Remaining capacity
We read out how much charge the battery can still hold, compared to the factory value. That percentage is the basis of our 80% rule.
A refurbished laptop is only as usable as its battery. That is why we measure how much capacity is left when each machine arrives — and it only goes on sale if that measurement comes out above 80%. If a battery does not make it, we replace it or the machine does not go on sale.
No laptop leaves our premises with a battery below 80%.
A battery wears out with use: over time it holds less charge than when it was new. We express that as a percentage of the original capacity. If a battery is at 80%, it delivers roughly four fifths of the runtime of a new one.
We used to apply a lower limit of 75%. We have raised it to 80% or higher — a stricter requirement, so you can keep working longer on one charge. It is a minimum, not a target: many machines are well above it.
Not by eye and not by feel, but with the manufacturer's own diagnostic software. Every machine, without exception.
We read out how much charge the battery can still hold, compared to the factory value. That percentage is the basis of our 80% rule.
One cycle is one full charge. The fewer cycles a battery has gone through, the more life is left in it — even if the capacity is still good right now.
The diagnostic software also reports whether the battery itself is still functioning properly. A message such as “replacement recommended” means a new one goes in.
You will come across these terms on the product page. This is what they mean.
How much the battery can still store compared to new. 100% is factory new; with us nothing below 80% leaves the door.
One full charge counts as one cycle. Charging twice from 50% to 100% is therefore also one cycle. A modern ThinkPad battery typically lasts many hundreds of cycles.
How long you can actually keep working. That depends not only on the battery, but mainly on what you do: word processing and email require a fraction of what video calling or image editing costs.
Concrete, so you know where you stand before you order.
You can order a new battery from us as well — but we would rather not sell you anything you do not need.
We do not simply buy up batches. Machines are specially selected before they come to us, and anything that does not meet the 80% limit does not go on sale. That is precisely why replacing the battery is rarely necessary with us — that work is already done up front.
If you choose a new battery when ordering, we first check the measured value of the battery supplied. If it is simply good, we will email you that replacement is not necessary — and you decide for yourself whether you still want the new battery. That way you do not pay for something you do not need.
The 80% is a measured value from the diagnostic software. How long you get in practice depends on your brightness, the number of open programs and whether you video call. We therefore promise a capacity, not a number of hours.
Even a 90% battery declines from day one — just like in a new laptop. If it does decline over time, replacing it is easy: the ThinkPad batteries are in stock with us.
Feel free to ask us for the measured values of the device you have your eye on. We will check and email you the result — before you order. You can read more about how we assess a machine at the condition of our laptops.
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