Checklist for buying a laptop battery

Laptop buyers are well aware of the importance of batteries in their laptop. If you own a laptop, then you should know that your laptop battery has a limited lifespan. Once your laptop battery completes its life, you won’t have any other option but to buy a new battery.

If you find yourself in a situation whereyou need to buy a new laptop battery, then don’t rush toyour laptopmanufacturer andorder a laptop battery. Laptop batteries especially offered by laptop manufacturers are expensive. You will be surprised to know that a new laptop battery ordered from your laptop manufacturer will cost you ½ or 1/3 the price of your laptop.

The price factor alone may force you to look for other options. However, selecting a laptop battery for your laptop (if you are not ordering from your laptop manufacturer) is not that easy. A wrong battery will not only be a waste of money, but can also seriously damage your laptop.

Most laptop manufacturers don’t manufacture laptop batteries. They just brand them with their products. You should not be surprised if you see a laptopbattery manufactured by a third party in your laptop. If you take a look in the laptop’s user manual, you can know more about the battery specifications for your laptop. If you don’t have a laptop user manual,then you can know more about the battery specifications for your brand and model of the laptop at the laptopmanufacturer’s website.

You also have the option to search online and look for compatible laptop batteries for the brand and make of your laptop. Your battery specifications generally mention the Voltage and the current, which is indicated by A or mA. If you have gained knowledge about the specifications of the battery, let’s take a look at some of the important things you should not miss out on while buying a laptop battery

Voltage:

Selecting the right voltage battery is most important. Your AC adapter/laptop charger won’t be able to charge the battery if the laptop battery’s voltage range is lower or higher than the specified range.

Number of Cells:

Laptop batteries are either 6 celled or 9 celled. The 9 cell battery will give you more backup time than a 6 cell battery. The cells are arranged in a series-parallel setup inside the laptop battery. Your battery specifications can help you understand the backup time you can expect from your battery. Watt hour is the unit of energy used in laptop batteries. Insimple words,a higher Watt hour battery will provide more backup time. You can calculate Watt hour with this equation: Capacity/1000 *Voltage = Watt hour

If you have a 6 cellbattery with a power rating of 4400mAh and voltage of10.8V, then: 4400mAh/1000 * 10.8V = 47.52Wh

The next time you go to buy a laptop battery, do the calculations to know the backup timeyourbattery would provide and select one which offers a good Watt hour and price ratio.

Types of laptop batteries

The type of laptop battery is one of the most important aspects that you should look for when purchasing a new battery. Modern laptops use Lithium Ion batteries. However, if you have an older laptop, then your laptop may have Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries installed. Let’s understand the difference between these two types of batteries-

Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries

You can find these types of batteries in older laptops.These batteries require far more care than Li-Ion batteries. NiMH batteries sufferfrom the memory effect, and you need to discharge these batteries completely and recharge again to maintain their efficiency.

Lithium Ion batteries

These are commonly used batteries in laptops. These laptop batteries need less care than NiMH batteries and do not suffer from the memory effect. As such, you need not discharge them completely before recharging them to maintain high efficiency.

These batteries are also lighter than NiMH batteries and have s longer lifespan in comparison. Li-Ion batteries are environmentally friendly as they do not contain harmful chemicals such as Mercury and Cadmium.

When you buy a new battery, you should see to it that it has same shape as that of your original battery; if it isn’t the same, the voltage should be within 10% of your original batteries’ specified voltage. You should select high quality batteries for your laptop. Cheap batteries can prove dangerous to your laptop as they mayignite, explode, or rupture when exposed to high temperatures.

Branded laptop batteries are backed by astrong guarantee from your laptop manufacturer. You can be rest assured that these batteries have undergone several tests that make them safe for your laptop. Several unbranded battery manufacturers also provide a strong guarantee for their products to gain customer confidence. You should weigh the pros and cons of branded and unbranded laptop batteries before making your decision.