Unfortunately, the one product class still not widely available in waterproof form is the laptop. This is due to a large number of reasons, such as a laptop requiring far too many openings (ports, vents, etc.). It is also due to the larger size of laptops compared to mobile phones. Obviously, ensuring that a larger device is waterproof is going to cost more money.

In time, we will probably see waterproof laptops available to the public at large. Until then, you can make use of this guide to protect your device if you end up spilling water or coffee on it.

Step 1: Turn Everything Off

Laptops can last a long time if they are properly cared for. However, water damage to laptop can quickly cause problems with numerous components. Even if it does not render the laptop completely useless, you will still need to replace the parts that have been damaged. That is, of course, if it is even possible to replace those components in the first place.

As such, the first thing that you should do when your laptop sustains water damage is to turn it off. This means completely turn it off (no sleep mode) and remove any peripherals that may be attached to your device through any of the ports.

As long as you manage to turn off your device immediately in the aftermath of the spill, chances are that you will be able to save it. The most common problem that occurs in this scenario is that the keys start to feel ‘sticky’.

This won’t happen if you have a spill-resistant keyboard, as most of these keyboards can handle up to 60 CCs of water. We also tell you how to fix sticky keys later on if your laptop does not have such a keyboard.

Step 2: Don’t Use Rice

This is a very common mistake made by users when their devices get wet. Sure, rice can be used to absorb moisture quickly. However, there are three problems when it comes to using rice to dry out laptops.

The first is that the rice cannot access the water that may have entered the device. For example, using the rice will be a bad idea if you want to protect your laptop’s battery from water damage.

The second problem is that while rice is good at absorbing moisture, there are better ways to protect your laptop anyways.

The last problem is that rice can get inside the device. If that happens, the rice will simply compound the problems that you have.

Here is what you should do instead of using rice:

Step 3: Remove the Liquid from the Laptop

As long as you managed to turn off the device in time, the laptop’s water damage will be minimal. Now, you need to remove the liquid from the laptop.

To do this, turn the laptop over and gently rock it from side to side. This will allow the vast majority of the water to get out through the numerous vents that exist on almost every laptop.

You also want to use a dry cloth to remove the liquid that may on the outside of the laptop. This is especially true for the keyboard, as that is where water damage seems to impact usability the most. For this, we would not recommend a microfiber cloth. Instead, use a cloth that can absorb water in a better manner.

Step 4: Dry Out the Laptop

Drying out the laptop is in itself a two-step process. The first step involves using a can of compressed air or a hairdryer. Remember that whichever method you use, you should hold the can/hairdryer at least 15 cm away from the laptop.

On top of that, make sure that you use the lowest setting on the hairdryer, both in terms of heat and the speed of the fans. If the air hits the laptop at too high a speed, you risk disconnecting wires and damaging components.

It is best to dry the internals of the laptop using this method for at least 5 minutes. The longer you do it the better. Once you are finished, you can leave the laptop to dry out on its own.

It is best to leave the laptop in a warm place, but never under direct sunlight or close to a heater. We recommend drying the laptop for 48 hours before you turn it on.

Step 5: Clean the Keyboard

By now, you should be able to turn on the laptop. Hopefully, everything is fine at this point. However, you may need to clean the keyboard as some of the keys may be sticky.

To do this, use a little bit of isopropyl alcohol spray on each key. Before you do this, you must completely turn off the laptop once again. Even though isopropyl alcohol is a cleaning agent, it is a liquid too. Using it on the keycaps when the laptop is on may risk further damage to the device.

Make sure to aim the spray in a manner that it goes down the key cap. After that, press the keycap repeatedly for a few seconds and the problem should be solved (repeat if it isn’t, only using a small amount of alcohol at a time).

You can also take a look at our detailed guide on how to clean a laptop keyboard. Cleaning your laptop’s keyboard regularly will help avoid any problems with sticky keys.

Conclusion

Remember that the most important that you can do when you have spilled water on your laptop is to turn it off instantly.

Alternatively, keeping food and water away from your tech devices is an easy way to ensure that spills never happen in the first place.

The Apple T2 security chip is a system on a chip (SoC) that is responsible for delivering security and controller functions to Apple’s Intel-based Mac systems.

The T2 chip contains its RAM and is its computer, operating in parallel to and answering queries from the main system with which the user interacts. The T2 chip, in conjunction with a new tool known as the Startup Security Utility on Mac, offers capabilities that make these Macs extra protected or secured.

In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about the apple T2 chip. Let’s get started.

What Is the Apple T2 Chip

Apple’s 2nd generation bespoke security silicon chip, the T2, is utilized in Mac products. All it does is make your Mac’s data much safer.

The Apple T2 chip, as a coprocessor, provides the basis for storage encryption, secure boot, and Touch ID. T2’s primary application processor is an Apple A10 version, which is a 64-bit ARMv8.1-A CPU. It, like the A10, is made by TSMC on its 16 nm technology.

Furthermore, it assumes and combines part of the CPU’s duties to improve Mac performance, such as:

• Audio Controller
• System Management Controller
• Audio Controller
• SSD Controller and picture signal processor

Secure Boot Environment

The Apple T2 chip’s principal function is to guarantee that the whole boot mechanism is cryptographically confirmed as authorized and accepted by Apple.

When booted, it will first verify the legality of an operating system (OS). Furthermore, it will make sure that all items engaged in Mac’s starting process, such as the macOS kernel, kernel extensions, and firmware, are verified by Apple.

The T2 chip will also block all 3rd-party software recognized throughout the boot process, preventing an attacker from injecting malicious script at boot to control your Mac. You can boot into macOS after the whole booting procedure has passed Apple’s security check.

Touch ID

The Touch ID fingerprint sensor on the Mac Touch Bar could be used to log in to your Mac system. There is no need to input a password since the T2 chip will recognize your fingerprint.

Whenever you reboot or switch on the device, you must input the password. If you’ve not opened your Mac for more than 48 hours, the T2 chip will not accept the fingerprint, and a password will be required.

If you haven’t used the passcode in 156 hours, or even if you fail to enter the correct biometric five times or haven’t used the fingerprint to log on in the last four hours, the T2 chip didn’t take the fingerprint, and you’ll have to input the password.

Encrypted SSD Storage

The T2 chip has both a crypto engine and an SSD controller, allowing for fast encryption and decryption of data on the SSD. It is difficult to decode data encrypted with the T2 chip without the right password.

If your MacBook is lost or damaged, you can rest certain that your data is safe and secure since no one can access the data unless you enter the correct password.

The primary downside is that you cannot restore lost data and files if you forget the password. The T2 chip can also handle a failed password for numerous tries. After one hour between each try, the last three tries can be performed.

After a certain number of tries, you will be unable to make any more passcode attempts, and any further request to decrypt data will be ignored by the chip. As a result, your data may be lost permanently; thus, you should always backup your data.

Image Signal Processor and Audio Controller

The T2 chip is mostly concerned with security, although it also provides additional functions and features over Macs without this. This is due to the T2’s inclusion of an image signal processor as well as an audio control system.

In the case of video, this includes better tone mapping, face-tracking auto-exposure, exposure control, and automated white balance. To put it another way, your FaceTime videos will appear a lot better.

The audio controller also improves microphone performance for voice recording and video chats, as well as the sound output for Macs with built-in speakers. All versions equipped with T2 chips have this function, which deactivates the mic whenever the lid is shut.

T2 Security Chip Mac Models

Here is how you can verify if your Mac has a T2 security chip:

• First, from the menu bar, choose About This Mac.
• Select System Report, then Controller. It’ll be displayed if your Mac has an AppleT2 chip.

