Let’s do a refresher course on Smartphone Batteries. This one is going to be focused on some healthy usage habits that helps to extend battery lifespan. Here’s How to Extend the Lifespan of Your Smartphone Battery.
So I’m a very heavy user who tends to push a phone to its maximum ability. It is a good and bad habit as it helps me quickly understand the performance ceiling of a phone. However a byproduct of this is that the smartphone’s battery is going to quickly run down.
And from May 2019 to September 2020, everything I did with the Redmi Note 7’s battery should be a guide on “how to kill your smartphone’s battery in record time”.
From exposing my phone to the Sokoto pressure cooker heat, to charging whilst gaming in the same heat, charging whilst using Bluetooth and hotspot, using a dodgy solar to charge, charging via my bosses car charger etc.
If you can think it, then there’s a good chance that I probably did it.
Shortly before it’s first birthday, I would charge up to 100 and wake up to meet 94%. Something that never happened before. It would progressively drop down from there.
To make matters worse, the battery began to swell as well and that was when I knew that my goose was cooked.
My next phone on the other hand lived with me for 4 years before I gave it away and it didn’t drop more than 1% over night. The battery never swelled and even though it got weaker due to age, I could still pull 6 hours SoT after heavy use out of it. This is after 4 years!
So what did I do?
How to Extend the Lifespan of Your Smartphone Battery
1. Accept responsibility
I accepted responsibility for my battery going bad and promised myself that I would do better. This may seem pedantic but I have seen people who have refused to accept the responsibility for their battery going bad.
It’s always something or someone’s fault. It’s a faulty battery, it’s the company’s fault, it’s a charger that spoilt it, etc. Never them. So accepting responsibility is always key. Because if you don’t program your mind, then you may as well forget it.
2. Learn good charging habits
This one cannot be underestimated or underrated. In fact, wrong charging is statistically the number 1 killer of smartphone batteries.
Do not charge a hot phone, allow it to cool. Do not charge under heavy use. Quite recently, I played Call of Duty Warzone Mobile with a guy and I suddenly started to hear electrical crackling anytime he spoke I easily decoded he has plugged in a charger whilst gaming and I told him that he’s about to assassinate his battery.
I mean Warzone kills batteries on its own and this guy wanted to add seasoning and condiments on top of an already dicey situation.
Do not overcharge. The generally recommended rule is 20-80% but that’s clearly outdated as our phones are smarter now. You can charge to 100%. Just don’t keep it there. If you must use your phone while charging, it should be light use that doesn’t heat the device up. No 3D HD gaming.
3. Learn better usage habits.
The most important one being to never, ever, ever let your phone run down by itself. Ever. This is a cardinal sin. If your phone is 5% and you know a charger isn’t in sight, turn it off.
Learn to take note of the ambient temperature in your location and adjust your usage accordingly.
If you must game, invest in a cooling fan and slap it on the back of your phone. It’ll protect your phone’s battery and even improve the SoC’s performance. That’s how you kill 2 birds with one stone.
Besides gaming, on some hot days, I have the fan running even when I’m not gaming. Especially when I notice that my phone’s temperature is beginning to rise.
4. Learn chargers and charging technology
Chargers aren’t difficult. Sellers try to mesmerize buyers so that it seems as though they’re selling rocket science. It isn’t so.
There’s three things you must know:
- Charger speed or power
- Charger technology
- Supported charging speeds on your phone.
If I have a Camon 20 Pro for example with a MediaTek Helio G99 that supports 33W fast charge. I’ll then look for a 33W charger from Tecno or from a 3rd party brand that supports USB PD.
USB PD is the charging technology that has been adopted by MediaTek after they abandoned their own Pump Charge tech.
I have a Poco F5 so I’ll look for a 67W charger from Xiaomi or a 3rd party with USB PD or Qualcomm QC support.
Although note that some phones will only charge at a certain speed using proprietary technology.
Now note that it is not advisable to exceed the stipulated max charge speed on your smartphone. This is especially true for the more affordable phones.
Because these phones usually lack a proper circuit protection for overcurrent. More expensive phones tend to have it but entry level and budget phones may not. Please do not tempt or test fate.
Finally, only buy chargers from good brands. I have 3rd party chargers from Floveme and Celbro. I have cables from Baseus and Essager. If money dey now, na only Anker, Aukey and Baseus I go dey buy. But for now, lemme be humble.
Alot of people tell me that Oraimo and New Age chargers are good and I encourage them to use what they feel like using but I still hold off on using those.
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