How Long Is a Laptop Battery's Life?
Most rechargeable laptop batteries will generally last from two to four years with approximately 300 to 500 recharges. The most common battery used today is the Lithium ion. It is composed of two electrodes, an anode and a cathode. The battery produces the electrical current, which helps to give the desired voltage required to make your laptop work. You can extend the life of your battery with routine maintenance and by using techniques that improve your computer's performance.
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Types
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Rechargeable battery life refers to the total life of your battery, from the time you purchase it until the time it can no longer be charged and needs to be replaced. In addition, battery life may refer to the battery run time when you are working on battery power (without AC adapter cord).
History
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The first batteries used in laptops were AA batteries. Many of them were needed, and they did not last very long. From AA batteries, laptops moved up to featuring heavy lead-acid-based batteries; these were heavy and also had a short life. The first type of rechargeable battery were nickel-cadmium batteries, or NiCAD; although they were inexpensive and had high output, they were heavy and not as efficient as the industry wanted them to be. These batteries were gradually replaced by the Lithium-ion and lithium polymer, used in most laptops today.
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Tips for Extending Total Life
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Clean your battery connections with a Q-tip and some rubbing alcohol periodically. Charge your battery to the maximum after portable use. Make sure your laptop isn't subjected to temperatures below 60 degrees F. This drains the battery due to readjusting for the temperature. Optimize your computer performance, by controlling hardware power usage like screens, wireless adapters and USB devices. Cut down on background programs by cleaning your registry.
Tips for Extending Battery Run Time
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Some laptops are designed to use more power than others. A new laptop battery will have an average run time of from 1 1/2 hours to 3 1/2 hours. This diminishes over time. You can extend your battery run time by minimizing the LCD brightness levels on your screen and limiting the use of your CD or DVD drive for movies and music downloads, when you are on battery time. Wireless modems can drain 20 percent of your battery life per hour.
Warning
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Recycle your battery when it can no longer be charged. There are millions of laptop computers around the world; when thrown away all of these batteries contribute to environmental pollution and they are hazardous. If you don't know how to recycle your battery, click the link in Resources and plug in your location information. You can also check your laptop manufacturer's site for a recycling program, or when you buy your replacement batteries, look for a company that takes and recycles the old--some now provide a shipping label in the box with the new battery.
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