Short Circuit

Newcastle Herald

Tuesday September 30, 2008

GR

Q My laptop battery does not hold a charge as it used to. Is there any way to improve its performance? If I do get a new battery, are those cheaper replacements made by other companies OK?

A Laptop batteries can hold only a limited number of charge cycles before the chemistry inside begins to wear out. If the laptop is still under warranty, check with the manufacturer to see if the battery is covered. Ask about a replacement and check the support section of the manufacturer's site to see if any posted battery recalls affect you.

Apple and Hewlett-Packard are among the companies that suggest recalibrating the battery (letting it run all the way down and charging it back up again) to reset its internal processor so it can give a more accurate power reading. Apple has its battery care tips at www.snipurl.com/3kp67, and Hewlett-Packard's page is at www.snipurl.com/3kp5y.

If you decide to go with a replacement from a third-party vendor, keep a couple of things in mind. Make sure you select a replacement that is listed as compatible with your particular laptop model, and check the battery's specifications. Cheaper batteries may have lower milliamp-hour (mAh) ratings, which means they have lower storage capacity and will not last as long between charges as higher-rated batteries. And a third-party battery may not fit as well in the battery compartment as the manufacturer's own replacement.

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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