Additional Capabilities

The T2 chip runs the System Management Controller, which controls thermal and power control, recharging, video mode switching, sleep, and so on, as well as the external LED indications on a Mac.

The chip enables always-on Hey Siri capability on select T2-equipped handsets. This allows you to simply summon the assistant without having to push any buttons.

Apple has shown how the T2 may have a big beneficial impact on performance. Users who utilize video apps might see their productivity speed up by 30 times with new HEVC video transcoding.

Security Vulnerabilities

In October 2019, experts speculated that the T2 was impacted by the checkm8 flaw because it was based on the A10 design used in the first iMac Pro in 2016. Rick Mark then modified libimobiledevice to operate with the Apple T2, resulting in an open-source method for recovering the T2 outside of the Apple Configurator and allowing additional development on the T2.

On March 6, 2020, a team of engineers known as the T2 Development Team exploited the T2’s existing checkm8 issue and released the hash of a secure ROM dump as proof of access. The checkra1n team incorporated the changes needed to facilitate jailbreaking the T2 fast.

In October 2020, a physical defect in the chip’s security features was discovered that could be exploited in an unpatched manner, employing a method comparable to jailbreaking the iPhone with an A10 chip because the T2 chip is modeled on the A10 chip.

Your laptop’s data can be hacked from a variety of sources if left unprotected, and the physical equipment may not be totally secured in a hotel room. This gives you no choice except to carry your laptop around with you at all times.

According to studies, lost or stolen laptops are responsible for 45 percent of data breaches in the United States, and the half-million people whose devices vanished at airports can attest to that.

Thieves aren’t bound by the same schedules, meetings, supervisors, or rules that you are following. They simply have two goals: prey on the simplest targets and avoid stealing anything that can’t be sold.

In this article, we will discuss laptop theft protection by applying simple measures.

Mark or Tag Your Laptop

In the event that your laptop is stolen, marking it will help you identify it. You can use different strategies to do that.

To begin, mark your laptop in a noticeable, external area. Use an adhesive that is tough to erase, or better yet, carve a sign or your initials.

Furthermore, on the inside of the laptop, engrave your name, contact information, and address. This should be done in the battery compartment or a similar, less obvious location.

You can accomplish this with any sharp item, or you can use an electric engraving pen if you want it to appear nicer.

Look for the Best Laptop Security Software

Passwords are helpful, but what if you need a more robust line of security against thieves? This is especially important while traveling and connecting to networks which may not be as secure as your local network.

When you’re working to keep your laptop secured from anyone attempting to steal your data over an internet connection, antivirus software might be very useful. If you’re holding customer information or personal credit card information, this is very important.

Use a Security Lock

Finding a laptop lock that matches your requirements is a simple method to ensure that personal data stays safe on your hard drive. Laptop protection locks make opening your laptop extremely hard, so it’s less likely to be stolen if it’s left out in public.

It is best to ensure that your laptop is secure, whether it’s in your private room safe or on an office desk. A laptop lock adds an added degree of protection and peace of mind if you do leave your laptop behind.

A universal security slot, often known as USS, is found on almost all laptops. It’s essentially a slot into which a security wire can be inserted. This wire can be used to connect the laptop to a security device.

While a devoted burglar with plenty of time on his hands might be able to take the laptop, a criminal seeking a fast score will most likely look elsewhere.

Configure a Laptop Alarm

A steel cable linked to an alarm that generates a loud screeching sound secures your smartphone, tablet, laptop, and other digital gear. It is great for laptop anti theft.

Nothing stops a thief as quickly as an auditory alarm, and the noise alone could be enough to make the thief reconsider his or her actions.

Protect your Wi-Fi Network

Although this isn’t always practicable, you can safeguard your Wi-Fi network at home or at your own business.

It will stop criminals from accessing your data or installing malware on your laptop without having to touch it.

Create an Admin Password

Anyone who does not know your login password will be unable to use your laptop. You must enter the password if the laptop has been inactive for a length of time or upon starting; otherwise, the only choice is to shut down or restart the computer.

This can be done on Windows without having to download anything. However, for other operating systems, you may need to download an application that permits you to do so.

Backup your Data

It’s hard to anticipate every circumstance in which your laptop can be taken when traveling. A laptop cable lock and software firewall security isn’t always sufficient.

Even if you don’t think it’s required, you should make a backup of your data. Consider this: if your laptop is taken, the information on it might be permanently lost.

For maximum protection, your vital data should be stored in two locations other than your laptop. Back up your files to the cloud for convenient access while you’re on the go. However, you should also make a backup to an external hard drive that you may leave at home or at the workplace. If the laptop is stolen or lost, you’ll still have access to vital information in two places.

Conclusion

Lasagne, parfaits, chocolate mousse cake, and security are better in layers. You cannot just eat the cherry on the top and neglect the rest of the dessert. So don’t adopt a one-size-fits-all strategy for laptop security and believe you are safe. The ideal strategy is to use a multi-layered approach.

Employing a few of these methods can significantly reduce the likelihood of your laptop getting stolen. Use the options that you believe will be most useful for laptop anti-theft. After several days, using them will be second nature to you, and you will do so without even thinking about it.

iPad has a Microsoft Office version. It includes a web browser. It can watch and listen to various media types (except maybe for ancient formats).

iPad can also edit almost every kind of media. It even has games. And in terms of processing, it has become quick enough that it’s no longer irritating.

Many individuals would be astonished at how well the iPad may satisfy their requirements. The apparent exception is programmers.

But it’s never lived up to that promise since Apple can only accomplish so much with a tiny tablet. There are no USB ports or SD card readers. The most recent iPads feature only one charging port and no headphone jack. Because they run the Apple operating system (OS), you cannot install vital software packages such as Windows, content creators, or others that you may require for a business.

How to use an iPad as a Laptop

Apple’s newest iPads, together with attachments like the magic keyboard and software upgrades in iPad OS, have transformed the company’s tablets into proper desktop and laptop alternatives.

However, there are a few things to consider if you intend to use the iPad as a replacement for a laptop. Here are some suggestions for replacing your Mac book or any other laptop with an iPad, whether for business, education, or general use.

Get a Real Keyboard and Mouse

Long, the lack of mouse functionality was the biggest impediment to the iPad functioning as a PC or laptop alternative. However, Apple’s recent iPad OS update adds external mouse and touchpad functionality to the iPad, allowing you to utilize a desktop or laptop-style cursor for the first time.

However, before you purchase a mouse and start clicking, you should definitely get a keyboard as well. You may use your own Bluetooth keyboard to type on your iPad, but you might also acquire a keyboard case that doubles as a case & tend to make the iPad seem more laptop-like than normal.

Learn How to Manage your Windows

Learning well how to organize your application windows is maybe the most annoying aspect of using an iPad as a laptop substitute.

Window administration is simple on a laptop, but on an iPad, you’ll be dragging and sliding programs to different places on the screen to maintain your multitasking habits.

The iPad’s Split View functionality allows you to run two programs side by side. You can run up to 3 apps at once and drag and drop objects such as images and email attachments among apps.

Get a Stand

When you’re using your iPad as your main computer these days, you’re undoubtedly in terrible posture—perhaps bent over with your neck angled downward.

Working like this for a few days is OK, but doing so for an extended amount of time will result in a stretched neck, an aching back, and an overall unpleasant sensation.

So you’ll need a stain for your iPad to make it easier to operate.

For More Versatility, You Need a Hub

If you really want to link a wide range of gadgets to your iPad, you’ve undoubtedly noticed that there’s only one port. What is the solution?

A USB-C hub that not only connects devices like USB sticks or video cameras to your iPad but also supercharges it when combined with the appropriate external peripherals.

