How to buy the right laptop battery

There are indeed several types of laptop batteries that are essential for keeping a laptop running properly. When purchasing or using a battery, there are some important factors to consider. The following tips is to help you find the right battery for your laptop and also talk about things to consider whey buying a laptop battery.

Know the brand and model number of your laptop

Today there are several varieties of laptop battery manufacturers, and especially retailers to purchase your laptop battery from. However, your biggest concern in purchasing a laptop battery will be to choose the battery that fits your computer. For this you will need to know the brand and model number of your laptop; if you don't know this offhand or don't have the necessary paperwork, check the inside of your laptop's battery compartment while the computer is off and unplugged. There you should find the model number, along with some other information. You may also find the part number of your laptop battery, located on the casing of the battery itself. Know more about How to find your laptop brand and model.

Know the types of the laptop battery

• Li-Ion (Lithium Ion) battery, also known as smart battery, is one of the newest cell types. Li-ion laptop battery is much lighter in weight than the other two types. There are no known problems of memory effect with this battery type and it is the easiest battery type to care for. Li-Ion battery has become the most popular for laptops.
• Ni-MH (Nickel Metal Hydride) battery type is relatively cheap to manufacture and therefore tends to be cheaper than Li-ion. This cell type is prone to memory effect,so it is important to take good care of your Ni-MH battery to ensure that you obtain the best runtimes.
• Ni-Cd (Nickel Cadmium) battery is generally only found in older laptops. This is the first rechargeable batteries manufactured for laptops. The main pro for this cell type is its ability to handle higher loads, and therefore is more commonly found in portable power tools or devices that need a lot of power to work efficiently.

Is it necessary to buy the original manufacture's battery?

No. Many third party brands use the exact same power cells as original manufacturers. Using a third party manufacturer is often a good way to go when buying a battery, as there are usually many extra benefits. For instance, most third party batteries are much lower in price than original manufacturers¡¦ batteries. Secondly, they usually offer a superior warranty, as they realize that in order to win the consumer¡¦s confidence; they must stand behind their product. A one year warranty is a must. Don¡¦t buy any battery with a warranty less than one year.

May I use an different voltage of the battery?

No. An off-brand battery with an incorrect voltage Could cause problems in the laptop. It can deal with not-quite-right voltages, but doing so might cause added stresses to the voltage regulation module (VRM) within the laptop. If it's too high, the VRM will run hot trying to burn off excess. If it's too low, the VRM will have to work too hard to get the correct voltages. And the charging circuits in laptop won't be charging the battery correctly if it wants different voltages than the charger wants to supply.

Should I get an used battery?

To purchase a new battery would be the first option that naturally has new power cells inside. Performance will be at 100%, and it usually comes with a 1 year warranty. However, many companies will either skip that first option by offering only a used or refurbished battery. Be skeptical when you see used/refurbished. Usually the warranty on this type of battery is very minimal. Now if you do not use your laptop very much, then this may be a great alternative vs. purchasing a new battery in upwards of $100. Refurbished batteries do not hold as much power when compared to new batteries. Also, they can kick the bucket on you randomly since you really do not know how old the battery is. Our recommendation is to stick with a new laptop battery.