Today, most of us leave our smartphones or laptops aside only when the laptop battery is too low, when we are contacting the local internet providers to increase modem speeds, or when we are observing our non-screen time. We spend long periods on the laptop, it is no surprise that these devices are always plugged in. So is it a good thing or a bad thing to always leave the laptop plugged in? Let’s find out.
All about Your Laptop Battery
Two different kinds of batteries are used in laptops today: lithium-polymer and lithium-ion. Both the battery types come with similar functionality, even though they utilize varying technologies. To keep these laptop batteries healthy and working for long periods, they must be properly handled. Otherwise, you may have a dead device in no time.
Overcharge Your Laptop Battery or Keep it Plugged in All Day Long
Some people have the habit of overcharging their laptop batteries. Others have the habit of keeping it plugged in all the time. Although this may not pose any sort of danger to the electrical device, this requires deep contemplation on the user’s end. On the other hand, there are some users, who instead of taking a risk, leave their device plugged in all the time and plug it out only when the laptop battery has successfully hit the 100 percent benchmark! They do not begin charging their laptop until a certain percent of the battery has been used up.
This practice is not healthy for an electrical device that you are constantly dependent on. It is also important to note that the latter practice mentioned above, may also damage your laptop. You are also bound to damage your laptop if you have the habit of fully using your battery and then putting it up for charge after it is empty. This can also prove to be disastrous, especially if it is a regular practice and you may end with a laptop that you can never charge again.
Top Reasons Why Leaving Your Laptop Plugged in All the Time is a Bad Idea
These lithium-based batteries can be damaged if they are not carefully handled since they are essentially unstable, their capacity may start to decrease the moment they are produced. To ensure that they don’t immediately decline, one must be careful in handling them. So many factors ascertain as to why keeping the laptop plugged in always is a thoroughly bad idea.
One, the battery comes with a specific charge-discharge cycle. It cannot exceed beyond that certain limit. This applies to its voltage level as well. The higher a charge level goes, the quicker it is said to shorten the battery’s life. If the battery becomes too hot, crossing a certain limit (for instance, above 35 degrees Celsius), it can cause irreversible damage and cannot be fixed.
Another strong factor is heat. Although most users are smart enough to not leave their laptops in the back seat of their car when the weather is hitting high notes, yet many still do this. Combine high voltage and high temperatures and the result is a battery with a relatively short life. That’s why one should always keep their laptop in a cool location at room temperature and not charge their battery to 100 percent as this can shorten the battery life of the laptop as well.
Would Removing the Laptop Battery Prolong its Usage?
It depends on the quality of the battery. Heat is often deemed a great danger to synthetic products such as laptop batteries. However, most batteries manufactured today are sealed with non-combustible sealants that may provide some sort of safety to the end product. Although most laptop batteries need to be replaced after a certain amount of time, it eventually depends on the manufacturer. For instance, the company ACER says that users don’t need to remove their laptop battery but should remove it if it is going to be unused for several days straight. On the other hand, consumers with Apple laptops are advised against ever taking these batteries out.
However, another factor that controls the battery life is how the laptop is designed to handle power management setup. Some models reduce power when the battery level lessens whereas there are some, which reduce power in the absence of the battery, leaving you with a device that has sub-standard performance. Meanwhile, if you have finally decided to remove the laptop battery, then you must store this properly at room temperature and keep the device charged at least 70 percent.
Conclusion – Should You Keep Your Laptop Plugged In?
To wrap up this discussion, leaving the laptop plugged in all day long does ruin its battery. What’s more is that, if you have the habit of charging it every other day, even that is said to shorten battery life. Although these differences are still variable and the quality of laptop batteries is also improving with time, it is best to exercise precaution when handling these new-generation electrical accessories as they are often quite sensitive and can easily be damaged.
