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Is your laptop battery running out faster than expected? It’s a common issue we all face from time to time. It can be caused by factors like high-performance components, unnecessary background apps, or inefficient usage habits, to name a few.
Understanding why your power gets depleted can help you make simple adjustments to extend your battery life and improve your laptop’s performance.
In this article, we’ll explore why your laptop battery drains quickly and share practical tips for staying powered up, even when you’re away from an outlet.
Why Does My Laptop’s Battery Drain So Fast?
Battery Capacity
Ultimately, the battery capacity inside your device will always play a significant role in how long it lasts. Cheaper models don’t tend to last long. However, smaller and slimmer laptops designed for enhanced portability need smaller batteries than larger models, so portability and capacity are always trade-offs you must consider when choosing a laptop.
Your battery won’t last long if you want a small, portable, and still powerful device you use a lot. Still, there are easy ways to deal with that. You can use the high-quality EcoFlow RAPID Power Bank to charge it on the go even if you don’t have access to electricity, as long as your computer accepts USB charging. Then, you can even recharge without a charger.
It can provide up to 4 hours of power with the 5000mAh model or up to 8 hours with the 10000mAh model. It’s also qi-certified, using inductive charging instead of conducting electricity through a cord, so you can use it for fast wireless charging of your compatible smartphones.
High-Performance Components
Some computers have power-intensive components, especially those with high-performance processors, ultra-high-resolution displays, and powerful graphics cards. These components use more power than your basic versions, so they will deplete your power supply faster. Also, most laptops nowadays have performance settings. If you always run yours in high-performance mode, it will drain the batteries quicker than if you modify your settings.
Applications Running in the Background
Just like with your smartphone, if you have many processes and applications running in the background, it can still deplete the batteries even when you are not using them. Computers have a system monitor you can access that will show you exactly what is running and how much power each process is drawing.
Screen Brightness
People often don’t realize this, but if their screen is always on maximum brightness, it will drain much more power than if turned down. It’s especially important with high-resolution displays, which are already drawing more power than standard models.
Multi-Tasking
For many of us, multitasking is necessary, especially when we use our devices for work. Still, the more browser tabs you have open or the number of intensive applications you run, especially if you run resource-intensive applications and have lots of browser tabs open, the quicker your battery will deplete.
How Do I Stop My Laptop’s Battery From Draining So Fast?
You can often stop rapid battery depletion by changing the settings on your computer or using it differently. Let’s take a look.
Reduce Screen Brightness
The display consumes considerable power on your computer, whether you have an ultra-high-definition display or a standard model. The easiest way to minimize that drain is by reducing the screen brightness. Some models even allow you to set the timing to turn it lower or higher at certain times of the day. It’s also super-easy to adjust it manually in your settings.
Turn off Backlit Keyboards and Unplug Accessories
If you have a backlit keyboard, which can be nice for use at night, it will drain extra power. If your computer allows you to toggle the lighting on and off, use that option; however, some models may not give you the choice.
Also, if you have any other accessories plugged into your laptop, like speakers, headphones, or extra monitors, they will quickly deplete your resources. Unplug anything you are not actively using.
Switch to Battery Saver
If you’re unplugged, switch to battery-saver mode, which will limit the activity running in the background and automatically adjust performance levels and screen brightness to help maximize the amount of time you can remain unplugged.
Turn Off Networks, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth
If you’re connected to multiple networks, disconnect or forget anything you no longer need. Also, turn off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi if you are not using them. Anything that keeps looking for connections will deplete your power unnecessarily.
End Unnecessary Programs
Turn off any programs you do not need; you can always reopen them. The same goes for those 50 browser tabs you have open. Close anything you don’t need. If you need them but not right away, take advantage of using multiple browser windows and bookmarks. You can bookmark all the tabs in a window all at once.
Go to your bookmarks menu and choose “bookmark all tabs” (Ctrl+Shift+D in Chrome). Then close that browser window, and when you need to work on that project again, simply right-click that bookmark and “open all tabs.” No more searching your browser history for lost tabs!
If you’re one of the lucky ones and work remotely from your computer, but you just have to multi-task and need lots of programs and browser tabs open, invest in a portable power station to keep you going no matter where you are. For instance, the EcoFlow RIVER 3 Solar Generator is a small solar generator that will easily fit in a backpack for quick charging on the go.
With its 245Wh capacity, you can quickly charge your laptop to full, possibly multiple times, depending on its capacity. If you plan to be off-grid for multiple days, use the portable solar panels to recharge your generator and even charge when camping.
Final Thoughts
A quickly draining laptop battery can be frustrating because it disrupts productivity or reduces entertainment value. However, making small changes can make a big difference. To maximize battery life, reduce screen brightness, manage background apps, and switch to battery-saver mode.
Also, invest in a portable power solution if you will be away from an outlet for hours at a time. The EcoFlow RAPID Power Bank is great for helping you stay working during the day. But if you are a traveler or love outdoor adventure, get an EcoFlow RIVER 3 Solar Generator to recharge your computer. Then, you can recharge your generator using solar panels for extended off-grid power. With these helpful strategies and handy tools, you can ensure your laptop is always ready whenever needed.