Read More: Why Is My Phone’s Battery Draining This Fast?

Battery Degrading

The more you charge your battery and the more severely you drain your battery, the faster your battery will degrade. Modern smartphones use lithium-ion batteries, and because of these materials, phone batteries typically lose around 20 percent of their capacity after 1,000 charging cycles. Even if you don’t ever use your battery, it will still degrade. A lithium-ion battery kept in storage for one year will likely be at the same 80% capacity as the battery that underwent 1,000 charge cycles.

Ways to Preserve Batteries

Your battery will degrade over time, but there are steps you can take to make your battery last longer:

• Don’t charge your phone battery by using your computer’s USB port. This method of charging heats your battery up more significantly than wall charging, degrading the battery more quickly.
• Don’t charge your battery overnight. Not only will you overcharge, but the particles in your phone are more likely to meet if charged for longer, damaging the battery.
• Charge the battery before it’s dead. Regularly going dead will affect a battery’s longevity.

As your phone gets older and your battery clocks more charges, it will degrade. However, if you follow these best practices for a long battery life, your battery will stay in better shape for a longer time.

However, there are many disadvantages to lithium-ion batteries as well. These batteries cost more than other rechargeable batteries, and they are sensitive to air travel and overcharging. Overcharging can cause a lithium-ion battery to overheat, which damages the battery. In some cases, if the device is charging on a soft surface with no ventilation, this could lead to the device sparking and potentially causing a fire. You can prevent your device from overcharging and overheating by using DFNDR’s Total Charge feature. This feature will monitor your phone’s charging process and alert you when your phone is charged so that you can unplug it. Click here to prevent your phone from overcharging now:

A Glass Battery

The man who invented the lithium-ion battery, John Goodenough, has created a new battery that he claims is safer and can charge faster than a lithium-ion battery. Goodenough’s new battery uses a glass electrode and sodium. It is an all-solid-state battery that is cheaper to produce, noncombustible, and can charge faster than a lithium-ion battery, among many other features. This battery also has three times the energy density of a lithium-ion battery, which means that the battery doesn’t need to be charged as frequently. It can also operate at extreme temperatures, too.

Reportedly, Google is already interested in this new invention. However, it’s unclear as to when this type of battery might be mass-produced, and whether or not it will fully replace lithium-ion batteries. Still, all of its features are promising and in-demand, so it might not be too long before lithium-ion batteries become a thing of the past.

Dual-Carbon Batteries

Over the years, many have tried to develop a battery to replace lithium-ion batteries. Power Japan Plus, for example, announced their plans for a dual-carbon battery in 2014. This battery also features a higher energy density and a longer lifespan, in addition to better safety and the ability to charge up to 20 times faster than a lithium-ion battery. The battery is still in development, however.

Millions of Americans experience this feeling of helplessness daily, realizing that they cannot continue through their day without their essential pocket-sized computer juiced and ready. While some may argue that we’re too dependent on our devices, that’s precisely why having a fully-charged phone is such a big deal  — whether it’s for something minor like having music to listen to at the gym, or for more important things like calling your parents or your spouse, there are few times during your day when you don’t rely on your mobile device.

Read More: The Best Battery Packs to Use on the Move

This is where mobile chargers come in handy. Having a fun-sized AC outlet in your purse or pocket means you can go longer without having to stay stationary and bound to a USB cord. Of course, most people don’t want to be bound by a USB plug at all, even when moving. Mobile chargers can get tangled by moving arms, get caught on objects and passersby, and aren’t exactly the most fashionable accessory to have on your person. If this is something that matters to you, we recommend a mobile charger that requires the least time possible to get you off the cord and on to whatever your day has in store.

Regardless of whether you’re Team Apple or Team Android, some chargers work great for both. The Aukey Quick Charge 2.0 is one such charger, which sports a 10,000 mAh battery and USB ports for two. The drawback? It can only charge one smartphone quickly at a time. Still, what makes this device worthwhile is it’s price tag — at only $30, it’s an effective, ergonomic solution for the amount of power it packs. If that’s not enough juice for you, there’s the iBattz Mojo Battstation Optimus Charger. This behemoth of a battery holds 20,400mAh of charge and can power two phones at once. Though it carries an $80 price tag and requires up to 16 hours to fully charge, there’s no battery on the market at that price point that lasts longer or charges smartphones faster.

The Fastest Android Chargers
For those of you relying solely on Google’s OS, there are quite a few charger models that are ideal if you’re under time constraints. The Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 can charge some devices up to 80% in approximately 35 minutes, but phones with a 9V/2A charger will experience the best results from this brand and model. Still, the Quick Charge is quite efficient with its charge consumption, and is all but guaranteed to remain cool while your phone is connected. Additionally, for those of you who are mindful of the environment, there’s the EasyAcc Solar Power Bank. While this is most effective for daytime use, the Solar Power Bank can charge two Androids at once, and can charge up to 350mA on sunny days. Though it’s (relatively) slower than the other models mentioned, it’s a device you don’t want to sleep on.

Though a good power pack goes a long way, so too does a great battery-conserving app. Fortunately, PSafe has an app that does exactly that; give the PowerPRO app a try, and never worry about a low-battery night out again.

Here’s how they work: you purchase the charging station, and most of them come in a dual formation where you can charge two at a time. The station comes with a rechargeable battery pack that you insert into your Wii remote. Simply set your Wii controller on the station each time you finish playing.

Read More: The Best Battery Packs to Use on the Move

Your remote will then charge while it is idle. This ensures that you never have to worry about going to the store to purchase AA batteries again. These remote charging stations run from $10-$40, depending upon what quality and power you want your station to run on. While the price tags can get a bit ugly, they are certainly worth the expenses you save in the long run.
To put it in perspective — a 2-pack of batteries can cost up to $5. If you are a devout Wii user, it should be a no brainer to go ahead and buy the charging station to avoid this frequent cost.
A lot of these devices come with a new wired sensor bar. These are important to set up in conjunction with your remotes. This is because the compatibility will likely be better with the sensor that comes with the charger compared to your old one.

Most of these charging docks plug into the wall. These are much more efficient than the old chargers that would only work if you left your device on while the remotes are charging.
Users complain that these battery packs are hard to take out once you insert them into your Wii remote. Be careful and patient if you wish to remove these batteries. However, most of them come with a gripped back that makes the remote both comfortable and aesthetically pleasing.