straight after it has been used. To keep it in tip top condition, wait at least fifteen minutes before hooking it up to a charger.
  • This battery will give you the best performance out of all the other kinds of batteries out there but you will pay for this with its price tag.
  • Lithium-polymer batteries will take longer to charge than other kinds of batteries.
  • Make sure you have a good read of the manual that should come with the battery. This will give you any other information that you may need about the specific make and model that you have purchased. It will also help to prevent the battery overheating and thus getting damaged.

So there you have it, hopefully much of the information that you needed about batteries for laptops. There are some great laptop articles to be found and if you are thinking about purchasing a laptop, have a look around online as there are always some great deals and bargains to be had.

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