Adding your iPad to an Ethernet hub provides a connected connection for lag-free conversations. You may also connect your beloved wired keyboard instead of purchasing a wireless model.

By attaching your iPad to a secondary screen, a hub may also provide you with much-needed screen space.

Can you use an iPad for University Instead of a Laptop?

There seem to be three primary reasons why the iPad is superior to a laptop for college use.

First, the college workflow consists of reading textbooks, taking notes, and creating papers. The iPad is superior in all of these areas, especially with a pen.

The second purpose is for backups and assistance. If your device is damaged, it is simple to replace it at an Apple Store with Apple Care. Whereas a laptop may be replaced in minutes, an iPad can be restored from a backup in minutes.

Portability is the third reason. It is simple to move an iPad from one location to another at a college/university.

Is the iPad Pro Better to use as a Laptop?

The iPad Pro offers incredible features and, depending on the application, may partially replace laptops. However, due to operating system limitations, it will not totally replace the laptop just yet.

But overall, it has amazing features. You must like the iPad Pro, and it has great reviews. You can pull it out of the keyboard case whenever you want to read and swiftly put it back in to take notes or compose an email.

While MacBooks utilize macOS, iPads have their own operating system called iPadOS. The most recent versions of both of these operating systems are closely aligned, yet they still contain significant variances.

For the most part, iPadOS works more like a smartphone than a laptop or desktop computer. The distinction in operating systems will be most noticeable in the apps. On the iPad, mouse and keyboard functions and shortcuts operate differently.

Applications on the iPad function similarly to apps on the iPhone. They are often more restrictive than macOS programs.

Conclusion

Never replace a laptop with an earlier iPad, especially one that isn’t suitable with the magic keyboard or a similar keyboard case. These iPads will continue to feel like tablet devices, with low storage and computing capability.

But, when we analyze our need for a laptop, we may discover that the sort of job we do does not require the use of a laptop at all. We might be able to get by with a powerful tablet like the iPad Pro.

Much of the possibility of replacing a laptop is dependent on the sort of job we conduct. So, while iPads can replace some computers, they cannot yet totally replace a MacBook.

Most people go for budget laptops when trying to save money. These budget laptops are mostly used or second hand. However, in this situation, you’ll need to know what to look for when purchasing a used laptop.

Purchasing a second-hand laptop can be a fantastic option. You get a properly operational machine for a fraction of the price. However, buying a used laptop comes with hazards, and just like buying a new automobile, there are some inspections and safeguards you should conduct.

This article has everything you want to learn before purchasing a used laptop. But first, we will look at some of the valuable advantages of a used laptop. Let’s find out!

Advantages of Second-hand Laptops

The first benefit of acquiring a used laptop is its dependability. Even while modern computers on the market offer greater capability, the chance of unanticipated defects cannot be ruled out. Only after the product has been utilized in the actual world do the defects become apparent.

Furthermore, because used devices (when refurbished) are rigorously examined and verified, any bugs or problems that may have been identified and rectified for you may have already been detected and corrected.

Buy a used laptop if you wish to help the environment’s long-term sustainability. Second-hand laptops offer all of the new features and qualities of new laptops but are less expensive.

Now, it’s time to move on to the things that need to be looked at before buying a used laptop.

Inspect the Laptop Body

If you have the opportunity to view the laptop in person, a complete exterior examination is required. You must ensure that the laptop frame is clear of fractures and marks of impact. Look for any lost screws, weak hinges, or other anomalies.

Sometimes the laptop looks OK, but you may have no idea what type of interior problems there may be, which may limit the laptop’s lifespan.
So, that can be classified as a disadvantage but do your best to find faults before purchasing it.

Test the Keyboard and Trackpad

Because the keypad and touchpad are the most frequently used components of desktops, both must work properly.

Examine the keyboard for damaged buttons, pay focus to the arrow keys, and see if you’re comfortable typing on it. If you’re a smooth typist but commit too many mistakes, it could be a good idea to test out other laptops.

Look out for the trackpad’s supported motions and give them a try, such as pinch-to-zoom, two-finger scroll, three-finger swipe, etc. If you have mouse keys, make sure they’re straightforward to use.

Test the Ports and CD/DVD Drive

Experiment with all of the accessible USB ports, earphones jacks, Ethernet ports, HDMI, SD card slots, as well as other inputs. Most of these are directly connected to a motherboard, which is expensive to replace. Despite CDs and DVDs are no longer in use, many older laptops still include a CD/DVD drive. Test to see whether they work if you think you will need them.

Check the Amount of RAM

Although Win 10 requires a least 1GB of RAM to function, you should never use less than 4GB RAM (in fact, at least 8 is required for most demanding tasks). It will slow down the laptop and affect the system’s overall performance.

It’s doubtful that you’ll discover a laptop with less than 4GB of RAM. However, if you do and you’re interested in it, go search up the price of new RAM modules. Several older RAM modules might be rather pricey.

8GB of RAM is an excellent starting point. This should be sufficient to maintain your machine working smoothly with most software apps and Windows 10/11.

To view the hardware details, type msinfo32 in to run box and hit enter. You can also check it by right-clicking on This PC and accessing the Properties tab. It will show you the device specifications and show you the Installed RAM.

Confirm the OS is Genuine

We know that the hardware is your laptop’s physical body, but the software is its brain. When purchasing a laptop, you should ensure that the operating system is functional, active, and authentic.

If you use an unlicensed laptop operating system, you are more likely to experience flaws, viruses, hacks, and data corruption.

The Windows 7 operating system is no longer supported by Microsoft. The company suggests purchasing a new laptop and upgrading to the latest operating system. However, even if you’re comfortable working on an ancient operating system, you should nonetheless verify its validity.

Software Checks

There are several software tests you must run. Firstly, ensure that the installed OS is legitimate, as previously suggested.

Examine the software licenses provided with the laptop and ensure that almost any product keys are made accessible to you. Request the device’s original program Disc, recovery CD, backup media, and drivers.

Check the Screen Condition

The next critical step is to ensure that the display is in proper working order. Examine the screen for flickering, discoloration, clarity, and damaged pixels.

Watch a video and check to see whether the watching angles are sufficient. Before buying a product, it is helpful to compare it to other laptops as well.

Check Wireless Connectivity

Nobody likes a laptop that can’t access Wi-Fi, so ensure that you can quickly access Wi-Fi connections. Examine Bluetooth’s performance as well.

Additionally, check the Wi-Fi cards as well. Typically, the laptop has a great range and forms a connection even if the device is at a considerable distance. However, a faulty Wi-Fi card will not catch a signal if the device is in the next room.

Examine the Speakers and Webcam

The majority of laptop cameras are mediocre. Still, having a lousy functional camera is preferable to having no webcam at all.

Although it is doubtful that laptop users utilize its speakers, it’s still a great idea to examine how loud they can get. Sometimes the laptop speaker may have a problem, and the sound becomes muffled or distorted quickly.

Battery Health

In most circumstances, you might not be able to do a comprehensive battery test. However, you can get a clue how long the battery will last by navigating into the power control settings of the installed operating system and looking at how much capacity the battery can retain as well as the battery health status.

Also, ensure that the battery charges correctly and does not deplete too quickly. Otherwise, request a discount to obtain a replacement.

Get to Know the HDD or SSD Health

A hard disc drive (HDD) or a solid-state drive (SSD) is installed in a laptop. Regardless of which one the laptop has, both serve as a massive storage system and data reader/writer. These discs keep your information also when your device is turned off.

Use tools like SSD life to monitor the health of your SSD. Look to HD Sentinel if you’re using an HDD. It would help if you also looked at the company’s credentials as a faulty HDD.

