Laptop Battery Replacement

lucan2
lucan2 Posts: 293
edited January 2014 in The cake stop
Can anyone advise - is there any difference between replacement laptop batteries that can range from £17.99 to £100 plus?

The specs appear similar to the non-tech aware person (me) - Type: Li-ionVoltage: DC 11.1 VCapacity: 5200 mAh
The capacity varies from 4400 to 5200 but the prices don't seen cheaper for lower rated. There's no consistency that I can see.

Is it necessarily the case that you get what you pay for? Should I avoid the cheapest?
Any recommended suppliers?

Thanks guys, I'm getting frustrated at the laptop lasting 25 minutes and refusing to charge beyond 80%.

Comments

  • turnerjohn
    turnerjohn Posts: 1,069
    I bought a cheap one off the net (not an original) and after they sent me the correct battery (top tip make 100% sure its the right size / shape even when they say it is !) the new one works superbly lasting longer then the original did. IMOA don't waste your money on original batteries !
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 16,517
    i'd avoid those from sources without a reasonable history of good quality

    if someone is flogging really cheap batteries that are qc failures, omit safety measures, or are simply poorly made, aside from the benign risk of short lifetime, there's the much more serious risk of failure resulting in the thing rupturing, overheating, or maybe even catching fire - there's a lot of energy stored in a small volume

    i've used generic battery packs in old apple laptops, they didn't last as long as the originals, but given the price difference they were still better value
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • RDW
    RDW Posts: 1,900
    sungod wrote:
    if someone is flogging really cheap batteries that are qc failures, omit safety measures, or are simply poorly made, aside from the benign risk of short lifetime, there's the much more serious risk of failure resulting in the thing rupturing, overheating, or maybe even catching fire - there's a lot of energy stored in a small volume

    Yes, this.

    Hot-Laptops-Can-Lead-To-the-039-Toasted-skin-syndrome-039-Say-Researchers-2.jpg

    I'm sure there are high quality replacements from respectable companies, but check their reputation first. Avoid no-name ebay jobs from dubious traders and obvious fakes labelled with the 'real' manufacturer's name.
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    When Li-ion batteries were first released as de-militarised technology, they was a nervousness that people would make bombs from them.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • DesB3rd
    DesB3rd Posts: 285
    Bought the Mrs one off ebay; much like restaurant wine I pitched for the second cheapest (of a variety -/- £20 and £80) and so far it's been pretty dismal IED but a perfectly serviceable battery. Frankly I have no idea if a charge lasts as long as the manufacturer's product, it does ~4hrs, maybe less on films/games.
  • frisbee
    frisbee Posts: 691
    The £20 one I got won't calibrate and the laptop dies when it gets to 60%. Probably doesn't last that much less than the original but makes it a bit useless as a laptop.

    But its fine for carrying around the house and plugging it back in.
  • lucan2
    lucan2 Posts: 293
    Thanks for your posts. It's good to have a few viewpoints.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    I've had occasion to buy two replacements recently, both for Samsung laptops. A genuine manufacturer's part was over £100 for the first and nearly £80 for the second.

    The first one I went for a cheapo £20 job. Initially worked fine but after a while the laptop stopped charging it, and wouldn't run on mains either. Not sure if the battery was to blame; it charges OK in another laptop so I'm keeping it as a spare. (once charged in the good laptop and inserted in the non-charging laptop it will run it for a while, so I suspect the laptop's charging / switching circuitry is fried. Whether the battery caused this is debatable; the laptop had become temperamental before the battery replacement)

    Second one I went for a slightly dearer £35 option with an alleged warranty. Came better packaged and with some useful advice about getting the best from it. 6 months on and apparently performing just as well as the original.

    As anticipated, despite the fact that their respective websites neglected to mention it / implied a UK supplier, it was clear that both batteries were shipped direct from China. Not sure how practical it would be trying to pursue a warranty claim...
  • cadseen
    cadseen Posts: 170
    edited March 2014
    Its annoying how long batterys last in laptops with continual charging etc.
    Unless I need it to be mobile I dont bother fitting the battery..
  • rodgers73
    rodgers73 Posts: 2,626
    Bought a cheapo ebay battery for an old laptop I got for free (didn't want to waste money that would have made the eventual cost of the computer the same as buying a decent 2nd hand one). 2 years later it still charges and runs fine. I keep it as a holiday computer now - one I don't care if it breaks/gets nicked etc.

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