Is it true that it is best to charge a laptop and use up all the battery life and recharge for best results?

Question

as in the battery lasts longer? Like if i just leave the computer plugged in even though its fully charged is that bad for the laptop?

Answer 1

yes and no depending on what chemistry is used in your battery i suggest you use it up then charge

Answer 2

That is not bad for the laptop, mainly because (at least in the new laptops) your computer will stop using the battery once it is fully charged and take all of its energy from the plug.  Of course, since your battery is still in your laptop, it will be losing life; the best way to keep your battery working at its maximum capacity would be to take the battery out when your laptop is fully charged.  I would not recommend this, though, as the increase in battery life is null in comparison to the damage your computer could sustain in a power outage.  Technically if you drain your battery before charging it again you will actually be using the battery more than if you just plugged it in, which will actually lower the battery life (although once again by a very insignificant amount).

Answer 3

The benefits of draining the battery all the way don't really matter much anymore with the new lithium Ion batteries.  They have a chip built into the battery to control it.  In fact, some sites claim you should never drain your battery down all the way.

Answer 4

It is best for the battery to be fully charged and fully drained when in use.  This will prolong the life of the battery.

Answer 5

With the newer batteries it is not necessary to drain the battery completely, Older batteries would develop a memory and would not charge to the maximum capacity.

If you do not use your computer for a long time 2 weeks or more it is best to unplug your computer other then that it is ok to leave it plugged in.

Answer 6

Sort of.

For optimum performance, you should make sure that you unplug the laptop at least once a week, drain the battery to around 10%, and then charge it back to 100% again.

Also, as you said, when you normally unplug it, you should also drain the battery and recharge it fully.

Just so you know, it is the same with most rechargeable batteries, including your mobile phone.