# do I NEED a new battery? **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Off Topic\ **Created:** [March 31, 2011, 1:32pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-i-need-a-new-battery/210698 "2011-03-31T13:32:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![travisn](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/travisn/32/5046_2.png) [@travisn](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/travisn)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 1:32pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-i-need-a-new-battery/210698/1 "2011-03-31T13:32:10Z")
So my dell 1525 is about 2.5 years old. For the most part it does what I need it to. Of course the battery has always been shit but just today the little charging icon tells me I might want to replace the battery. I never depend on the battery so does this matter? Will the battery eventually die totally to where I can’t use it at all? I’ll probably get one sometime but for now I am fine with only ever using it plugged in. ---
**Author:** ![Jam](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jam/32/7235_2.png) [@Jam](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jam)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 1:55pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-i-need-a-new-battery/210698/2 "2011-03-31T13:55:30Z")
nope, my battery wont even hold a charge anymore (dont ever buy an hp laptop, theyre shit, i would be pissed if i actually paid for this thing) only downfall is when you accidentally unplug it, it turns off… not good for the compy ---
**Author:** ![JayS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jays/32/15375_2.png) [@JayS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JayS)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 1:57pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-i-need-a-new-battery/210698/3 "2011-03-31T13:57:01Z")
I was in the same situation as you with my Inspiron 6000. I let the battery go until it go to the point that if the charge cord fell out the computer would power off before you could get the plug back in. At that point it got annoying so I put a new battery in and I’m back to around 2.5-3 hours on a full charge. EDIT: ebay batteries are cheap and I’ve had luck with them lasting just as long as the OEM ones as long as you buy from a reputable seller. I paid around $30 for mine a couple month ago and got the higher capacity model that was available for my laptop. ---
**Author:** ![travisn](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/travisn/32/5046_2.png) [@travisn](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/travisn)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 2:05pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-i-need-a-new-battery/210698/4 "2011-03-31T14:05:28Z")
Thanks guys. ---
**Author:** ![Paulo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/paulo/32/7328_2.png) [@Paulo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Paulo)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 2:26pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-i-need-a-new-battery/210698/5 "2011-03-31T14:26:31Z")
> [@JayS](#): > > EDIT: ebay batteries are cheap and I’ve had luck with them lasting just as long as the OEM ones as long as you buy from a reputable seller. I paid around $30 for mine a couple month ago and got the higher capacity model that was available for my laptop. My eBay battery lasted about 3 months and was already back down to turning off if the cord got unplugged. I’ll never buy a cheap eBay battery again. ---
**Author:** ![JayS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jays/32/15375_2.png) [@JayS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JayS)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 2:28pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-i-need-a-new-battery/210698/6 "2011-03-31T14:28:21Z")
> [@Paulo](#): > > My eBay battery lasted about 3 months and was already back down to turning off if the cord got unplugged. I’ll never buy a cheap eBay battery again. Most of the good sellers have a 2 year warranty. ---
**Author:** ![ZOMGVTEK](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/zomgvtek/32/5063_2.png) [@ZOMGVTEK](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ZOMGVTEK)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 3:50pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-i-need-a-new-battery/210698/7 "2011-03-31T15:50:53Z")
It wont really be dangerous, or damage the laptop, but it WILL reach a point where it just wont do a damn thing. Depending on use, this can be 1-5 years. Most cheap laptops use cheap battery designs with cheap cells, and they are usually easy to find inexpensively online. Its honestly really hit and miss with non-OEM batteries, id never use one if you really need the thing to work. If you dont care, leave it alone. But you probably will be OK with a random cheap-o battery if you dont use it much. At the cost of most OEM batteries, you’re honestly better off just getting a new notebook. 15" notebooks are $200-400 these days… ---
**Author:** ![travisn](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/travisn/32/5046_2.png) [@travisn](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/travisn)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 5:49pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-i-need-a-new-battery/210698/8 "2011-03-31T17:49:44Z")
yea wtf, some of those batteries are $200-$400. I doubt they are moving too many of those. If I’ll still be able to use it when plugged in I might just hold out for a new one later in the year. The damn thing has a problem with the track pad that it randomly clicks where ever the pointer happens to be which is annoying as hell. If it weren’t for that I would just buy a decent battery. Although it would be nice to have a computer that could handle solid works and HD video. ---
**Author:** ![llink78](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/llink78/32/8037_2.png) [@llink78](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/llink78)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 7:51pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-i-need-a-new-battery/210698/9 "2011-03-31T19:51:35Z")
If you buy a battery look at [batterydoctor.com](http://batterydoctor.com) ---
**Author:** ![ProgRocker](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/progrocker/32/5434_2.png) [@ProgRocker](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ProgRocker)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 4:06am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-i-need-a-new-battery/210698/10 "2011-04-01T04:06:05Z")
I’d say if you are using the laptop as a more permanent or stationary computer, just take the battery out. ---
**Author:** ![travisn](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/travisn/32/5046_2.png) [@travisn](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/travisn)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 4:59am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-i-need-a-new-battery/210698/11 "2011-04-01T04:59:32Z")
no, I bring it to school with me every day.