Well, it is completely safe to play games while the laptop is charging. In fact, gaming performance will increase when we play games while the laptop is getting charged. Also, the laptop’s battery will drain faster when you are gaming.
Now, the life of batteries depends on the number of charges and discharges they do in their lifetime. We have discussed it here in this article. So, when you are playing games it is good to keep it plugged in so that the battery is there at its full capacity. The more you will use only your battery for gaming, the lesser will be its lifespan.
However, playing games while charging can have drawbacks as well such as heating problems. So, it is good to give a proper rest time to your laptop.
“Battery Backup”
We have all heard about the term battery backup in the case of laptops or any other electronic device. So, what is it? It is defined to be the amount of time a device can go on working moderately without an external current source plugged into it.
Speaking of laptops, generally, the average battery backup is about 7-8 hours, after which you may need to charge it before further use. In fact in today’s date, battery backup is the most prioritized aspect, before display, camera, or any other additional feature.
How is battery backup related to gaming?
The battery usually provides power for all the work done on your computer. So, besides working on various sheets, and surfing through YouTube, games have been a big priority for many of us. Especially with the splurging of competitive esports and youtube game streamers, it is a no-brainer that pro gamers earn a fortune these days.
In turn, the rise and demand for gaming laptops can not be left unseen. Almost all gaming laptop manufacturers of today claim to have the best graphics card, top-of-the-line specs, and, most importantly, superior battery backup. Cut to reality check, a gaming laptop’s battery drains way faster than the standard ones.
Why does my laptop battery drain fast?
Though the gaming batteries avow to give you a much better battery backup, the truth seems to be the exact opposite. Gaming laptops mostly have brilliant displays to support the high caliber graphics, excellent sound output and input systems for streaming, and fast hardcore processors to run smoothly.
To support all these, we need more power from the battery to make our laptops run at their fullest potential. However, the reality is something else than meets the eye.
Even the modern lithium-ion batteries are designed in a way that allows your laptop to run games at optimum settings. Instead, it needs to adjust to the extreme! We push its limits to the farthest by running games at max settings. This may lead to a superior gaming experience, but in the long run, it may deteriorate your battery slowly and steadily over time.
In about 6-8 months’ time, you may notice your battery draining way faster than it was before!
Is it okay to play games while my laptop is plugged in?
To be honest, there is a concoction of opinions regarding the same seeping through different sites on the internet, so much so that is nerve-wracking. Some say it does worse to the computer while others are at the exact opposite pole. Why is it so?
As discussed earlier, the battery backup provided to your laptop is not enough, no matter what the laptop manufacturer says. The battery provided is decent enough for light-to-medium graphic intense usage that your laptop can handle with ease.
But when it comes to heavy games, it somewhat struggles to deal with the same. Trust us when we’re saying that your battery is trying too hard to cope with the high-intensity graphics, fluid simulations, sound to input, and whatnot. In none of the scenarios, your battery is having a good time.
So, to have a jitter-free and smooth gaming experience, we need a constant running power source to keep up with all of it. And yes, even gaming for longer sessions with the help of a power source can harm your laptop, however, it is still better than the other way round. In other words, we recommend you enjoy gaming while your laptop is plugged in, and not off! For the record, it is still not the best solution, and still, your battery is experiencing stress.
However, while your laptop is plugged in, you may tweak the settings to max. In such a case, you will enjoy smoother gameplay, better graphics, and all in all a satisfying experience.
In a nutshell, the answer is YES! it is safe and in fact better to play games while charging your laptop.
How to protect my laptop from further harm?
As discussed above, the chances of harming the battery by playing games while your laptop is plugged in are comparatively low than playing games unplugged. At the end of the day, it all boils down to how careful we are. If we are not cautious about how much excessive pressure we are putting it through, it may turn out to be fatal for the battery. So, we recommend you to be mindful of the Dos & Donts below-
Dos
- Try to keep the air vents clean.
- Let the fans work freely to escape the heat.
- Charge your batteries only when in need.
- Close the unnecessary background applications while playing games. They create just a heap of cached data which is not good for your laptop.
- Play moderately
- Delete excess files and clear cached data on a regular basis.
Dont’s
- Do not let your laptop overheat. If it heats up quickly, give it time to cool down before using it or playing games again.
- Do not run games on max settings while the laptop is not plugged in.
- Do not use the laptop while lying on your bed, as it just maximizes the heat accumulating in it.
- Do not forget to go through weekly virus scans.
To Conclude
After what we’ve discussed, the final answer is YES!
We should plug in the laptop while playing to get a better gaming escapade overall. Keeping everything in check if we’re just a bit more careful about the usage of our laptops, we can definitely ensure a longer life for our systems. Our last words would be, “Play games as much as you want, just keep the pointers checked!”
I am Anshul Rana, an experienced author specializing in PC gear reviews and Windows 10 software tutorials. With a strong passion for technology and an in-depth understanding of the PC industry, I provide insightful and detailed analyses of computer peripherals, gaming gear, and software solutions. My writing style is concise yet informative, making complex topics accessible to both beginners and advanced users. Through my reviews and tutorials, I aim to offer valuable guidance, helping readers make informed decisions to enhance their PC experience and explore the vast possibilities of Windows 10 software.