It is OK to have a few IO faults on the record. You shouldn’t need to hunt for a new laptop just yet. If there are too many negative sectors, search for alternatives.

Conclusion

When you decide to buy a second-hand laptop, contrast the offered price to the cost of it when it was brand new. If you intend to update the hardware, thoroughly investigate the pricing so that you really can take an educated decision about whether you should buy new or used.

Additionally, consider and check the above components when buying a used laptop. Besides this, you can also check the cooling fans, motherboard, etc.

SD cards and eMMC storage have a lot in common. It’s all flash memory, yet eMMC storage can’t compete with an SSD, just as an SD card can’t compete with a fast solid-state drive.

Are you deciding between an eMMC or SSD laptop or simply want to learn more about the advanced technology? This post will teach you all you need to know about eMMC vs SSD.

The article begins with a comprehensive overview of eMMC. After that, it goes into SSD and its characteristics. Finally, the features of eMMC and SSD are compared. Read on to find out!

What is eMMC?

In reality, four major storage kinds spring to mind when it comes to laptop PC storage: SSD, HDD, Hybrid hard drive (link here) and eMMC. But, how well do you know them?

In principle, eMMC is a variation of MMC, which is a memory card standard for solid-state storage. MMC comes in a variety of forms, including DV-MMC, MMCplus, RS-MMC, and MMCmobile, MMCmicro, MiCard, SecureMMC, and eMMC, among others.

Mobile devices such as cellphones, entry-level computers, digital cameras, tablets, and even some removable devices employ eMMC.
Although corporations rarely create MMC slots (SD cards are more prevalent), eMMC is still commonly utilised in consumer electronics as the primary form of integrated storage in portable devices.

The eMMC flash memory system is a low-cost flash memory system. Its built-in controller is compatible with Android and Windows phones, as well as low-cost PCs. Rather than a more expensive solid-state storage device, such as a solid-state drive, it can be presented as a bootable device in the host interface.

The flash memory and flash memory controller are both integrated on a similar silicon chip in eMMC. It’s made up of an embedded storage system that includes a MultiMediaCard interface, a master controller, and flash memory. In addition, the eMMC pricing is low, making it a cost-effective storage device.

What is SSD?

SSD is the abbreviation for a solid-state drive. It’s also known as a solid-state disk or a solid-state device.

A solid-state drive (SSD) is a type of storage device that uses integrated circuits to store information permanently. SSDs have the best performance and the highest price when compared to other storage formats. Furthermore, SSDs are more resistant to physical damage.

SSDs also have a quicker read/write speed, a quieter working mechanism, and reduced power consumption. As a result, people who have high needs for computer performance and suitable money are more likely to choose an SSD laptop.

Despite the fact that the price of SSDs is falling over time, the cost of each unit of storage (up to 2018) still outweighs hard drives. It is expected that this cost advantage will last for another ten years.

eMMC vs. SSD

This section contrasts the essential features of a storage device to understand eMMC vs SSD further.

Storage Size Range

The first and most crucial SSD vs eMMC comparison is that eMMC storage has a lesser storage range than SSDs. For instance, eMMC storage is available in 32GB and 64GB capacities. There are also 128GB and 265GB eMMC storage options.

This means that devices using this form of storage don’t have a lot of storage alternatives.

SSD storage, on the other hand, comes in considerably bigger capacities. SSD storage typically ranges from 128 GB to many terabytes.

Price

The pricing difference between eMMC and SSD is the ultimate comparison. eMMC-equipped devices, phones, desktops, and tablets are significantly less expensive than those with SSD drives.

On the other hand, SSD drives make up for the price difference with their vastly speedier performance.

Expansion or Replacement Options

Another essential feature to consider when comparing eMMC vs SSD is expansion or replacement with a bigger disc.

If you recall, we explained that eMMC is embedded directly to a device’s or computer’s motherboard in the eMMC explanation. This makes replacing or upgrading it extremely difficult, if not impossible.

However, most devices with eMMC storage, on the other hand, may include a microSD card port. This slot may be used to expand the device’s external storage.

Data Transfer Speed

The data transfer speed of SSD vs eMMC is the next significant comparison.

eMMC storage is divided into multiple standards, the most recent of which is 5.1A. It has a maximum transmission rate of 400MB/s.

It is not awful in terms of average transfer speed for other forms of storage. Nevertheless, there are additional elements that influence the performance of a storage device than data transmission speed.

SSDs, on the other hand, may transport data at speeds ranging from 400MB/s to over 3,000MB/s. SATA SSDs have a data transmission rate of roughly 400MB/s, which is comparable to eMMC storage.

Conclusion

To summarize, eMMC has a lower price point and a smaller footprint than SSD, but its performance is significantly lower. SSDs, on the other hand, are more expensive but offer substantially higher performance and better durability.

If your budget permits, a solid-state drive (SSD) for your laptop is advised for a better user experience.

While eMMC is ideal for low-level computing, such as browsing the web or watching videos, it is insufficient for more demanding tasks.

If you’re a power user in need of a faster computer and don’t mind paying a little more, SSD is the way to go. It’s excellent for gaming as well. SSD prices are steadily decreasing, making them more appealing to most users.

It’s fairly common for a laptop to appear to be not charging even when the charger is plugged in.

As a laptop user, you should know how long a laptop lasts and keep an eye on your device charge percentage at all times. When the battery level falls below 20%, it’s time to pull the charger out and start recharging your machine.

If your laptop battery is not charging when plugged in, this is what you can do. These suggestions can benefit you whether you have a Dell, Lenovo, HP, or another laptop.

Before moving to the useful tips that you can apply, first, we look at why your laptop is plugged in and not charging?

Why Does My Laptop Say Plugged in But Not Charging?

Before you can start fixing your laptop that won’t charge, you must first understand why it started malfunctioning in the first place. Devices require hundreds of functional parts to work optimally, so when one fails, you’re left scratching your head, unsure why.

While there are many factors that might cause your laptop battery to lose charge, we’ve narrowed the most common causes to three: power cable problems, software failure, and deteriorating battery health.

Power Cable Problems

Carrying your laptop from one place to another involves bringing your laptop charger as well. Your cable might be twisted out of shape in its early days due to wrapping it up for convenient packing and putting it down in weird ways to fit a far-away socket.

To effectively power your laptop, several key components must function together. Many laptop chargers have a two-in-one AC adapter. One component connects to the power and the other to your device.

If both are properly connected, and yet the charging light on your laptop does not glow, you may have a defective or broken cable.

Software Failure

Windows 11 has proved to be among the most self-contained operating systems in the development of the personal computer. It can identify internal problems and perform critical upgrades to ensure that all of your software is updated. However, it is possible that it (and older versions) may overlook something.

It’s conceivable that your laptop’s settings are configured to turn off at a low level or to go into sleep mode after a few minutes of inactivity. Though these settings aren’t really “malfunctions,” they just give the impression of being one.

When your laptop’s drivers get outdated, software issues emerge. Your laptop may refuse the power from your AC adapter due to an outdated driver. For this type of issue, reinstalling the battery driver is a simple and quick solution.

Deteriorating Battery Health

Laptop batteries, like any other piece of tech, do not last eternally. One of the most prevalent causes of a laptop battery’s failure to charge is its age. An old laptop battery suffers the same issues like an old computer in terms of retaining a charge.

Did you notice that your laptop begins to overheat when charging? Does it quickly lose the charge and takes longer for the battery to fully charge?

If that’s the case, each of these problems is a definite indicator that your battery is on its way out. Is it bad to keep your laptop plugged in all the time? Find out here.

