How many times has this happened to you? You just bought a new laptop, and less than one year later, the battery only lasts you less than an hour. What good is a laptop if its not as portable as it used to be. Tied down by a power cable? Keep these tips in mind and you'll be sure to notice your battery's performance increase.

• New battery treatment - They usually come discharged, or with a small amount of charge. We know the feeling. You just got your new toy and want to play with it right away. Fight the urge, charge it completely before you use it. The first few times you use it, drain it until the battery is completely dead, then fully charge it again. The more you fully discharge and then charge it, the happier it will be.
• Don't leave the battery dormant for extended periods of time. - Try to use the battery at lease once a month. If it's been sitting there without any attention for longer than that, give it the New Battery Treatment as described above.
• Monthly battery maintenance - We know it's a nuisance to discharge and recharge your battery, but we recommend doing it once in a while; at least once a month. Simply use your notebook until the battery is almost completely dead, then fully charge it (4 hours or more).

  The theory is that newer batteries (NI-Mh and Li-Ion) don't have a "memory". This means that they don't need to be fully discharged and fully charged all the time. Although they are better than they used to be, we believe they still suffer from a little bit of memory, enough to cause a noticeable difference.

We know, it sounds like we are nagging you to fully discharge and fully charge your battery all the time. We can't stress it enough. The more you do it, the longer your battery will last. The manufacturers will tell you that you don't have to, but you're definitely better off if you do.

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