A traveling sales representative reports that their three-year-old laptop now runs for less than 45 minutes on battery power. The Windows battery-health report shows the battery is at 38 % of its original design capacity after 560 charge cycles. What is the MOST effective way to restore all-day portability for this user?
Calibrate the existing battery by performing two full discharge-recharge cycles
Carry an external USB-C power bank for additional runtime
Install a new manufacturer-approved replacement battery
Update the laptop's BIOS and chipset drivers to the latest versions
Lithium-ion batteries permanently lose capacity with each charge cycle because of chemical aging. Once capacity falls well below 80 % of design specifications, no amount of calibration, BIOS updates, or power-saving settings will restore the lost watt-hours. Replacing the depleted pack with a new manufacturer-approved battery is therefore the only effective fix. Other options (battery calibration, BIOS firmware updates, or relying on an external USB power bank) may offer minor improvements or convenience but do not restore the laptop's internal runtime.
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Why do lithium-ion batteries lose capacity over time?
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What is a charge cycle in a lithium-ion battery?
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Why is replacing the battery more effective than alternatives like calibration or power banks?