Check to See Whether You’re Connected

Check the essentials first before moving on to more advanced troubleshooting. Make sure the charging wire is securely plugged into the charging port on your laptop.

Then double-check its connection to the electrical outlet—if the present one isn’t working, try another socket. If you’re using a power strip, try connecting to the wall outlet directly instead.

Also, double-check the connection where the cable connects to the AC adapter brick. If someone stumbled over it or it was stretched for an elongated period, it may be loose.

Confirm It’s the Correct Port

Contemporary devices are changing at a faster rate than ever before. The advent of the USB-C connector was a watershed moment since it is currently found on the great majority of modern laptop computers.

Although beginners to the port may be puzzled by its multi-purpose capabilities, these ultra-thin ports are ideal for ultra-thin computers.

Computers with two USB-C ports are likely to have certain capability designations that you may not be aware of.

In general, one USB-C connector is for charging, while the other is for data transfer. There will be no charging if your laptop charger is connected to the data transfer port rather than the charging port.

Remove the Battery

Check to see if your laptop’s battery is still functional. If your laptop has a detachable battery, remove it from the computer fully. You may usually accomplish this by tugging on a few tabs on the machine’s underbelly.

If you’re not sure how to do anything, look for directions for your individual model in the manual or on Google.

If your computer isn’t already dead, you should always turn it off before removing the battery. Unplug the charger as well as any other connected devices.

After removing the battery, press and hold the power button for a few seconds to discharge any residual charge in the system, reconnect the charger and attempt to turn your laptop on after that.

If everything functions fine, the issue is most likely with your battery. Make sure the battery compartment is cleaned; if necessary, wipe off any foreign material.

After that, reinstall the battery in its container and double-check that all of the connections are aligned. If this doesn’t work, your battery is most likely dead, and you’ll need to replace it.

Update Battery Drivers

Sometimes all your Laptop needs is a quick re-up on outdated drivers to go back to its peak performance. To update the battery drivers on your Windows 10 laptop, follow these instructions.

• Open the Quick Access menu by right-clicking the Start menu and selecting Device Manager.
• Open the drop-down menu under Batteries and right-click Microsoft ACPI Compliant Control Method Battery.
• Select Update Driver from the new selection window.

“How do you want to search for drivers?” This is something Windows will ask. Then you’ll be given a choice to let Windows search for relevant applications automatically or manually browse your laptop.

After you’ve updated your laptop battery drivers, reboot it and attempt charging it again.

Seek Help from a Professional

When you’ve tried all of your options available and tried every troubleshooting suggestion and technique, getting expert help is your best chance. Taking care of your laptop’s battery is essential.

At the end of the day, laptops are extremely complicated machines that occasionally need a professional touch when it comes to repairing and configuration.

Contact the manufacturer of your laptop to speak with a qualified specialist who may be able to help you with your specific make and model.

A failing battery might make what would otherwise be an excellent laptop unworkable. This is a frequent issue among laptop users, and there are a variety of solutions available.

If you want to get the most out of your device battery, simply be cautious about whatever recommendations you choose. Most laptop users, especially gamers, want the best performance possible to enhance their gaming experience.

It is just not entirely true that keeping a laptop plugged in for an extended period of time would harm it. Still, other variables, such as heat, should be avoided to avoid battery damage.

All laptop users, at some point or another, consider the same doubt: is it bad to keep your laptop plugged in?

Let’s find out!

Keeping Laptop Plugged In

Lithium-ion and lithium-polymer batteries are the two most common types of laptop batteries. Despite the fact that they are two separate technologies, they both generate power through the flow of electrons. This continuous flow is also required to keep the battery in good condition.

The following assertions are valid for both types of batteries, at least in terms of contemporary laptops.

• It is impossible to overcharge a battery. If you leave a battery plugged in all the time, there’s little risk of it overcharging. It will stop charging as soon as it reaches 100% and will not restart until the voltage falls below a specific threshold.
• A battery will be damaged if it is fully discharged. Allowing the battery to run dry for a lengthy amount of time might cause it to go into a deep discharge phase.

It’s possible that you’ll never be able to charge it again as a result of this. There are several methods to jump-start a dead laptop battery.

So, do we infer that you should leave your laptop plugged in all the time as a result of this? That’s not the case.

Batteries for Laptops

Lithium-ion batteries, as previously mentioned, are used in the majority of devices. Lithium-ion batteries, unlike nickel-based batteries, do not have a “memory effect,” which means that discharging and recharging will eventually affect the battery’s long-term life.

Because your battery will simply stop charging once it reaches full capacity, leaving your laptop plugged in will not harm your battery.

It is preferable to avoid entirely discharging lithium-ion batteries before recharging them to full capacity. It is known as “deep cycling,” and it is only helpful for nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal hydride batteries.

You should, however, do a deep cycle once or twice a month to re-calibrate the battery. This permits the battery monitoring mechanism to display battery life and charge with accuracy.

Heat Can Damage The Battery

While having your laptop plugged in all the time isn’t harmful to its health, too much heat can destroy a battery over time.
Keep in mind that the high temperatures aren’t only due to the climate.

When you use processor-intensive apps like games or when you have many programmes open at the same time, you will generate more heat.

If your computer becomes too hot when plugged in, remove the battery and store it somewhere cold to avoid heat damage (obviously it will not be possible in most cases. However, this is the best way to conserve the battery health if it is important to you).

Is It Necessary to Remove the Battery?

If heat is a risk, it poses the apparent argument. When running your laptop on AC power, should you remove the battery entirely?

Obviously, with the huge increase in the number of laptops with sealed batteries, this isn’t practical.

When it comes to whether or not they can be replaced, the answer appears to differ from one manufacturer to the next.

According to Acer, you don’t need to remove the battery when using AC power, but you should do so if you won’t be using it for many days. When Apple first released laptops with detachable batteries, it urged users not to remove them.

It all ultimately comes down to the device’s power control configuration. When a battery isn’t there, some may limit the power exactly as they do when low battery level. It’s possible that you’ll end up with poor performance as a result of this.

If you do decide to remove the battery, make sure you safely store it. This generally entails a charge of 40 to 80 percent and storage at room temperature.

Battery Care

Battery care for laptops or any other device remains essential for its performance and longevity.

While doing a deep cycle, charge your battery to maximum capacity and then let it rest for two hours to cool down after charging.

Once your battery hits 5%, unplug your power cable and set your computer’s power savings settings to hibernation.

When your computer goes into hibernation, wait around five hours before plugging in the power line and letting it charge to full capacity again.

Conclusion

While keeping your laptop plugged in will not harm it in the short term, the battery’s capacity will most likely be depleted in the long run due to factors such as heat. That is, if you solely use it on AC power.

Similarly, suppose you use it on battery power. In that case, you’ll get through the discharge cycles of the battery a lot faster than they should. Meaning the reduction in battery life. That’s not ideal either.

As a result, the best option is a hybrid of the two: operate it on battery power on specific days and keep it plugged in on others. And whatever you choose, keep in mind that it shouldn’t get too hot.

Speaking of gaming rigs, and especially gaming laptops, the main thing you must understand is that they don’t come cheap. The price of high-end components skyrocketed, especially graphic cards, hence this laptop will put a big dent in your bank account, as it retails for more than $1500.

However, it must be noted that the Predator Helios boasts impressive hardware under the hood, things like a 10th gen Intel 6-Core i7-10750H CPU, a GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GPU, 16GB of RAM/512 GB SSD, and even a gaming-centric FHD IPS 144Hz display.

What does it mean? Well, to put it simply, the Acer Predator Helios 300 is not only an excellent gaming rig, but it can also be used for productive (as in money making) purposes, like video editing and graphic design, which makes it the best of both worlds.

