The Best Charging Practices for Your Newly Bought Android Phone
When you get a new Android phone, you might be wondering how to charge it for the best battery health and longevity. Should you completely drain the battery before recharging, or is it better to charge it when it still has a small amount of power left? In this article, we’ll explore the best practices based on modern lithium-ion technology and expert recommendations.
Current Understanding of the Best Charging Practices
In 2020, many smartphone manufacturers have embraced sophisticated battery management technologies. Consequently, some of the traditional charging practices, such as fully draining the battery before charging, may no longer be necessary or beneficial. Instead, charging your phone at around 20-30% and avoiding overcharging are commonly recommended.
Key Points to Consider
Avoid Full Discharge
Modern lithium-ion batteries, used in most smartphones today, do not need to be fully drained before recharging. Full discharge can cause damage to the battery's long-term health and may even shorten its lifespan.
Frequent Top-Ups
Frequent top-ups, or charging from 20-30% to 80-90%, are considered a good practice for maintaining battery health. This intermittent charging keeps the battery in a more balanced state and extends its overall life.
Avoid Overnight Charging
Although most smartphones have mechanisms to prevent overcharging, it is still better for battery longevity to avoid keeping your phone plugged in overnight. Regularly allowing the battery to reach a moderate charge (about 80%) and then disconnecting it can help prolong battery life.
Temperature Matters
Charge your phone in a cool environment to avoid excessive heat, which can degrade battery health over time. Excessively hot temperatures can significantly reduce the battery's lifespan and performance.
Real-World Experience and Evidence
While experts recommend these best practices, it’s also valuable to consider real-world experiences and evidence. For example, even when charging the Xiaomi Mi 8 in a traditional way, draining the entire battery and then recharging it fully, the battery has maintained its performance for over a year. Similarly, the Huawei P9 Plus, a secondhand phone bought two years ago, has shown only slight degradation in performance.
Of course, it’s important to keep in mind that completely draining the battery is now harder to achieve due to the smartphone's power-saving features. If you want to drain the battery fully, you still have to keep the phone off for an extended period, which is often impractical in modern usage.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the recommended best practices for charging modern Android phones are to charge frequently between 20-30% and avoid full discharge and overnight charging. While it's understandable to follow the traditional practices of your previous smartphone, the current generation of devices is more resilient to these practices. By following these guidelines, you can help ensure that your Android phone's battery remains healthy for a longer period.