You’re not alone if you’ve felt the frustration of your laptop battery dies fast before it’s time to go home. You might think that this is just a modern-day annoyance, but in reality, laptops have always had these issues with batteries. What has changed is how much power we need our devices for and the batteries’ quality. So what can you do to find out why laptop batteries discharge so fast and learn ways to prolong your battery life? Read on!
Why laptop batteries discharge so fast?
The laptop is a portable computer, which runs on battery. The rechargeable batteries usually power up your laptop for 3-4 hours, depending upon the settings and the applications you use. However, batteries are designed to be charged and discharged; hence, they lose their power after a period of time.
There are some factors to look into if you notice that your laptop battery discharges so fast, and these are:
1. Your laptop has an old battery. At some point in time, all rechargeable batteries lose their life. When your laptop battery discharges too fast, it may indicate that its capacity has already run out and needs replacement. You can get the average number of discharge cycles for your laptop’s make and model at the manufacturer’s website.
2. The laptop’s screen brightness is set at its maximum level. Check if you can control the screen brightness as this consumes battery power that reduces battery life. Set the screen brightness to a tolerable level as per your requirement and save some power as well as extend your laptop’s battery life too.
3. Your laptop has too many programs running at any given time. When you are using your laptop, some applications are running in the background to ease up certain tasks, which could be either automatic or manual. This consumes battery power because all programs are utilizing its resources while it is running in the background. Disable unwanted automated tasks and close unnecessary applications that you don’t use at the moment to save on battery life.
4. The keyboard is equipped with lights which are normally lit during use. This consumes battery power also because it has to keep them lit up whatever you do on your laptop. You can turn off the lights so as to save power, which will prolong your laptop’s battery life.
5. You may have too many unwanted peripherals connected to your laptop. It will also cause the battery to discharge faster as they drain out power even if you don’t use them at this time. Unplug those peripherals as such will help your batteries sustain their charge for a longer time and increase the battery life.
6. Your laptop is connected to the network all the time, which is draining out its power. You can switch to Airplane Mode or simply disconnect it while you are not using the internet for a more extended battery life of your laptop.
When is the best time to charge the laptop?
A laptop is a great investment. Yet, it is important to know how to take care of your new laptop and extend the life of its battery. Every time you use your laptop, the battery will lose some charge. The more often you use it, the more quickly it will discharge.
Hence, for better performance and longer use of your laptop, it is important to charge it at an appropriate time and then unplug it as soon as possible to prolong the life of the battery. Do not drain the battery below 20%, and do not leave it plugged in for a long period of time unattended, especially if it reaches 100% charge.
What kills the laptop battery immediately?
Heat is one of the big reasons that laptops are dying faster. The laptop battery loses its charge quickly when it gets too hot, which is basically what heat does. It separates the ions in the existing power so they can move around and create a current to generate electricity for your computer. Avoid leaving your laptop where it will be exposed to direct sunlight. Direct sunlight heats up the laptop and will affect battery life. If you can, avoid placing your laptop on your actual lap as well, since that can cause heat build-up.
Conclusion
It is important to understand that the battery life is not unlimited and that by using a lot of energy from your battery, you reduce its capacity to hold more energy. With proper care and knowledge on how to properly use a laptop for a long time, you can avoid a dying laptop. A dying laptop will not be able to power your favorite apps and games anymore. A lot of people don’t realize this is happening until they find themselves having problems powering on their laptops or when their computers shut down by themselves, even when the battery is at 50%. Be aware of what is draining the energy of your laptop battery and take the necessary steps to avoid having these problems.