So, you can spend a ton of money on this toy under the pretense that, at some point, you’ll start making money with it. This is a cool argument to use if it is your parents sponsoring your shopping endeavors.

Before proceeding with the review, always remember to take proper care of your gaming laptop if you want to prolong its life, and to do so, we would recommend you to read this article carefully.

What it is

Acer managed to insert firmly into the “best bang for the buck” market niche due to its reasonably priced products. The Predator Helios is a true-blue gaming laptop, which offers an interesting mélange of muscle, storage potential and screen speed for all your gaming needs.

It’s also true that buying a high end gaming laptop is more expensive this year than it was in 2020, and that’s due to cryptocurrency miners who are buying GPUs like there’s no tomorrow, hence the relatively steep price of this Acer machine, which costs $200 more compared to last year’s model.

The main difference between the Predator Helios 300 of last year and the current one is the Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 30 Series “Ampere” graphics. Truth be told, this GPU is much better as it dramatically improves gaming performance, and that’s why this laptop won a lot of awards this year.

Serious Gaming Laptop

The Acer Predator Helios 300 looks and feels like a gaming beast, due to its all-black chassis, aggressive rear-cooling vents and, most importantly, its red/turquoise (is that a color?) backlit Predator logo staring at you on the lid.

However, the design of the Predator is rather mainstream than radical, at least compared to Alienware stuff, which means it could be safely taken at work without raising eyebrows. Basically, the Acer is designed for a more mature vibe in order to appeal to a mass audience, and that’s a big plus in our book.

The Predator Helios 300 is average in size for a 15.6 gaming laptop, as it measures 0.9’’ by 14.3’’ by 10’’ (HWD), and weighs 4.85 pounds, which is respectable yet acceptable for its screen real estate. Always remember kids: heavy is good, heavy is reliable; and by the way, the Alienware R4 weighs more, 5.3 pounds respectively.

In terms of build quality, the Helios 300 boasts a partial aluminum design, but we would’ve loved a full-aluminum style, just like similarly priced rivals. Aluminum is great for dissipating heat, and also lasts forever compared to plastic, but that’s how life is.

To be more precise, the Helios 300 uses aluminum for the palm rest, the lid and keyboard deck, which means it’s not impressive in terms of build quality, but it’s decent. The chassis has good torsional rigidity, with minimal flex (the same goes for the lid), and speaking of the lid, you can open it with one hand.

Display

Display quality is a deal-breaker in a gaming/productivity laptop, but the Helios 300 really shines in terms of image quality. Everything looks great on the high-refresh-rate 144 Hz FPS screen, and the laptop can easily reach triple digit frame rates in Esport games.

The FPS panel has wide viewing angles, ample brightness, an anti-glare coating and it’s rated at covering 100 percent of the RGB color space, for vibrant visuals and silky smooth pictures.

Keyboard

Since the word of the day is colorful diversity, the same goes for the true RGB keyboard, with 4-zone RGB. You can use Acer’s PredatorSense application to control the RGB thing for each zone, and there’s even a dedicated physical button on the number pad that starts the app.

It’s true that you don’t have per-key backlighting customization, which is available on more costly gaming rigs, but the endless colors on four zones should be more than enough for the average gamer. The app also allows you to save profiles.

The keyboard is gaming-focused, with a long enough throw, and a thicker border on the arrow key clusters as well as on the WASD, which makes them appear brighter. However, the typing experience is not the best out there, or, to put it differently, it’s not great, not terrible.

Touchpad

Acer chose a smooth surface buttonless touchpad for the Helios 300, which makes it very easy to use and very precise due to its stiff physical key action that obliterates accidental presses. If you want to use an external mouse, like real gamers do, you can disable the touchpad easily by pressing Fn + F7.

Connectivity

The 10th gen Comet Lake CPU does not support Thunderbolt 4, yet the laptop offers a more than adequate port selection, including 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports@5 Gbps on the left side, a Killer E2600 2.5Gbps Ethernet jack, and an audio combo jack.

You also get a Killer AX1650i wireless card, which supports Killer DoubleShot Pro, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5. Basically, the laptop can prioritize game traffic over Ethernet, while the Wi-Fi can be used for anything else.

The right edge harbors USB Type-A and Type-C ports of the 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) variety, and you can charge devices on these babies even when the laptop is shut down. Acer also provided HDMI 2.0b and mini DisplayPort 1.4 video outputs, which is nice.

Performance

Gaming performance is on par with what’s expected from what’s under the hood, but the Helios 300 features built-in GPU overclocking via a Turbo button, even if the laptop gets noticeably louder in Turbo mode.

Speaking of which, the Turbo augmentation will provide an 8 to 10 percent jump in performance, and that’s not bad. The battery will last 7 and a half hours, which makes the laptop more than practical for traveling.

Miscellaneous stuff

There are no biometric features in the Helios 300, the likes of face recognition or fingerprint reader. The 720p webcam is of average quality and lacks a privacy shutter, but you can always use a piece of duct tape if you want to prevent Mark Zuckerberg from spying you while watching Anime.

Joke aside, this is not a business laptop, hence it’s kind of normal for Acer to not obsess over security features, in order to keep the price down. As in, we don’t hold the lack of security features against them.

On the bright side, the laptop has good-sounding speakers, and the two heavy-duty fans we told you about do a great job with keeping the laptop cool during extended gaming sessions. The best thing about the cooling design is that it keeps the noise down, as Acer did a bang-up job with minimizing motor and fan whine noises.

You can also control fan behavior from the PredatorSense app, which is kind of cool. Another thing worth mentioning is that end users can easily upgrade the Helios 300, as the laptop provides quick access to its 2x M.2 SSD slots (one occupied from the factory) and the 2.5-inch drive bay.

The RAM is also easy to upgrade, as the system accepts up to 2x 32 GB modules (it comes loaded with 2×8 GB from the factory). This trick is impossible in soldered RAM laptop models.

Bottom line

The 2021 version of the venerable Acer Predator Helios 300 offers solid performance and a smooth 144 Hz display, good port selection and a cool overclocking button, which makes it stand out against its similarly priced rivals. If you can get over the partial metal design and the lack of security features, you’ll end up with a great deal.

Even if it may be hard to believe given its size, this is basically a desktop replacement that can be carried anywhere, i.e. if you can live with the price tag, which is ample, you’ll end up with a fantastic laptop powered by Intel’s latest mobile CPUs.

Speaking of which, this particular model comes with an 11th gen CORE i7 1165G7 CPU, 16 GB of RAM, 1 TB SSD (!), Alexa built-in if you care about that, and a fantastic 11 hours battery, not to mention a gorgeous 16’’ WQXGA (2560×1600) display.

The cherry on the cake is this: despite its stellar specs and huge 16:10 display (okay, we are exaggerating a little bit for dramatic effect), this laptop weighs less than a 13’’. The only thing that we can complain about is the design, which is a little boring for a laptop from the future, but we’re only cherry-picking.

What is it

The LG Gram is built to maximize screen real estate without sacrificing weight in the process. To give you an idea, this laptop has the same screen size and resolution as a MacBook Pro 16’’, but due to its state-of-the-art magnesium alloy chassis, it weighs an incredible 1.16 kg or 2.6 lb, which is way lighter than the MacBook.

To be more precise, it’s 1.6 lb lighter and this is nothing short of amazing. The 16Z90P is also the latest iteration of the LG Gram, which makes for LG’s ultra-thin and light laptop range. There are also 14’’ and 17’’ variants as well, but the 16’’ hits the sweet spot in our book.

