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 Getting the Most from your Laptop Battery

By Bobby George

There are several steps you can take to make sure your laptop battery lives up to its potential. With more and more computers running more and more programs and peripherals, these tips can come in handy next time your away from a wall outlet.

Tweak your settings.

     See your Operating System resources to determine how to change your hardware settings. Make sure that the screen brightness is set to the lowest level that lets you see the screen comfortably. Also, set your system hibernate after a few minutes so your computer doesn't sit and run while you're away. Some systems even allow you to change how long the hard drive will run, allowing you to free up even more battery life.

Unplug peripherals.

     Leaving cameras, USB drives, and speakers plugged in when not in use is one of the biggest power consumers. When you're done with a file on a thumb drive, go ahead and remove it. If you aren't using the CD in your disk drive, remove that as well to keep the disk drive from running constantly.

Is it really a "lap"-top?

     Some sources indicate that using your laptop in your lap causes the system to heat up rapidly. In this case, your cooling system will begin to work overtime. If you notice your computer getting pretty hot, try to use it on a completely flat surface so the vents around the bottom have room to breathe.

Condition the battery.

     Finally, when receiving a new battery, make sure you charge it all the way up at least twice and run it down to about 5% at least twice. This will allow the battery to reach its full capacity and last as long as it is supposed to. Some people also suggest to do this complete discharge/charge cycle about once a month.

Keep checking back here for more tips on maximizing battery life. For more info on laptop batteries, see: http://www.lowcostbatteries.com/laptop-batteries.asp