Abnormal Battery Capacity Trend & Missing Cycle Count in Report

[FahmidYamin1093]

Hi,
I bought my HP Victus 16 r0050tx in October 2023 and have used it almost exclusively while plugged in, rarely running it on battery. I have been checking the battery reports for some time and noticed some issues. Currently, the full charge capacity has dropped to 54,290 mWh, whereas the design capacity is 70,070 mWh. What's more concerning is that the full charge capacity doesn't follow a consistent trend — sometimes it increases, and other times it decreases. This irregular pattern seems abnormal and makes it difficult to determine the actual usable capacity.

Also, the cycle count in the report is missing; it just shows a dash ("-").  It's making it hard to assess battery health accurately.

Is this level of battery degradation normal with minimal battery use? Why is the cycle count not showing up at all? And how should I interpret the fluctuating full charge capacity? I’m also looking for the best practices to maintain battery health long-term, especially since the laptop is plugged in most of the time.

I'll attach the image of the last generated battery report. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @FahmidYamin1093,

Welcome to the HP Support Community! 

Thanks for reaching out about your query regarding battery capacity and cycle count on your HP Victus laptop!

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.

It's not uncommon for users to notice variations in battery reports, especially when a laptop is primarily used while plugged in. Here are some explanations and steps to understand and potentially address the battery capacity trend and cycle count issues:

Battery Calibration:

• Using your laptop primarily while plugged in can sometimes cause the battery's charge capacity readings to become inaccurate due to lack of regular discharge cycles. You can perform a battery calibration to improve the accuracy of the battery capacity readings:
  • Fully charge your laptop.
  • Disconnect the charger and use the laptop until the battery depletes completely and the laptop shuts down.
  • Recharge the laptop to 100% without interruption.

Checking the Battery Health:

• You can use HP's diagnostic tools or other third-party software to check the battery health and cycle count more accurately. HP Support Assistant often provides tools to assess battery health and performance.

Cycle Count Explanation:

• The cycle count may not increase linearly or may appear missing because the laptop is frequently plugged in, reducing the number of complete charge/discharge cycles. Generally, the cycle count tracks complete discharge and recharge cycles.

Fluctuations in Charge Capacity:

• Variations in battery capacity are normal and can be influenced by how the operating system measures the battery's charge cycles, temperature, and usage habits. Batteries inherently lose capacity over time, but sudden large drops are unusual in newer devices.

Software Updates:

• Ensure your laptop's BIOS and drivers are up to date, as software updates can sometimes include enhancements for battery management.

Potential Hardware Issue:

• If the discrepancies are significant or the battery performance continues to drop rapidly, it might be a sign of a hardware issue with the battery.

Refer to this link for further assistance: https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/ish_2268927-1713329-16

I hope this helps.

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Best regards,