- Videos, high volume, and screen brightness are the main factors of battery drainage.
- Not clearing the apps working in the background results in shorter battery life.
- Resetting the computer in favor of the battery is crucial for its longevity.
- Wrong power settings and attaching too many appliances can drain the battery.
Many of us experience shorter battery life despite what model or computer we have. One reason is the incorrect use of the computer, and another is being uninformed about what actually affects the battery.
A brand-new laptop battery has an average lifespan of 2-4 years. The OLED laptop battery life lasts up to 11 hours without charging. However, the way you utilize your computer may shorten or extend the average life of the battery.
The article will shed a light on the top 10 reasons why a battery dies or drains faster than usual. You will also learn how to prevent battery replacement earlier than the average life span.
10 Reasons Laptop Batteries Drain
Laptop batteries, especially new ones, need proper care to prolong their lifespan. Below we listed the most common reasons that affect the longevity of your laptop battery.
1 Screen Brightness Set to Maximum
To avoid keeping your computer plugged in constantly, you can be more economical with the battery life by dimming the screen brightness as low as you can handle.
The display is one of the largest consuming factors, and brightness is the drive for this consumption. It’s advisable to eliminate this issue from the start.
You can dim the light in the display settings. On some devices, you can simply click the battery icon and set it to saving or eco mode.
2 Heavy Hardware Games
If you like playing games, you should be aware that some games consume large amounts of battery if the computer is not designed for gaming. Instead of overwhelming your computer, consider getting a 4k gaming laptop. You can read more about the gaming laptop key specifications and learn why these computers are more sustainable.
While playing games, your battery will drain fast and require you to plug in the charger constantly. You can also expect the device to overheat. As a result, you may experience glitches, your computer will become much slower, and the battery will surely drain.
To save the battery, do not stock your hardware with games unsuitable for the computer model.
3 Attaching Too Many Accessories
Most people working on laptops usually attach a separate keyboard and a mouse for greater comfort. Sometimes, they may even plug in their USB charger to charge their phones.
Naturally, with all these accessories attached to your laptop, you should not be surprised if the battery dies much faster than usual. You know that every accessory withdraws energy. Also, this habit may severely damage the longevity of the battery.
4 Active Background Processes
When you have too many apps installed on your computer, you can expect that the battery life will last shorter than usual. Opening too many browser tabs additionally affects the battery life, especially if the browser is not eco-friendly.
Therefore, install a browser that does not drain the battery and regularly check the background processes. And save your battery life by deleting the apps not in use.
5 The Bloatware
You should know that many apps are installed on the device even before you buy it. Some of these apps are usually useless, but somehow we never delete them. The apps we don’t use but come with portable devices are called bloatware and drain the battery continuously.
Therefore, make sure you get rid of them immediately after you get your laptop, to have correct battery hygiene. These apps can be temporal anti-viruses or media players.
6 Overwhelming Online Connections
Apart from the apps running in the background, another possible reason that drains your battery is too many online connections simultaneously. Usually, many users do not realize they use too many online connections. Look out for these:
- Connection to WI-FI
- Connection to Bluetooth
- Plugging an ethernet on some occasions
If your current state looks like this, you are overwhelming your laptop, which results in earlier battery drainage.
7 Wrong Power-Saving Settings
If you have ever used your laptop unplugged, you must have noticed that the screen grows darker when your battery gets low. An even more apparent look is when the battery power reaches 20% and the screen dims.
Many users mistake this occurrence as a regular notification for low battery. In fact, when the screen goes darker, the computer is set to a power-saving mode that extends the battery life for more than 20 minutes. At the same time, you can adjust the power-saving mode in the settings and use the dimmed version all the time.
8 Using Your Laptop While Charging
The habit of using your portable device while plugged in is detrimental to any great battery. Additionally, while you charge your computer, you should leave it on a cooler or ventilation device, to keep the battery temperature cool. If you use the laptop in your lap, you can sense the battery gets hotter.
9 Corrupted Firmware
Technicians who work for popular laptop brands such as Samsung, Dell, or Lenovo warn users about corrupted firmware as one of the rarest reasons, but not impossible. Usually, when laptops become corrupted, the first sign is often unexplainable battery drainage.
Therefore, if your battery becomes low for no apparent reason, please consult with a computer technician. They can save your computer and find better alternatives than replacing the original battery or, even worse, the entire hardware.
10 Using the Wrong Laptop Charger
The original laptop charger is the best choice for your computer, but users can also charge HP computers with Dell chargers. In case you forget you have an HP laptop charger, you can borrow a Dell one.
But you should be aware that putting this in practice may affect the longevity and overall battery performance. Therefore, make sure you stick with the original.
5 Amazing Ways To Fix Laptop Battery Issues
If you are working in IT, the best way for sustainable battery life is to build a laptop from scratch. However, if you are not qualified to build the laptop, the following tips can help you avoid lots of battery problems
1 Unplug the Charger Immediately After the Battery is Full
Only a few remember to unplug the charger once the battery is full. This practice affects longevity and may destroy the battery allowing you to work only with the charger. This is not an economic or sustainable solution.
2: Install Browsers with an Efficiency Mode Feature
You can find new and improved browsers on the market with an added efficiency mode feature to help enhance battery life. Instead of exhausting the system resources, these browsers will put background actions to sleep after 5 minutes of inactivity and help you save up to 30 minutes of battery life.
3: Avoid Leaving Your Computer in Extreme Temperatures
Extreme temperatures severely and dramatically affect the battery life of your laptop. If the weather outside is cold, your computer may turn off even if the battery is half full. Additionally, if you travel to work by car, don’t leave the computer behind during summer because the battery may overheat.
4: Sleep vs. Shut Down
A standard wrong habit among many laptop users when it comes to taking care of the battery life. Putting your computer to sleep still consumes energy, especially if you have running programs. Once you are done with work, shut down the computer to save the battery.
5: Use the Correct Battery Replacement
When there is no other option than battery replacement, it is important to use the correct battery brand and model number. Before you do that, read a laptop charger buying guide or two to ensure you are on the right track. With so many types of laptops out there, choose the correct battery for yours.
Conclusion
Replacing laptop batteries should always be the last option when you notice your battery is off lately. To prevent replacement, try changing your habits that affect the battery’s longevity. This will save you more money and prevent further laptop battery issues.
You can begin by setting your brightness to low and deleting all apps you don’t use working in the background. Do not use your computer while charging or overwhelm it with heavy games it cannot handle. Whatever you do, practicing these simple tips allows smooth sailing and longer battery life.
FAQs
Why does my laptop battery only last 1 hour?
The reasons can be many. You may have many background apps running, bloatware you need to remove, or other advanced options.
What materials are used in making laptop batteries?
Manufacturers use various materials, but Lithium Ion, Nickel Metal Hydride, and Nickel Cadmium are the most popular.
What is the average lifespan of a battery’s performance?
A laptop battery’s average lifespan is 2-5 years. Regular battery habits prolong the life of the battery for over 5 years.
Can I replace the drained battery with a new one?
Yes you can. Laptop batteries are replaceable and a better option than buying a brand new laptop. Consult an expert to find the correct battery for the laptop.