Moreover, the LG Gram 16 (2021) is an Intel Evo-certified laptop, which means it’s the next step in laptop design.

Specs

• CPU: 2.8GHz Intel Core i7-1165G7 (4-core, 12MB Intel Smart Cache, up to 4.7GHz with Turbo Boost)
• Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
• RAM: 16GB LPDDR4X (4,266MHz)
• Screen: 16-inch WQXGA (2,560 x 1,600) IPS LCD
• Storage: 1TB SSD (PCIe, NVMe, M.2)
• Ports: 2x USB-C with Thunderbolt 4, 2 x USB-A 3.2, 1x HDMI, 1 x microSD card reader, combi audio jack
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
• Camera: 720p webcam
• Weight: 2.62 pounds (1.18kg)
• Size: 14.01 x 9.58 x 0.66-inches (355.9 x 243.4 x 16.8 mm; W x D x H)

Short Overview

At first sight, and especially after you pick it up for the first time, you’ll be flabbergasted with how light this laptop is. Until you physically hold it, you won’t really comprehend how incredibly light this machine is in real life. The 16’’ screen offers more than enough workspace without becoming too big, and since we’re talking Intel Evo, the Gram works smooth in everyday tasks.

Everything loads instantly, and even Windows 10 boots very fast. Due to its built-in fingerprint sensor, you can log in just by pressing the power button, and we must say that as far as productivity goes, this is a very accomplished laptop, i.e. it’s perfect for productivity-oriented people, or even for students shopping for something cool for school.

The laptop has no less than four Thunderbolt ports, which translates into future-proof cutting-edge support for high-end peripherals and storage. There are plenty other ports though, including full-size HDMI and USB for older devices, which is very nice on LG’s part.

Battery life is another strong point of this laptop, as 11 hours of autonomy is kind of hot for a 16’’ Windows 10 running machine. Speaking of battery life, don’t forget to read our article about how to care for your laptop’s battery.

As we already told you, we only complain about the dull design of this laptop from the future, and the preinstalled bloatware/software, which often spams pop-up messages trying to persuade you into buying nonsense subscriptions.

Design

As the Gram name suggests, this LG laptop’s main selling point is its incredible 2.6 pounds of weight, which makes it arguably the lightest 16’’ machine on the market. As we already told you, the LG Gram is almost half the weight of the Apple MacBook Pro (16’’ 2019 model).

The laptop can be effortlessly carried around in one hand due to its ultra-low weight, and if you carry it in a backpack or a bag, you will forget it’s there. The LG Gram is proof of concept that you don’t have to settle for a 13’’ laptop if you want something feather-light, and that screen size doesn’t matter in terms of overall weight.

The caveat to all these impressive features is the price, but if you can live with that, it doesn’t get any better than the LG Gram. Another thing to contemplate is that despite its lightness, this laptop is far from delicate. The Gram boasts a full metal chassis with impressive torsional rigidity, and passes the MIL-STD-810G military standard for durability.

So, don’t let its lightness full you: this baby is hard as a rock, as it’s built from the same material used by the aircraft industry. You can make spaceships from magnesium alloy, which means the LG Gram can survive drops and knocks, as well as dust, vibrations and high/low temps without breaking a sweat.

The laptop measures 14.01 x 9.58 x 0.66-inches (355.9 x 243.4 x 16.8 mm), i.e. it’s far from being compact, but will fit any bag without issue.

Connectivity is top-notch, including 2x Thunderbolt 4 USB C ports, 2x USB 3.2 and a microSD.

Display

The 16’’ display is also a big selling point for the LG Gram, due to its high resolution, 16:10 aspect ratio and thin bezels. Image quality is awesome, and the 2,56t0 x 1,600 WQXGA resolution panel supports 99% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, which makes it ideal for video editing.

Speaking of which, the laptop meets and exceeds the industry standard used by video editors, which means color reproduction is highly accurate, not only bright and vibrant.

Keyboard

The keyboard is more than adequate for avid typists, i.e. it’s comfortable, ideal in size and has almost perfect key travel; obviously, the keys are backlit, but you can’t change the light color.

Performance

The laptop boasts Intel Evo certification, and performs nicely in daily tasks, such as web browsing, document creation and so on. The 16:10 ratio screen is perfect for portrait documents, even if it’s kind of reflective due to its glossy finish.

Keep in mind that the LG Gram is not designed to be a gaming laptop or a workhorse, but for general use, it’s just awesome. For example, you can perform video editing in 4K resolution with ease, as well as photo editing, which makes this laptop a worthwhile investment for both work and school.

Final word

If you can live with the price tag, this laptop is the best ultra-lightweight machine on the market, easy to carry around, highly portable and packs a lot of heat under the hood so to speak. However, the LG is not suited for gaming, as its integrated graphics cannot deal with modern titles.

For that reason, we are going to tell you how to keep your laptop battery in good condition and expand its life span to the max.

How to Care for Your Laptop’s Battery and Extend Its Life

If you have ever wondered what is required for you to do to keep your laptop battery in a premium condition, allowing you to use it for years to come, this is the text for you. You will be introduced to the most common ways of keeping your battery well, letting you use your laptop to the full extent. Therefore, let’s begin!

Lower the Number of Charging Cycles

One of the essentials of keeping your battery in good shape is definitely by reducing its number of charging cycles. Have in mind that today’s laptop batteries are designed to withstand around 500 full-charging cycles, which means you can fully drain it to 0% and then charge it to 100%, 500 times. However, don’t do that.

Today’s batteries are designed in a way to best work with a little bit of discharge and a little bit of charge. In other words, they will have the longest lifespan when you let them drain to around 40% and then charge them to around 80%. That way, you won’t waste the full charging cycle, but just its fraction, which will ultimately make your battery live longer, and allow between 850 and 1500 charges.

Another thing that will help you keep the number of cycles to the minimum is the Battery Saver feature of Windows 10. When turned on, this feature will stop push notifications, background app activity, Calendar syncing, and offer many other battery-saving activities, such as lowering of the screen brightness, when the battery drops below, for instance, 20% charge.

This is what you need to do:

1. First, go to Start

   

   and enter Settings.



2. After that, go to System

   

   and choose Battery.



3. Mark the square in front of “Turn battery saver on automatically if my battery falls below:” and select at what battery level you want the Battery saver to be turned on, and that is it.

On Mac, make sure that you turn on the Power Nap that will allow you to put your Mac to sleep, saving you more battery life while keeping all the important tasks up and running.

If you are willing to do that this is what is needed to be done:

1. First, go to the Apple menu

   

   and then System Preferences.



2. Go to Battery,

   

   then Battery once again,

   

   and select or deselect “Enable Power Nap while on battery power.”

Don’t Charge it Too Late

As already mentioned, you mustn’t let your battery be fully discharged, because such activity will lower your battery’s life expectance. If it is possible, never let your battery go below 20% charge, and if it does, try to use the battery-saving features that will prevent complete drainage.

Also, if you plan not to use your laptop for some time, don’t fully charge it. The battery should be at around 50% charge when you plan to dispose of it for a few days or weeks. For some reason, such behavior will least affect your battery characteristics and make the lowest negative effects possible, keeping your battery nice and healthy.

Don’t Keep the Laptop Constantly Plugged-in

Although today’s batteries have the feature that stops the charging when the battery is at 100% charge, preventing overheating and excessive power consumption, the fact remains that not allowing your battery to be charged and recharged, will eventually lead to a drop in its characteristics and give you much less autonomy at the end.

Therefore, make sure that you unplug your laptop whenever you can. For instance, unplug it after two hours of work and then put it back on the charger when needed, you may be sure your battery will appreciate that.

