Nowadays, laptops are the weapon of choice for productivity. They function much like a desktop computer but are mobile enough to go anywhere with. Unfortunately, most laptops chew through their batteries in only a few hours of work and need to be plugged in in order to function. When your laptop needs to be plugged in all the time, what is the point if it works like a desktop?! Having a longer lasting battery would be ideal but perhaps isn’t an option. With so many people working from home, many people are using their laptops more like a desktop and keeping them plugged in around the clock. For this week’s tip, we’ll discuss the laptop battery best practices.
Is Overcharging a Laptop Battery a Problem?
Most people leave devices plugged in 24/7 and don’t realize it could be slowly damaging the device. Of course, like everything there is a qualified answer to this question. Newer batteries made of lithium-polymer or lithium-ion don’t have too much of a problem being degraded over time from overcharging. Hardware improvements have also played a role in keeping batteries juiced without ruining them.
If you have a laptop on its power source for long periods of time that the device itself starts getting warm, it may be smart to remove it from the power supply as it can damage internal components and ruin the device. The temperature you are storing the device at matters too. In fact, enough research has been performed on the subject to suggest that leaving a fully charged laptop at high heat will significantly degrade the battery compared with a laptop stored at lower temperatures, to a point.
In total, you will want to monitor your laptop’s heat levels when keeping it plugged in, but if you store it in a cool well-ventilated area, you should be fine keeping your laptop on the charger for as long as you want. If you hear your computer fanning a lot when plugged in, consider giving it a rest.
We hope this helped show you laptop battery best practices. For more great tips and tricks about how to manage your hardware and use your technology, return to our blog each week. If you are having any IT issues, we handle all things IT. Reach out to Symmetric IT Group for a free consultation to see how we can help your business IT run seamlessly so you can focus on business.
