Many people have questions about whether or not it is safe and sensible to leave your laptop plugged in for long periods of time--even days or weeks. The truth of the matter is that leaving a laptop plugged in will not damage its internal components, but if the battery is installed, it will gradually erode its capacity to hold a charge over a long period of time. There are ways to limit the erosion and to keep your laptop in good shape.
Significance
The primary enemy of any computer component is excess heat applied over a long period of time. High heat warps internal components on a microscopic level, slowly reducing their effectiveness over months and years. The best way to protect their integrity is to ensure that the computer operates at a safe temperature and that it isn't left running when it's not in use. The fact that a laptop is plugged in actually reduces the level of heat percolating throughout the machine.
Function
When a laptop is plugged in and has its battery installed, the charge that the computer operates on comes directly through the battery. This makes it so that the battery is constantly being slightly discharged and then charged in an endless cycle. This does not really add to the heat level of the computer, but it does wear down the battery's overall level of charge. If this concerns you, it's a good idea to remove the battery while you have the machine plugged in in order to preserve its charge as much as possible.
Considerations
Leaving a laptop plugged in at all times--even when it does not need to be charged--also consumes a small amount of power throughout the day. If you are interested in saving as much power as possible, it's a good idea to unplug a laptop and turn it off completely when it is not in use. This will help both preserve your laptop's components and save you money on your electric bill every month. It only takes a few seconds of extra work every day, and saves you a few dollars. You'd be hard pressed to find a job that could pay you that much for so little additional labor.
Misconceptions
It's an incorrect assumption that a laptop battery should be fully run down before subjecting it to a charge. This has no net effect on preserving the laptop battery's life as long as possible. The laptop battery only erodes from changes in its charge level either up or down. It does not matter which direction this is in, or how much it does. If you want to preserve your laptop battery, refer to the tips above--remove the battery when it is not in use.
Potential
Acting as a wise steward over your laptop battery can save you both stress and money in the future, as you will have to worry less about your battery running down unusually quickly at a critical time. Getting into these good habits will last you for the rest of your professional life, saving you money on buying additional batteries and time searching to find a power source to charge your rapidly deteriorating batteries. Keep your computer equipment in good shape.
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