Keep it Cool

Extreme heat and extreme cold are never good for batteries, yet chilly temperatures, around 10°C -15°C will be the best surroundings for them.

Too hot is never good for them and if you are facing your computer with constant high CPU and GPU loads that drastically increass the laptop’s temperature, give your laptop and battery a break, and let it cool of for a while.

If you are a dedicated gamer and like to play the games for hours, make small half-hour breaks between a couple of hours of gaming and allow your battery to breathe. You may be sure you will end up rewarded with a much better battery life.

Update OS on Regular Basis

Have in mind that Operating systems are constantly optimized to consume less and less power while delivering the same or better performance. Therefore, don’t forget about this little detail and do the updates regularly.

Final Words

To conclude, if you want to make your battery last as long as possible, these pieces of advice will be more than beneficial. Whatever you do, keep them in mind, and you may be sure that your battery will deliver excellent performance in years to come.

As usual with gaming laptops, the TUF FX505GT can be used as a workhorse in various scenarios, not only gaming. Considering the hardware inside, this TUF beast would do a great job on video editing tasks, i.e. the last-gen Intel I7 CPU and the nVidia GTX 1650 4GB GPU would not disappoint the pickiest editor.

Moreover, the Asus TUF FX505GT is a great choice for graphic designers looking for a “value for money” oriented rig, so there you have it: this gaming laptop is the definition of jack of all trades, master of none. As in, it does a great job in gaming, video editing, graphic design, what have you, but it’s not “the best in the world”, and that’s pretty obvious considering the price tag.

As long as you don’t expect miracles from this machine, you’ll not be disappointed. However, if you want to squeeze the last ounce of performance from your laptop and enhance its life-span, don’t forget to buy a high-performance cooling pad.

Specs

• CPU: 9th Generation Intel Hexa-Core i7-9750H (Base 2.60 GHz, Up to 4.50 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology, 12 MB Intel Smart Cache, 12 Threads)
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 with 4GB GDDR4
• Display: 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) LED IPS 144 Hz, 5ms response time
• RAM/Storage: 8GB RAM I 512GB SSD
• Connectivity: 2 USB 3.2 Gen1 1 USB 2.0 1 HDMI 1 RJ-45 LAN (10/100/1000) 1 Headphone/microphone combo jack
• Other: Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit), 720p HD webcam, Gigabit Wave 2 Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) with Bluetooth 5.0, RGB backlit keyboard rated for 20-million keystroke durability, DTS Headphone: X technology delivers high-fidelity 7.1-channel virtual surround-sound audio, up to 8 hours battery life

By the way, while we’re at it, don’t forget to check out this article about the main features and specifications to look after before buying a new laptop.

What it is

As we already told you in the preamble, the Asus TUF FX505GT is an interesting mélange of performance and features, all packed inside a nice chassis at a relatively affordable price. If you’re looking for the best bang for the buck, this gaming laptop should definitely rank high on your shopping list.

However, it must be noted that Asus had to cut a few corners with this laptop, in order to keep performance high. What they did was to basically sacrifice build quality and portability, so be advised: this is not a “premium” laptop, but a workhorse, and you may notice some squeaks when pressing hard on the chassis.

Build quality

We’ll give this laptop a passing note, let’s say a C+ in terms of build quality. The thing is, Asus did an “all plastic” job with the Asus TUF FX505GT, as in everything is plastic except from the aluminum lid. However, the laptop is relatively robust and feels solid compared to cheaper alternatives. But, we must tell you that if pushed hard, the keyboard has a noticeable flex.

Yet, for a cheap gaming laptop, everything looks and feels rather nice. Design-wise, the TUF looks pretty much middle of the road for a gaming laptop; truth be told, the Asus looks relatively somber for a gaming laptop, which means you can take it with you anywhere, without vexing your boomer boss, and that’s a plus in our book.

To be more specific, the laptop has cut corners and a relatively aggressive trapezoid cut lid, but that’s about all there is to it in terms of “gaming design”.

Processing power

Considering what’s under the hood, i.e. the laptop being powered by a 9th gen Intel Core i7-9750H CPU, which can be found in more expensive gaming laptops, everything is on the up and up in terms of performance. This is a 6-core (hexa core) processor, with 12 threads and 12 MB of cache, a base frequency of 2.6 Ghz up to 4.5 Ghz in turbo mode.

Before you ask, that’s very good, and if you want to learn more about this CPU, just check out how it does against a Ryzen 7 3750 in this benchmark. If you are not impressed, stop reading and go make me a sandwich. Joke aside, the Intel does better than the AMD in terms of performance output, but it eats more juice.

System memory

The 8 GB of DDR4-2666MHz RAM are pretty good for an everyday gaming laptop, though 16 GB would be much better. Don’t worry, as upgrades are possible without voiding warranty, but you’ll have to cough up some dough in the process.

You can put up to 32 GB of RAM in this laptop, but 16 GB provide the best gaming experience for the price.

Storage

This part is not particularly important in a gaming laptop, the storage thing respectively, as different people have different needs, and you can always buy an external drive there’s not enough space. However, Asus did a good job in this regard, as the laptop arrives with a generous M.2 512-gigabyte PCIe Gen3 Solid State Drive, and that means you can upgrade storage space via the 2.5″ slot, i.e. you can put an extra SSD inside.

Graphics

For the price, Asus did a great job with putting a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 (4 GB) inside, which is miles ahead compared to what its competitors offer at a similar price point. If you want to know what this GPU is capable of, just check out this benchmark and stand in awe.

To be more specific in terms of GPU performance, here are the frame rates that can be expected from this baby, on FHD resolution and ultra-high settings: GTA 5 : 60+ fps, CS:GO: 60+ fps, Minecraft: 60+ fps, Fortnite: 60+ fps, i.e. these games will run smoothly out-of-the-box.

If you follow our advice and upgrade the machine with extra RAM (16 GB instead of 8 GB stock), you’ll be able to play Forza Horizon 4@40 fps, Far Cry 5@ 50 fps, or Call of Duty WWII@ 40 fps.

Display

Here’s where this laptop really shines: the 15.6″ 120Hz IPS FHD slim bezel display. We dare you to find another gaming laptop in this price category to offer 120Hz. Gaming is an immersive experience on this excellent display, with less blur, less latency, and increased sharpness, which make this laptop to be a tier above its direct competitors.

Connectivity

The Asus TUF FX505GT is relatively weird in terms of connectivity options, as in, for whatever reason, Asus decided to not offer a USB Type C slot, and instead relying on ancient USB 2.0. This is most probably cost-cutting at its best, but come on…

All the ports are located on the left side of the laptop, and we must emphasize the fact that the laptop comes with a beefy (as in high-speed) Gigabit Ethernet LAN card, as well as 802.11ac wireless and Bluetooth 4.2., which is pretty standard.

Battery life/Portability

As expected, gaming laptops are not the best choice if you’re looking for an “every day carry” machine. This machine is not designed for daily commuting or long trips, as it weighs almost 5 pounds and it’s relatively thick. Battery life is not impressive, as expected, as the laptop comes with a puny 3-cell, 48Whr Li-Polymer battery pack which is mediocre at best in terms of autonomy.

Bottom line

For the price, this laptop is tough to bit and an easy sell for us. If you’re looking for a solid gaming/video editing laptop, the TUF FX505GT is easy to recommend, especially if you’re on a tight budget. If you can live with its downsides, i.e. poor battery life, reduced portability and all-plastic construction, not to mention the lack of USB Type C ports, just go for it.

In terms of gaming/productivity, you will enjoy the strong CPU-SSD-GPU combo, plus the fantastic display quality, and if you go for the RAM upgrade, this laptop is unbeatable at its current price.