A huge upshot to using a laptop is you have a built-in UPS and KVM.

  • Pika@sh.itjust.works
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    12 hours ago

    it only works as a UPS if you periodically discharge the battery. My first “server” was a compaq laptop, I had used it for years and then reprovisioned it to Ubuntu Server, after 2 or 3 years of 24/7 if you unplugged it at all it just instant died because keeping it 100% charged all the time killed the battery.

    • early_riser@lemmy.worldOP
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      1 hour ago

      Naively I assumed that anything in the last decade or so with a battery already has some sort of battery management system that regulates this stuff to help prolong battery lifespan, but maybe I’m wrong.

      • Pika@sh.itjust.works
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        3 minutes ago

        Yea, which is a fair expectation, but it’s not a safe assumption. Verify it does before prolonged use. Make sure its well ventilated(heat is killer to batteries as well), and that some form of BMS is present on the system, and that it’s enabled because some have the system but have it disabled by default.

      • irmadlad@lemmy.world
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        3 hours ago

        I’m not sure that all laptops support capping, and I’m not sure if Panasonic ToughBook supports the drivers necessary to cap. I guess you could deploy TLP and check sudo tlp-stat -b

        • hexagonwin@lemmy.today
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          3 hours ago

          it’s not a toughbook and idk how to configure it but my letsnote cf-rz6 came with the battery charge capped at 80%, maybe it can be configured with their windows tool (or the acpi call made by that tool). i already have linux on it so can’t check tho…