Typical Battery Life Expectancy?

gerry atr1c02

Junior Member
Mar 23, 2017
11
1
I'm thinking of buying a tablet but the thing that puts me off most is that their batteries generally cannot be replaced, and that it appears not uncommon for the batteries to stop being able to hold a proper charge after around twelve to eighteen months, and for me it would be totally unacceptable for a perfectly good tablet to be ruined because of this. I've done a search here of similar topics and one of the more informative ones links to this Lifehacker article which is hardly encouraging, ie, no matter how prudent you are the battery will stop being able to hold a decent charge in a fairly short time anyway:
http://lifehacker.com/5875162/how-often-should-i-charge-my-gadgets-battery-to-prolong-its-lifespan

So I wondered what the typical life expectancy of a battery is in a modern tablet. Any help really appreciated.
 
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Spider

Administrator
Staff member
Mar 24, 2011
15,785
1,813
The battery in my Nook Color is 6 years old. After 3 years of heavy use (and another 3 years of intermittent use), it still holds a charge nicely. Only used when the others are both charging nowadays.

I've been using my Nexus 7 (2nd Gen) several hours a day for 4 years now and the battery's still fine. I usually charge it every three or four days.

The Nook Tablet is also about 4 years old. It's used about 3 hours a day and gets charged after about 3 days of use.

All three are used mostly for reading books and are NEVER allowed to go below about 20% charged.

Hope that helps.
 

gerry atr1c02

Junior Member
Mar 23, 2017
11
1
Really appreciate the replies. That sort of longevity you both mention is much more encouraging than a lot of what I've been hearing, and I guess if I remember not to leave it charging when at 100% and don't let the battery fall to 0% every time before recharging that will help.

As a last resort for a dead battery, if everything else fails, would anyone advise attempting to replace it?
 

Spider

Administrator
Staff member
Mar 24, 2011
15,785
1,813
I guess if I remember not to leave it charging when at 100% and don't let the battery fall to 0% every time before recharging that will help.

The circuitry in the tablet is generally designed to prevent overcharging. My tablets usually end up on the charger over night, often longer, with no damage done.

would anyone advise attempting to replace it?

From technical standpoint, it's not hard to do, but many people have cracked the screen while attempting to access the battery.

BTW Your tablet willl probably arrive with about a 40% charge. I'd recommend charging it fully before using it.
 

MobTechie007

Member
Oct 15, 2016
1
1
As has already been suggested, a lot depends on HOW the battery is treated (i.e. looked after, charge wise). Having said that, it is not impossible for the quality of batteries to vary from device to device.
As for replacing them, it's not impossible (I've replaced quite a few myself), but the issue is the fragility of the tablets to start with. You've got to be very careful, otherwise, you can easily damage the tablet, cracked screens being a very common result.
 

gerry atr1c02

Junior Member
Mar 23, 2017
11
1
I think I'll forget about replacement then.

Regarding charging, is it possible to automate this to your preference in settings, ie, advise start charging when the charge drops to, say, 40%, or perhaps shutting the tablet down until it starts charging, and stop charging when it reaches, say, 90%. If this isn't possible, is there an app that can do this?

Also, what do the good folk here think about battery saving apps such as Greenify, DU Battery Saver, Battery HD etc? Do they do more harm than good, or are there any that you recommend?
 
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PitCarver

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 9, 2014
563
72
Sounds like you're planning on leaving your device plugged in all the time. (?)

While there are apps that can alert you when the battery reaches certain levels, I'm not aware of any that will actually control charging. Perhaps Tasker or MacroDroid, I don't know.

Check GSam battery monitor. It doesn't promise anything in terms of "extended battery life" or any of the countless claims that other apps make, but it will tell you what apps are using up your battery. GSam also has customizable alarms that can alert you of the conditions that you asked about, in the first part of your comment.

The only thing I'll use some of the other apps, that you mentioned, for is for certain information that may be displayed on their widgets.
 

gerry atr1c02

Junior Member
Mar 23, 2017
11
1
Thanks for the info. No, I'm not planning on leaving it permanently plugged in.

GSam Battery Monitor sounds just the sort of thing I'm looking for. One of its features says you can " Set customizable alarms for various charge states, temperature, and battery health"
 

vampirefo.

Senior Member
Developer
Nov 8, 2011
3,836
1,394
My devices stay plugged 24/7 until I need them, once I am finished using them, they go back on charge.

Never had a problem with any device, using it this way.

Sent from my Life_Max using Tapatalk
 

Kevin McMillan

Junior Member
Apr 25, 2017
11
1
It all depends on your usage..never leave the charger ON after your tablet has been completely charged.Similarly let the charge drain out completely once in a while..also always use chargers provided by the manufacturer.These practices will definitely prolong your battery life.
 
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