• TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    If you only need a basic server, laptops are AMAZING.

    • Full x86 software support
    • On the rare occurrence you need to directly interface with it (as opposed to through a webgui on another machine) you have a built-in keyboard and monitor.
    • They have a god-damned built-in UPS
    • davidgro@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Note that the battery will generally stop working after a long enough time turned on and powered via AC, but otherwise yeah.

      • starman2112@sh.itjust.works
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        1 day ago

        I have a decade old lenovo yoga that still lasts like 40 minutes unplugged. Idunno how much a UPS that can supply a desktop for that long would cost, nor if that’s an embarrassingly short time, but it works well enough for me

        • Ptsf@lemmy.world
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          16 hours ago

          UPS systems are generally configured for 90 minutes of operation, depending on the criticality of the system they’re connected to. The best ones are programable and will actually send graceful shutdown signals (when configured to do so) to your server cluster to prevent data loss that occurs during system blackouts. You can emulate this behavior on your laptop with a script that checks battery% every 10-15 minutes, sending a shutdown signal if it falls below a treshhold you set.

      • mriswith@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        That depends on the age and quality of the laptop. It’s been a while since some started directly running off the cable when the battery is full.

        • nous@programming.dev
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          2 days ago

          Huh? If it can be used while it is charging - which is all laptops since forever - then it will run off the adapter while plugged in. Regardless of the battery state. You cannot charge a battery and discharge it at the same time - if it is charging then power must be coming from anything other then the battery. Epically with LiPo batteries which you cannot continue charging after they are full - doing so will cause them to burst into flames. So all LiPo charging circuits will cut off power to the cells once they reach a desired voltage - weather that is considered 100% (aka once it reaches 4.2V) or at a configurable lower amount.

          • mriswith@lemmy.world
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            2 days ago

            Their comment was indicating that laptop batteries will be damaged if left plugged in constantly. Which is a thing that can happen with some laptops, and most old ones.

            My comment was about how some modern laptops when left plugged in, will charge the battery and then start running directly from the wall-power once the battery is full. They bypass the charging once it is indicated to have a “full charge”.

            • nous@programming.dev
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              2 days ago

              will charge the battery and then start running directly from the wall-power once the battery is full. They bypass the charging once it is indicated to have a “full charge”.

              That does not make sense. Batteries cannot be charged and discharged at the same time - they are either charging or discharging or neither. When a device is in use while it is plugged in the device is being run directly from wall power - and anything left if sent to charge the battery. The only devices that don’t do that is ones that power off while the charger is plugged in - which does not include any laptop that I have ever seen, generally just smaller devices.

              Modern laptops have smarter controllers that can turn off charging before the battery is full or when other conditions are met. But none are able to draw power from the battery while the battery is being charged - that just does not make any sense.

              • Ptsf@lemmy.world
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                16 hours ago

                Laptops run on “burst” computing profiles in a lot of engineering situations, occasionally this applies to both the thermal design (runaway heatsoak if used at full tilt) but also battery design. I’ve seen several machines that will dip into their battery in addition to the charger to boost performance and dump wattage into the chips beyond what would be available from the adapter alone. I don’t necessarily think it’s good design, but modern battery chems don’t really give a shit about up/down momentary charge cycles. Also the Chem they’re using is not LiPo based as that chemistry while allowing for significant amperage to be drawn, is not stable enough for a laptop that is generally expected not to ignite.