What is a long-lasting and reliable battery for Dell Latitude D630?

Question

The battery for my Dell latitude D630 (purchased in August 2007) is only holding charge for approximately 30 minutes. When purchased, it held charge for about 2 hours.

The Dell website sells two batteries for this laptop:

56 WHr 6-cell Lithium-Ion http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Power/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04&sku=310-9080&mfgpid=190982&chassisid=8515

85 WHr 6-Cell Lithium-Ion http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Power/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04&sku=310-9081&mfgpid=190782&chassisid=8515#Overview

Aside from a couple good reviews for the 56 WHr battery, both batteries have awful reviews saying that the battery works great for about a year and then completely dies right after the 1-year warranty runs out.

Can you recommend a third-party battery, or contradict the bad reviews on the Dell site? I am primarily concerned with longevity and capacity of the battery. In terms of capacity I am looking for at least 2 hours of battery power, preferably more.

Answer 1

I am always reluctant to recommend any other battery than those approved by the manufacturer. Batteries are quite delicate and you may not want to end up with a potential fire hazard. If Dell (or other computer manufacturers) receive reports of problems with batteries from a certain batch they will replace the faulty battery, you wouldn't have this assurance from some "fly-by-night" battery reseller. Of course there is a price to pay for this security.

The life span of batteries depends largely on good treatment. I suggest to bookmark and read this website for tips how to treat your new battery:

Battery University is an on-line resource that provides practical battery knowledge for engineers, educators, students and battery users alike.