The battery is an important part of your laptop computer and you need to keep a constant check on its life and performance. Read on to know how you can do that.
Windows System: Powershell
This process involves the use of the windows command Powershell.
Step 1: Press the Windows button and the ‘X’ key at the same time to summon the windows to command PowerShell. Once the options tab comes up, click on run as an administrator
Step 2: Type powercfg /battery report /output “C:\battery-report.HTML” in command window
Step 3: Find the save location, which is an HTML file named Battery Report
Step 4: Use any browser to open and view the report
Step 5: On the report, you will find the Recent usage option that shows how the duration for which the battery ran on AC supply.
Step 6: There are also the Battery usage and Usage history sections that show the battery drain pattern over the past three days and full usage history, respectively.
Detailed Battery Report
We ran the battery test for our Windows 10 computer, and the report came as this
- Manufacturer: This refers to the maker of the battery, which in most cases, is the manufacturer of the laptop computer. In this case, ours is Hewlett-Packard (Hp) who is also the maker of our tested laptop computer
- Type of battery: This refers to the type of battery used in the laptop. Most batteries used in laptops are primary batteries.
- Design capacity: This is the predetermined capacity of the battery. Ours is 27,106mWh.
- Full charge capacity: The full charge capacity is the maximum capacity reached full charge. The tested laptop battery has a full charge capacity of 27,106mWh.
- Battery Life: It estimates how long it will last on a full charge. The recent usage section shows a breakdown of the battery usage from the last three days. It shows the start date, the state of your battery, the source of power, and the capacity left at different points in time.
- The battery usage section: This section showed a graphical representation of the battery usage for the past three days. The battery capacity history shows the overall stats of battery capacity for a long time.
BatteryMon
BatteryMon is one of the effective software that allows you to check and review the state of your laptop’s battery during and after use. The software provides a detailed battery report and statistics, which provides insights into your laptop’s battery performance.
The batterymon provides a real-time graphical representation of the battery performance and features a mini window mode that allows you to keep an eye on the battery’s charging and discharge rate and process.
Feature:
- It allows for the diagnosis of problematic battery cells through its detailed stats.
- It also allows you to compare the expected battery discharge rate with that of battery performance.
- The tool identifies the battery packs in your laptop for system inventories and tracking purposes
- Finally, it logs the report on battery performance for later use.
Battery Optimizer
Battery Optimizer is another tool that scans and provides insights into the performance of your laptop battery. Apart from this function, it provides suggestions and recommendations on saving battery life and managing the overall battery performance.
Features:
- It extends laptop battery life
- Provides battery usage warnings to users
- The tool uses one of the best and top-notch technologies to diagnose, optimize, and monitor your battery life performance.
- The tool is light as it does take up much space on your laptop storage.
BatteryInfoView
This is an application that allows you to know the status of your battery life. Primarily, the application comes in two modes; the battery information mode and the registry view mode. The battery information view provides an overview of the battery functions and features, including its capacity, charging time, serial number, etc.
On the other hand, in the registry view mode, you will see all activities involving the battery from the time you started using it.
Feature:
- Provides insights into battery life and performance.
- Allow users to track the discharge rate of the battery and activities causing the discharge.
Battery Care
Battery care optimizes the performance and usage of your laptop’s battery. It performs these functions by monitoring the laptop battery’s discharge cycle and rates and increasing its autonomy.
Features:
- It provides complete battery information
- Reads the temperature of the CPU and HDD
- Provides different power plans and allows you to switch from one to another
MacBook Battery Test
MacBook also allows you to check the performance of your battery. You can do this with an in-built method or with the help of an external or third-party app. To use the in-built method, start by holding down the Alt key/options. You will then see a battery icon at the top right corner of the desktop. Click on the battery icon, and you will see four battery statuses, namely, Normal, Replace Soon, Replace Now, and Service Battery. Each of the statuses depicts the state at which your battery is.
The third-party app recommended is CoconutBattery. With coconutBattery, you can get your Apple devices’ status, including Mac, iPhone, and iPad. You can also save any report that you get from the software so that you can compare it with other reports gotten later.
Feature:
- It has both a free and premium version, with the premium version possessing more useful and functional features than the free version.
- It provides detailed mac battery diagnostics and stats.
Tips for extending laptop battery life
- Do not exposure to high temperature for a long time
- Unplug unused accessories
- Ensure that you plug your system before it dies
- Unplug the laptop when it is full
- Reduce the screen brightness and switch off features such as WIFI and Bluetooth
- Use a battery saver mode if you have one
1. When should you replace them?
You can replace the battery when it is less than 60%. This means that your laptop battery needs a replacement whenever the battery is below 60% of its design capacity. Also, you should consider replacing the battery when it is no longer sufficient for your work.
2. How long should a laptop battery last?
On average, a laptop battery should last between 2 and 4 years, amounting to about 1000 charges. While there are many factors that determine the longevity of a laptop battery, an important factor is a material used to make the battery.
3. How do I know when to replace my laptop battery?
Usually, when your laptop battery reaches a critical point where you need to replace it, Windows will send you a message or notification. After this, you will see a blinking X symbol on the battery icon. If you click the battery icon at this point, you will see a notification such as “plugged but not charging.”
4. Can I use a laptop while still plugged?
Yes, You can use a laptop while it is still plugged. The laptop has a power-saving mode that ensures that the laptop battery is not affected by the charging process during use.
