Laptops do not need to be plugged in to AC power all the time, unless they are running without a battery. Keeping a laptop plugged in all the time with the battery installed can actually be bad for the battery and chip away at the battery's energy capacity. However, leaving a laptop plugged in most of the time is safe for the device.
The No Battery Situation
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A laptop must run on AC power if the battery has failed or is missing. Batteries can fail over time: the devices have a finite number of chargers before the power capacity drops below practical capabilities. If you're running a laptop only on AC power for an extended period of time, HP recommends removing the battery from the device to prolong the battery's life. PCWorld recommends removing the battery and running on AC power only when leaving the laptop plugged in for a week or more at a time; the battery can be returned to the laptop when needed.
AC Adapter Energy Efficiency
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Laptops offer energy-use savings over similarly capable desktop computers; laptops use 80 percent less energy than desktops. Laptops can extend potential up-time when away from electrical sockets by either equipping larger batteries or more efficiently using existing battery power. An always plugged in laptop benefits from the energy-efficient design by needing less power to operate. On top of already being designed to get the most out of an existing power source, laptops are even more energy efficient when running on AC power because the devices don't lose energy in the less-efficient battery charging process.
Periodic Battery Cycling
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While a laptop can feasibly run perpetually while plugged in to AC power, it's bad for the laptop and lithium-based battery in the long run. It's a case of "if you don't use it, you lose it" with battery capacity: power cycling, or draining the battery from full to empty, helps prevent long-term damage to an always charged battery. HP and Apple recommend power cycling the laptop's battery at least once per month to keep it from losing capacity. Leaving a battery discharged or fully charged for long periods of time can be bad for the device. If you're storing a laptop for long periods of time -- like six months or more -- you can preserve the battery by charging it to 50 percent before placing the device in storage.
Plugged in Problems
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The nature of micro-charging the battery after minuscule power drain and constantly running the battery charger can actually damage the battery over long periods of time. Keeping the AC power plugged in for prolonged periods exposes the battery to more heat and a higher operating voltage from the charger, both pick away at the battery. The battery actually can handle more charges if it is constantly floating between 40 and 80 percent capacity between recharges.
There may be times when you forget to take your laptop’s charger with you when going on a trip somewhere. In those cases, you will need one of these ways that we’re going to discuss today, to juice up your laptop and do the work that you need to.
You may also be wondering if it would be safe to charge your laptop without its official charger? We’ll cover this part as well, but first, let’s learn how to charge it.
1. Charge Your Laptop Using a Power Bank
Depending on your laptop model, you may be able to use one of its USB Type-C ports to charge it up, even if you don’t have the official charger with you.
Much like how you’d charge your smartphone via a power bank when there’s no other way for you to charge it, you can use a power bank to charge your laptop as well.
But the issue with this method is, that while most laptops need 8v to 12v power, the power banks usually have only 5volts to offer, which means you’d have to get a power bank that supports 12v or higher.
Anker’s PowerCore+ 26800mAh PDpower bank is a great choice to charge up your laptop, as it outputs approximately 20volts of power.
[Note that there are early generations of laptops with USB Type-C that don’t support charging.]
2. Charge Your Laptop Using a Car Battery
Now if you can’t manage a power bank, using your car battery to charge up your laptop is another option you could try.
Using an inverter like the BESTEK 300W Power Inverter, you can power anything that requires up to 300 watts.
It might not be enough to run power tools, but it’s more than enough, in this case, to charge up your laptop!
There is a setback to this method, which is that you have to leave the power inverter somewhere on the floor of your vehicle. On the plus side, you can still take your computer inside and out, which is great for beginners.
3. Use a USB Type-C Adapter
If you don’t have a power bank or can’t charge using your car battery either, there’s another method which is to use a USB Type-C adapter.
Unlike Type A, USB-C uses a smaller oval-shaped connector designed for high-power connectivity. It can conduct more power and can do so at much higher speeds.
A USB Type-C adapter, such as the Anker USB C Wall Charger, would charge your laptop the same as a power bank would, but you’ll have to plug it into a power source, whereas a power bank is a power source by itself.
Because the adapter has a protection that shuts down charging when it detects high heat or other problems, it is one of the safest methods to charge via USB-C.
4. Charge Your Laptop Using a Universal Power Adapter
While it’s great to know that there’s another option to charge your laptop battery without needing the official charger, you’ll probably end up with a dead or failed battery if you set the voltage too high when using a universal power adapter.
It usually comes with interchangeable tips, and many different brands are supported.
Many of the battery packs can even be connected to your car's 12-volt cigarette lighter, making them truly portable.
5. Charge Your Laptop Using a Super Battery
Super batteries are like second or spare batteries for your laptop. They have different charging cables and they go in place of your original laptop battery.
Make sure when you get one, it fits your laptop and is the right size. These devices are brand-specific and may not work with your laptop if it specifically designed for it.
As you’ve already guessed, this method isn’t that efficient, which is why it's only for emergency use cases.
Is ItSafeto Charge Your Laptop Without Its Official Charger?
If you don’t know what you’re doing, it could be unsafe for the battery to use different methods to charge your laptop.You need to make sure that the voltage and power match your laptop charger’s specifications.
In all scenarios, the official charger or approved replacement is the best way to poweryour laptop.
Sick of Recharging? Consider an M1 MacBook
If you want to avoid all this hassle of having to charge your laptop with third-party chargers,there is an alternative.
Apple's M1 MacBook Air and M1 MacBook Pro, both have amazing battery life.They should last you more than 10 hours if you’re just browsing the internet and doing a bit of multitasking without stressing out the CPU and the GPU much.
When I started writing this poston myM1 MacBook Air, the battery was at 65 percent; when I finished, the battery had 62 percent left.
I only usedthree percent in about an hour or so, withnine tabs open in Chrome.
While expensive, M1 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro notebooks can run for a full day without charging.
Keep Your Laptop Charged!
Some of these methods can be unsafe for your laptop battery's longevity, so make sure not to use them regularly unless urgent. Always use the official charger that came with your laptop, and resort to these methods only when necessary. To recap:
1. Charge your laptopusing a power bank
2. Recharge your laptopwith a car battery
3. Use a USB Type-C adaptor
4.Charge your laptopwith auniversal power adapter
5. Carry a super battery
Forgetting your charger at home is really annoying! Next time when packing your bags, make sure to throw your chargers in as the first thing you do, and then think about everything else.
Do you know what's even more annoying? It's when you do have a charger with you, but you still can't charge your laptop!
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