Do you have to substitute your laptop computer battery?

Say you’ve got had your laptop for a number of years, and you have observed that it will not activate except it is plugged into the charger. Or, possibly your laptop computer dies shortly if it is not always plugged in. Both manner, you might need begun to contemplate 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’ll be able to substitute the battery your self, or you’ll be able to ship it again to the producer and get the battery changed for a charge. At the moment I will be exploring whether or not or not it is price it to exchange your laptop computer’s battery, or in the event you ought to simply save your self the difficulty and get a brand new laptop computer. Learn on to search 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 delay 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 no doubt you’ve got observed that it simply does not maintain its cost the best way 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 normal 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 quicker over-time. For a lot of, this ends with having to maintain your laptop computer plugged right into a charger always, which almost eliminates its portability issue. You possibly can, nevertheless, decrease how shortly your laptop computer’s battery degrades over time by taking correct care of its battery well being.

If 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 an element in prolonging your battery’s viability. You also needs to 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’ll be able to ship it in to the producer

It is at all times cheaper to exchange your battery than it’s to purchase a brand new laptop computer. However, how a lot it may price to exchange your battery will rely upon a number of elements: what sort of laptop computer you’ve, 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 substitute battery. Nevertheless, not all laptops have replaceable batteries — most of the hottest laptops from greater manufacturers comparable to Dell or HP function replaceable batteries, nevertheless it’s not at all times a assure. Ensure that to seek for your particular laptop computer on-line to see if its battery is replaceable.

You also needs to at all times attempt to purchase a substitute straight from the producer. There is a substantial quantity of counterfeit batteries floating round on webstores comparable to Amazon, which will be harmful to put in in your laptop computer. HP, Lenovo, and Dell all promote substitute batteries on their web sites for his or her laptops, and almost all manufacturers promote substitute batteries at shops and on-line at locations comparable to Microcenter and Newegg. OEM batteries are usually 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 usually run wherever from $50 to $200, relying on the producer and the laptop computer. If you evaluate this to how a lot a brand new laptop computer will price you, it is at all times more cost effective to exchange the battery both your self, or by sending it in to the producer, than it might be to purchase a model new one.

What ought to I do with an previous 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 fireplace 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 likely one of the main advantages of sending a laptop computer to a restore store or to the producer to have its battery changed. If you ship a battery in, the restore technician will usually recycle the previous battery for you, which means one much less journey to a recycling middle in your finish. Whereas you’ll lower your expenses by changing an previous battery at house, you may should take the additional step in disposing of the battery the proper manner.

General, whether or not you might be sending in a battery in to get replaced or shopping for a substitute on-line and doing it at house, it is nonetheless price it to exchange an previous laptop computer battery over shopping for a brand new laptop computer altogether, particularly if the laptop computer is not that previous. In some instances, in case your laptop computer was greater than 5 years previous, it could be time to spend money on a brand new laptop computer, however in case you have a more recent laptop computer with a battery that is hit its peak, it is price saving some cash by changing the battery your self.