Does our notebook drain fast? Can’t we get over 3 hours of autonomy? Let’s see together how to solve
With modern laptops we can get (on paper) to have even 10 hours of autonomy, but this does not mean that we will get this result in every condition of use and in every situation! A good laptop with Windows 10 should guarantee at least 3-4 hours of autonomy in any condition of use: if we notice that the laptop cannot even reach two hours, there is probably something that immediately drains the battery, making us addicted. from the electrical outlet. In most cases we can intervene directly from the operating system, while in other cases we will have to follow special procedures to restore the correct functioning of the battery.
In the following guide we will show you all the typical problems of Windows 10 that speed up the discharge of the lithium ion battery , so as to be able to intervene promptly and reach at least 3 hours of autonomy with any notebook.
When it comes to autonomy on laptops, the first responsible is almost always the display : leaving too high a brightness will drastically reduce battery life, as well as straining the eyes in situations where there is little ambient light. To be able to remedy, then we press at the bottom right on the Windows 10 Notification Center and move the brightness bar present, so as to find the right compromise between ambient brightness and display brightness.
This does not mean that we have to write on a monitor without light: the right value to have a good energy saving is between 15 and 25 , but a lot also depends on the ambient brightness and the characteristics of the display we are using (if it is anti-reflective we can decrease by a few percentage points, while if it is not anti-reflective we have to get as close as possible to 25, especially during the day).
Windows 10 power saving
Another very effective method to increase the autonomy on laptops is to take advantage of the Windows energy savings. First of all, make sure that, when we are not connected to the mains, the battery icon is always present at the bottom right: if the battery icon is not visible, press the arrowhead upwards and drag the icon battery next to the volume icon or network icon. After correctly positioning the battery icon, press it and set the sliding bar to the Improved battery item , so as to have an excellent compromise between energy saving and laptop power.
In addition to this change, it is advisable to set the automatic activation of maximum energy saving , so as to further extend the battery life when it begins to run down. To automate this change, press the battery icon at the bottom right, click on the Battery settings item , set 50% in the drop-down menu Automatically activate battery saving when and also activate the item Reduce screen brightness when saving is active battery .
Doing so every time we use the notebook battery we will have a good balance between power and autonomy between 100% and 51% of the remaining charge and maximum energy savings when the battery drops to a value equal to or less than 50%.
Energy saving of the manufacturer
Some laptop models with Windows 10 have a special proprietary power saving mode, which also controls the speed of the CPU and other internal components. If our notebook is one of these, it is advisable to immediately open the manufacturer’s management app or the energy saving app and disable any setting called Performance or Boost , especially if we are using the battery.
If possible we set the normal mode or, if we already have less than 60% of remaining charge, we immediately set the maximum energy saving mode, which will overwrite the settings seen on Windows 10 and will allow to obtain an even more effective energy saving.
Calibrate the battery
If we notice that, despite the advice above, the battery drains quickly or makes suspicious “battery percentage jumps” (such as from 60% to 30% in a few minutes), most likely the battery is no longer calibrated and shows a incorrect residual charge value , causing the notebook to shut down earlier than expected.
To quickly calibrate the laptop battery, unplug the electrical outlet and use Windows 10 until it is completely discharged (the computer will shut down). As soon as it is turned off, we try to turn it back on and check if we get to the desktop: if the desktop appears, let’s use it a little more until the final shutdown, otherwise we immediately read the next step.
Now that the battery is completely discharged, connect the electrical outlet to the notebook off and let it charge for at least 4 hours , without ever turning it on (even if the LEDs indicate that the battery is charged). At the end of the 4 hours we turn on the PC with the electrical socket still plugged in and, once we get to the desktop, we do nothing for at least 10 minutes, so as to update the charge values and end the calibration cycle.
This cycle should be done at least once every 6 months, especially if the laptop has already two years of life. To learn more, we recommend that you also read our guide How to calibrate the battery of your laptop .
Lower CPU performance
If with the advice seen so far we have not obtained any real benefit, we can try the last resort: giving up the maximum performance of the CPU and letting it work at a lower frequency or workload, so as to obtain a good energy saving (with a Slightly slower CPU).
The simplest method to “slow down” the CPU can be implemented by pressing at the bottom left of the Start menu, opening the Control Panel app , opening the Hardware and Sound menu , clicking on Power Options , selecting Balanced energy profile , pressing on Change combination settings and finally pressing on the item Change advanced energy saving settings . In the new window that opens, we expand the Processor energy saving item and, in the Processor maximum performance level field , set the value to 50% next to the itemBattery powered . This way, when we go to battery, the CPU will only work at 50% performance, saving a lot of energy.
Alternatively we will have to access the BIOS / UEFI of the laptop and set an Undeclock , i.e. decrease the operating voltage of the processor and thus slow down the performance. Given the complexity of the operation, we advise you to apply this change only under the supervision of an expert and reading the instructions provided in our guides Changing CPU, Graphics Card and RAM speeds: best programs and programs for CPU and video card processor Overclocking.
Conclusions
By following all the tips and tricks above we will solve the vast majority of problems on notebooks that drain immediately, making the most of the battery built into the computer. However, let’s not forget that the battery wears out over time and that we will never get the same autonomy after 2-3 years from the purchase, especially if we have often used the battery when we were away from home with the notebook.
