Do you have to substitute your laptop computer battery?

Say you’ve got had your laptop for a number of years, and you’ve got observed that it will not activate until it is plugged into the charger. Or, perhaps your laptop computer dies rapidly if it isn’t continuously plugged in. Both method, you might need begun to think about shopping for a brand new laptop computer. However why not substitute the battery as an alternative of spending as much as $1000 on a brand new laptop computer?

For many laptops, you may substitute the battery your self, or you may ship it again to the producer and get the battery changed for a price. In the present day I will be exploring whether or not or not it is value it to switch your laptop computer’s battery, or in case you ought to simply save your self the difficulty and get a brand new laptop computer. Learn on to seek out out.

Why do laptop computer batteries degrade over time?

Lithium batteries discharge and lose high quality over time

• Lithium batteries degrade with use and time.
• Components embody temperature extremes, overcharging.
• Correct care can extend battery well being and efficiency.

In the event you’ve used the identical laptop computer — whether or not it is a Chromebook or a MacBook — for a while, there is not any doubt you’ve got observed that it simply would not maintain its cost the way in which it did once you first purchased it. It is as a result of the lithium batteries which might be utilized in laptops, in addition to most different electronics, decay over time. There are a number of elements as to why a lithium battery degrades, from temperature extremes to overcharging. However, on common, a laptop computer battery ought to final round two years of ordinary use, or roughly 500+ battery cycles, earlier than you start to note its efficiency is reducing.

As soon as a laptop computer battery hits its most cycle depend, its efficiency will degrade sooner over-time. For a lot of, this ends with having to maintain your laptop computer plugged right into a charger always, which practically eliminates its portability issue. You possibly can, nevertheless, reduce how rapidly your laptop computer’s battery degrades over time by taking correct care of its battery well being.

Once you create habits like minimizing brightness and keyboard lighting, not leaving your laptop computer plugged in on a regular basis, and ensuring you retain your laptop computer saved in temperature-controlled environments, all of them play a component in prolonging your battery’s viability. You must also monitor it, which you are able to do within the battery settings on each Home windows laptops and MacBooks.

The price of shopping for a brand new battery in opposition to shopping for a brand new laptop computer

You possibly can set up an OEM battery in (most) laptops your self, or you may ship it in to the producer

It is all the time inexpensive to switch your battery than it’s to purchase a brand new laptop computer. However, how a lot it will probably value to switch your battery will depend upon a number of elements: what sort of laptop computer you might have, whether or not OEM batteries in your laptop computer can be found, and the way a lot your native restore store or producer will cost for a alternative battery. Nevertheless, not all laptops have replaceable batteries — lots of the hottest laptops from greater manufacturers reminiscent of Dell or HP function replaceable batteries, however it’s not all the time a assure. Make certain to seek for your particular laptop computer on-line to see if its battery is replaceable.

You must also all the time attempt to purchase a alternative straight from the producer. There is a substantial quantity of counterfeit batteries floating round on webstores reminiscent of Amazon, which could be harmful to put in in your laptop computer. HP, Lenovo, and Dell all promote alternative batteries on their web sites for his or her laptops, and practically all manufacturers promote alternative batteries at shops and on-line at locations reminiscent of Microcenter and Newegg. OEM batteries are sometimes very reasonably priced, starting from $25 to $150, relying on the laptop computer itself.

Sending your laptop computer to the producer to have the battery changed will sometimes run wherever from $50 to $200, relying on the producer and the laptop computer. Once you examine this to how a lot a brand new laptop computer will value you, it is all the time more cost effective to switch the battery both your self, or by sending it in to the producer, than it could be to purchase a model new one.

What ought to I do with an outdated laptop computer battery?

Please do not throw a laptop computer battery within the trash

You need to by no means throw a lithium battery within the trash. Not solely is it environmentally dangerous, however it may be downright harmful in your rubbish collectors. Simply final week in my neighborhood, a rubbish truck caught hearth throughout its assortment route, and the offender? A number of improperly discarded lithium batteries. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says it’s best to by no means discard a lithium battery within the trash, however ought to as an alternative discover your local e-waste recycling center or a hazardous waste center. Lithium batteries disposed of incorrectly can result in wildfires and may trigger pollution to leach into the soil or waterways extra simply.

This is among the main advantages of sending a laptop computer to a restore store or to the producer to have its battery changed. Once you ship a battery in, the restore technician will sometimes recycle the outdated battery for you, which means one much less journey to a recycling heart in your finish. Whereas you’ll get monetary savings by changing an outdated battery at dwelling, you will must take the additional step in disposing of the battery the right method.

Total, whether or not you’re sending in a battery in to get replaced or shopping for a alternative on-line and doing it at dwelling, it is nonetheless value it to switch an outdated laptop computer battery over shopping for a brand new laptop computer altogether, particularly if the laptop computer is not that outdated. In some circumstances, in case your laptop computer was greater than 5 years outdated, it may be time to put money into a brand new laptop computer, however when you have a more recent laptop computer with a battery that is hit its peak, it is value saving some cash by changing the battery your self.