Preserving Laptop Battery Life

[rdfcpete]

Specifically a Dell Inspiron 1545 laptop, are the traditional methods to preserving battery life still to allow the battery to fully discharge down to 0%, then recharge fully to 100% then unplug and use again till 0%, then recharge, repeating the cycle etc?

Presumably that still applies to the later laptops on the market. I know it used to(?).

I've just replaced a battery that I treated badly so want to maintain the life in this one 

Thanks.

[skard]

I'd say that's the 'ideal' way to do it although I usually plug it in when in the final third of capacity and run it down to about 5% every other time.

If you're not mobile you could always take the battery out and run on mains.

[MarkMarked]

Best way to preserve the longterm life of the battery is not to charge over 80%

Its the charging to 100% everytime that kills them

[rdfcpete]

What's the wisest & proven way then, cycle down to 0% then charge to 100%, or not to fully charge?

I thought lithium batteries were built to hold 100% charge to maximise life, so why shouldn't users do that? Keen to know the best practice here