After many many years of owning PC's and all-in-ones, I just bought a laptop.

I need "battery life tips".

I won't be using it every day.
I've been buying batteries too often for my child in college's laptop, thereby wondering if we're missing something.

What's the Do's and Don'ts regarding optimum battery life? Leave it plugged in most of the time? Run the battery down pretty low before re-charging? etc...

 

I bought my first/only laptop a year ago and the battery does fine. I don't use the laptop everyday but it does get used every week. I charge the battery when it gets low and let it fully charge. I haven't noticed any issues with the battery at all. BUT I'm no where near an expert in this field .... they should be along later.

 

I don't get too hung up on it as I don't intend to alter my PC usage much for sake of the battery.

That said, my laptop is attached to a docking station 95% of the time, so the battery rarely sees any discharge.

 

My laptop stays plugged in all the time, but I can un tether it and walk around if I want......not for very long, 'cause it is an old battery. I won't be buying a new battery for battery's sake, however. I use my Ipad if I am traveling or away from the house for a period of time. Much longer battery life, but no software to speak of, only applications.

 

If you are using it mostly in one location, just leave it plugged in and every month or so unplug it and run on battery til you get the low battery warning. I have a laptop from 2006 on the original battery. Sure, it doesn't last as long anymore (maybe 2 hours if I'm lucky), but it's real old. My wifes ASUS laptop is a year old and her battery lasts 5 or so hours where it used to last 6+. Main thing is to close it and put it to sleep when not in use when on battery.

Li batteries don't really have a memory like the NiCads used to, but they can still go bad if not used and/or completely discharged too often. At least thats what I've found with my cordless tools.

One thing about the Li batteries is they work fine right up to the point they are done, then the voltage drops off and they cut out. NiCads gave you a warning they were needing a charge by slowing down the tool or not having the power. The computer software probably monitors that I imagine.

 

My 1st experience with that was with a lithium powered light someone had given me. I was pleased with how bright and long it lasted .... until it went from bright to stone dead in a few seconds while I was 25' or so into a dark crawlspace

I don't use my ASUS laptop much but I rarely use it plugged in unless I see the battery is low and then I'll plug it in and leave it plugged in until either I'm done or if not fully charged, until it is. Never paid much attention to how long the battery lasts under usage but 4-6 hrs sounds about right.

 

I have several laptops of different manufacturers and all used. One laptop I recently restored is a Samsung and it has a program on it that allows you to charge the battery to only 80%. According to Samsung that allows the battery to last longer. Not sure really if that is true or not but it is what I keep it charged at and so far the battery is still good and that is really great for a used laptop. I also recently bought an Asus that apparently had been stolen from a store new and then put in a police property room and then auctioned by the police but the battery is bad and no warranty either.

So it varies life of a laptop battery too doesn't depend solely on charging alone but how hot or cold the battery gets as either extreme is bad and batteries like moderate temperatures. When replacing a battery for a laptop I usually buy generic myself as the batteries just go bad after a while anyway. I found out that Amazon.com has fairly decent prices for Asus batteries so I will buy from them when I get a chance to.

 

What Hedge says tend to be true. The battery companies recommend to discharge your computer to about 20% then recharge to about 80% to get the longest life. Too much charge is no good. That said I tend to keep mine plugged in as most people tend to do. After about a year or two most batteries will only keep a charge for several days.

 

I wonder if that is why my ASUS will only charge to 98%
My laptop is only a year old and isn't used a lot but it can sit unopened for a week and still have enough battery left to use it for hours. If I notice the battery is below 50% I'll charge it but often I don't notice until I get the low battery warning. I usually leave the laptop on the floor in the corner of the living rm .... so the temp stays fairly constant.