By now, most people have heard of or understand the 80-20 rule for rechargeable batteries, specifically lithium batteries. The idea is not to completely discharge or recharge the battery but rather to keep it charged between 20% and 80%. This reduces the number of full cycles the battery experiences and also avoids extreme highs and lows, meaning the battery is under less chemical stress. Typically, this is a habit reserved for smartphones, tablets, handheld game consoles, and anything with a large rechargeable battery. This is even a charging error that could destroy your laptop battery if not followed properly. However, the rule can apply to almost anything that has a rechargeable battery, including your wireless keyboard.
Indeed, batteries are designed for a certain number of cycles: one cycle corresponds to a complete discharge to 0%, then to a recharge to 100%. The average consumer electronics battery can last between 300 and 500 cycles, give or take. Modern lithium batteries do not need a full charge and discharge for drive or activation like traditional nickel-metal hydride batteries. Keeping them above 20% prevents irreparable damage from undercharge issues and keeping them around 80% prevents additional stress from full charge states.
The majority of the best Bluetooth keyboards come with rechargeable batteries, which means this rule should apply. Follow the 80-20 rule and your wireless keyboard battery will last longer.
Wired is another option for managing charging maintenance
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What if you don’t want to worry about maintaining proper charge levels? It’s actually not a difficult process, just make sure to plug in to charge the battery before it’s empty and unplug the charger when it’s close to 80%. But you can also opt for a wired keyboard rather than wireless. If you’re at your desk or in the same static workspace all the time, you don’t necessarily need a wireless keyboard. Some of the best ergonomic keyboards for a home office are wired anyway. Wired also gives you a better selection of mechanical keyboards, which many people prefer over traditional membrane boards. This is also why gamers prefer wired keyboards over wireless keyboards, for better precision and feedback.
Some rechargeable wireless keyboards use disposable batteries, which is another option if you don’t want to charge all the time. This comes at an additional cost since you will have to purchase replacement batteries. If you decide to use a wireless keyboard with a lithium battery, it may be helpful to know that there are tools to check the battery status of your Bluetooth and other rechargeable devices.
