I've been using my laptop for 8 years, and although it can still run for over an hour without being plugged in, I recently had a surprising discovery. While cleaning out the dust inside after removing the back cover, I decided to take out the battery to inspect it. To my shock, both sides of the battery were significantly swollen. I had noticed a slight bulge before but thought it might be my imagination. After removing it, it was clear that the battery was indeed very swollen. This explained why I couldn't screw in the middle screw of the laptop two years ago after reassembling it; I thought I had damaged the screw hole, but now I see the real cause.
You can find more information online about the dangers of a swollen laptop battery, so I won’t elaborate here.
The original battery for an EliteBook 840G3 is hard to find through regular channels, unless you go to an official service center, which would be expensive and not worth it. After comparing various options, I chose a battery from PowerSmart. It came with a screwdriver (with interchangeable standard Phillips and Apple star heads) and a plastic tool for prying open the back cover, which was very useful for my next article, "Upgrading the Laptop Fingerprint Reader."
Here’s a comparison of the old and new batteries. The original HP battery has a capacity of 4080mAh, while the Green Giant battery has a capacity of 4100mAh. It's important to note that third-party batteries don't come with screws, so keep the two screws from the old battery to attach the new one. These screws have small springs on them, so be careful when removing them to avoid losing the springs. I lost one, but it doesn’t affect usage. For those who want everything perfect, be extra cautious. Also, there's a small tab on the battery, originally a black adhesive strip, which you can carefully transfer to the new battery.
For steps to remove the back cover, refer to my previous article. You just need to unscrew two screws and pull the tab to remove the battery. You can see the swollen original battery in the image; both sides are puffed up, which looks quite dramatic.
Here’s a comparison with both batteries side by side. The left one is the original, and the right one is the third-party battery. The swelling creates a gap between them that wouldn’t normally be there.
This is how it looks with the battery removed.
Finally, I installed the new battery, screwed it in, and replaced the back cover. The middle screw went in easily. After replacing the battery, you should perform several complete charge and discharge cycles to calibrate it. Initially, my laptop suddenly shut down at 10%, indicating that the battery's capacity wasn’t calibrated yet. After some use, the new battery lasts about 3 hours, which isn’t comparable to new laptops, but it’s enough for a long meeting without power and eliminates safety risks, giving peace of mind.
Based on this experience, I recommend checking the battery condition on laptops over 5 years old, as most will be swollen. Consider replacing the battery yourself, especially since older laptops are less integrated and easier to work with, even if you’re not very handy.
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