We   have   all   been   in   that   position   where   our   laptop   battery   starts   to malfunction; that moment when a 10-hour battery life device depreciates to serving you for one hour or less. Insight from the Research and Development Unit of Yudala, Nigeria’s fastest growing composite e-commerce outfit, shows that   while   laptop   batteries   often depreciate   with   constant   use   over   time, misuse or wrong usage often leads to this happening within a short period of time and at a time when you should still be deriving optimum utility from your laptop battery. Laptop batteries are usually made from lithium-ion: a lightweight, high-power battery often used in computers and mobile  phones.  Lithium-ion  batteries come   in   various   shapes,   although   a   (at   rectangle   is   most   common   in smart phones. It is lighter than the nickel cadmium battery and the nickel metal-hydride battery, thus accounting for its lightweight nature. Lithium-ion batteries work by the movement of lithium ions through a membrane and are clearly different from lithium batteries. Whereas lithium batteries contain lithium metal and are not rechargeable ,lithium-ion batteries do not contain lithium metal and are rechargeable. However, lithium-ion batteries do not last forever. Each lithium-ion battery will have an average of 600 charge cycles and will work optimally for about4-5 years without a drastic depreciation on battery life. Hence, your laptop battery   should   serve   you   well   for   at   least   3-4   years   depending   on   how frequently you use the device and recharge the battery.

Research shows that frequent travelers only get a couple of years out of their laptop   battery  because they tend to charge   intermittently  and keep their laptop unplugged when on the move which kills the laptop battery faster.  To help you get maximum life out of your laptop battery, the following tips from Yudala will go a long way in helping you save the cost of investing in anew battery at short intervals: 1.Avoid putting your laptop on soft surfaces:  It is easy to place your laptop on your thighs or bed while working at home or during your rest time. Many of us are guilty of this. However, if you need your battery to last longer   have  a   stronger  life   span,   it   is   advisable   to   place   the   device   on   hard surfaces such as tables or desks in order to avoid over-heating. Research has shown that heat is one of the biggest obstacles to your battery’s longevity because   your   laptop   fan   can’t   circulate   air   properly   when   your   laptop   is placed on a soft surface.2.Be careful how you store your laptop battery:  This cannot be over-emphasized. It is advisable to store your laptop in a cool place with less heat. This tip is directed especially at people who keep their laptops in their cars where it can get really hot when it’s sunny. Laptop batteries do not work well with heat and might stop working if exposed to excessive humidity. Research shows that, if a stored battery is not charged, it starts to lose it energy and might get damaged. Also, for travelers who leave their laptops behind, it is advisable   to   store   your   battery   with   a   40  –   60%   charge   instead   of   a   full charge. Study shows that fully charged batteries depreciate faster than half-charged batteries. 3.Do not leave your laptop dead before plugging it in: There is said to be a problem called ‘battery memory’ which, cause batteries to ‘forget’ their full charge capacity and start charging at lower levels; charging to 100% and discharging to 0%. Current research indicates that this problem doesn’t exist anymore and we have the modern lithium-ion battery to thank for that. It is

important   to   point   out   that   the   problem   here   is   not   over-charging   your laptop, which makes us believe that letting your battery charge more than100  percent   will   make   the   battery   wear   out   faster.   A   research   study   by Battery University shows that, modern devices are designed to stop charging at 100 per cent hence, keeping them plugged in doesn’t impact the battery’s lifespan. However, a lot of us wait until our laptop dies before we plug it in, which isn’t good for our battery. You should avoid letting your battery drain and discharge below 20 per cent, else, it would reduce the charging capacity of your battery.4.Show your laptop some love: This starts with your battery. Your battery is the powerhouse of your laptop. Abandoning your laptop battery and just letting it do its job without paying much attention to it won’t cut it. Make sure to take care of the battery contact points; the battery contact connects the battery  to the laptop. If the contact point gets dirty or damaged, it may reduce or disrupt the flow of power to the laptop.  If you have a removable battery, you can carefully wipe your battery with a soft cloth to get rid of dust. However, you  have nothing  to worry about if  your laptop battery  issealed.5.Update   your   laptop:  As   underrated   as   this   may   sound,   an   outdated hardware may reduce the performance of your laptop thereby affecting the laptop   battery.   The   cells   in   laptop   batteries   degrade   over   time,   and   it   is totally   normal   for   old   laptop   batteries   to   hold   charge   less   than   an   hour. Current laptops can achieve up to 10 hours of standard usage because of the software that comes with the perk of a new laptop. Henceforth, upgrading your laptop hardware will significantly improve your laptop battery life