Laptop Batteries & Adapters to Keep You Fully Powered
Picking up a brand new laptop battery is one of the most effective ways to extend the life of your existing laptop. Not only will laptop batteries degrade over time, in some cases they can even swell and expand, causing physical damage to other components in your laptop. So if you find your current laptop battery isn’t keeping its charge quite like it used to, it might be time to pick up a replacement.
It can also be a good idea to pick up a second battery if you spend a lot of time travelling or you’re frequently far from power sources. This way you can start your trip with a pair of fully charged laptop batteries and swap them when one gets low on power.
Whether you’re looking to get more life out of your existing laptop with a new battery, pick up a second battery, or simply replace a lost a broken power adapter, here’s a quick look at how to get started.
What are the Different Types of Laptop Batteries?
There are three types of laptop batteries in the market today. The newest and most popular type is lithium ion. Lithium ion laptop batteries are thin, lightweight, don’t suffer from the “memory effect”, and typically offer the longest battery life per charge. They’re also long-lasting, with most maintaining full health for upwards of 1000 charge cycles.
The other types of laptop batteries available are nickel cadmium (NiCd) and nickel metal hydride (NiMH). NiCd batteries are the oldest of the three and have short lifespans. They only keep a charge for a few hours and suffer greatly from the memory effect, which means the total charge the battery can keep decreases with each cycle, unless you drain the battery completely before each recharge.
NiMH batteries sit right in the middle. They offer better charge times and have longer lifespans than NiCd batteries, but they also suffer from the memory effect.
How Do I Find a Laptop Battery Replacement?
If you’re replacing the battery in your existing laptop, you won’t have a lot of choice. You’ll need to find the exact battery type and model that’s compatible with your specific laptop. Start with your laptop: You’ll need to know the brand and model number (this is often printed on a sticker on the bottom of your laptop or inside the battery compartment). Then find the model number of your existing battery. With this information, you should be able to zero in on a compatible laptop battery in no time.
How Do I Choose a Laptop Power Cord?
If you’ve lost or broken your laptop power cord or power adapter, your best option might be a universal power adapter. These typically include an AC adapter and a range of connectors, so you can pick the one that fits your specific laptop. It’s important to never use a power adapter that wasn’t designed for your laptop, as the voltage and polarity may not be compatible, and serious damage can result. Universal power adapters are made to safely deliver the proper current to your laptop, provided the proper connectors are included.