Month: August 2016

Laptops, charging, and battery life

It’s often easier to leave your laptop plugged in while using it. Theories abound regarding the proper duration and frequency of charging a laptop battery. The thing to remember is that charging a battery is a chemical reaction. This means that the process cannot be repeated forever, and the reaction will weaken over time.

This does not mean that you should never charge your laptop, however. Lithium-ion batteries have been improved over the years to maximize their life. There are also ways to be gentler on the usage of your battery.

Don’t let it hit 0%

There are times when you can’t avoid the total depletion of your battery. We’ve all been there. However, some people have been taught to let it hit 0% before charging it. If you’ve done this, don’t worry; you’re not alone. This is a common myth, and will wear out your battery faster. If possible, set your laptop to an “eco” setting which will give a notification when you are around 10%.

I’ve seen a few recommendations to “refresh” your charge a couple of times a year. Get your battery to 5% or 6%, then let it charge complete in one session. This should not be done often, but it will help your battery re-calibrate if done infrequently.

Avoid 100%?

Video games, school exams, physical checkups; nearly from birth, we’re taught that 100% is the magical score we should strive to achieve. With laptop batteries, this might not be the case.

Charging your laptop to 100% can be necessary if you’re going to be away from a charger for extended periods of time, but for everyday purposes it might be best to avoid that. The general consensus is to keep your maximum charge around 80%. However, this subject is widely debated and just as many sources say that you can safely charge to 100%.

Extreme temperatures

As I said before, batteries are based on chemical reaction. Their performance is often dependent on their environment, and operating in extreme climates is not the best for regular laptops.

A comfortable room temperature is ideal for laptop operation, but this article explains it in much greater scientific detail.

Best practices for a healthy computer

Computers can be workhorses. They’re designed to withstand a lot of punishment. However, there are things you can do to prolong the life of your PC.

Turn it off when not in use

The tower of your PC is filled with complex parts, electrical currents, and hardworking fans. If you leave your computer on 24/7, you increase its general workload and its chances of overheating. It needs a chance to cool down.

Try to get into the habit of shutting your computer off at the end of the day or when it’s not in use. This will prolong the life of the hardware, save on energy, and can even help protect your computer from the inside out.

Be careful what you click

Advertisers are getting more crafty by the day. A lot of them are legitimate business trying to bring in revenue, but just as many are scams, viruses, or trackers.

Many malicious ads make use of “click bait”. Ads containing phrases such as “you have messages waiting”, “download free software here”, or “check your credit status” are just a few examples of click bait. Some malicious ads will locate legitimate download pages and position a fake “download” button near a real download button.

Keep your vents clean

The internal structure of computers has changed drastically over the years. They started out as mechanical Goliaths who required entire rooms and constant refrigeration just to function. Tower cooling systems have made huge advances, but they still require a little help.

Try to keep your computer tower off the floor if it is located in a carpeted room or an area with pets. Make sure there is plenty of space around it to allow ample airflow. About once a week, take a dry cloth and run it over the vents on all sides of your computer; be careful not to dislodge any cables in the back. The palm of your hand will also work. Do not use compressed air on these vents, as it will only blow the debris back into the machine.

Use a maintenance program

There are a lot of programs claiming to speed up your PC and fix registry errors. However, finding the right one can be like traversing a minefield.

I’ve personally been using Piriform’s products for quite some time now. I’ll explain them in more detail in a later post. I generally recommend trying the free version of most programs before you commit to a paid version, as long as you can get the free version from the company itself. Which leads to my next point…

Beware of “FREE”

Open-source (or “free”) programs abound nowadays. There are heaps of good ones with dedicated development teams, amazing support, and beautiful functionality. Many companies offer decent free versions of their software. However, caution must be used.

I recently helped a client recover her computer from a number of issues. She was trying to get the “free version” of a program which I had never heard of before. She linked me to a YouTube video explaining how to install it, and I saw that she was unknowingly about to pirate a costly software (she immediately stopped when I explained to her what was going on).

It can be easy to mistake an illegal “free” version of a program for the real thing. However, the best course of action is to see if the program’s company offers a free version of any kind; if not, any freebies are most likely illegally sourced and loaded with malware.

These are just the basics for keeping your PC happy and healthy. I plan to share more tips and tricks soon so keep an eye out for updates!