Back when I used an iPhone, I needed to replace the battery, so I ordered a replacement and took

it to work with me. One of my colleagues was going to bring in his toolkit he used to repair phones.

It was my first time replacing a battery, so I was a bit nervous. I started by prying the case apart,

which is never fun, but things seemed to be going smoothly. When I got the front screen lifted up

and disconnected, I was presented with the battery. It was attached with adhesive strips on the back

to the phone case. There were tabs underneath the battery that you could pull that would hopefully

release the adhesive strips and make the battery removal process quick and easy. Unfortunately,

this was not the case. The tabs tore and I had no way to access the adhesive underneath,

so instead, I started to gently pry it up with a plastic tool. It was going well and it seemed

to be working, but as I was prying,

I felt a snap. Something inside the battery had broken. Moments later, the battery started to

inflate. This was not good. I was sitting at my desk, replacing a battery on my lunch break.

The battery kept inflating and kept getting hotter and hotter. There was now a smell coming

from the battery, and my colleagues were starting to get concerned. So I quickly got the battery

the rest of the way out of the phone and tossed it into my desk garbage can. Why I did this,

I don't really know, but it's a poor choice. Thankfully, the battery reached its peak and did

not explode or ignite. The chemical smell it made took a few hours to go away, but that was the worst

of it. I took the battery home and safely disposed of it. Looking back, I can fully admit that this was

dumb. What I've learned since are a few tips on battery replacement safety. The first, discharge

the battery as much as possible. Second, have a button.

bucket of sand nearby, if the battery starts to swell in smoke, bury it in the bucket. It can

block oxygen and absorb heat, which is ideal if the battery ignites. And lastly, do it somewhere

safe, not in the office of your employer. The piece of a computer that is necessary for all

electronics to function on this episode of In the Shell. The wrong thing to do is just go out

and buy a computer and then learn about it. You'll learn, but you'll learn a lot of things that maybe

you didn't want to learn. A computer that you buy today will likely be obsolete six months from now

and there's not a dang thing that you can do about it. My name is Josh and I'm able to keep this

podcast independent and advertisement free because of support from listeners like you. If you are

finding value in what I'm doing here, consider becoming a paid supporter at members.sideofburritos.com

and as a thank you, members get earned.

early access to new videos, ad-free versions of everything, bonus content, and access to a live

monthly Q&A. Thanks for considering. Now let's get back to the show. The primary job of a desktop PC

power supply unit, PSU for short, is to convert AC power from your wall outlet into DC power

that your computer's components can use. Without a PSU, your PC simply won't turn on.

And without a quality PSU, your system could suffer. A high-quality PSU delivers stable,

reliable power to every component, ensuring your PC runs smoothly under load. Conversely,

a poor-quality or underpowered PSU can lead to system crashes, instability, or even permanent

hardware damage. Most modern PSUs include protective circuits like overvoltage and short-circuit

protection to shield your expensive components.

from power surges or electrical faults. So investing in a decent PSU isn't just about

getting enough power, it's about protecting your entire build. If you plan on upgrades or adding

more devices later, a good PSU gives you the headroom and peace of mind to do so.

When choosing a PSU, two key specs often mentioned are wattage and efficiency.

Wattage is the total power the PSU can supply. Every PC component, CPU, GPU, drives, consume a

certain number of watts. Add those up and that's roughly what your system needs. It's wise to choose

a PSU with slightly higher wattage than your calculated total so it's not running at 100%

all the time. If your components require 300 watts, you might opt for a 500 to 600 watt PSU

to have breathing room for peak loads or future upgrades. This overhead helps ensure

return.

Stability, as PSUs perform best and most efficiently around 50-70% load.

But not all PSUs are built equally.

This is where the 80-plus certification comes in.

An 80-plus certified PSU is guaranteed to be at least 80% efficient or better at typical loads,

meaning less energy is wasted as heat.

The program has tiers like bronze, silver, gold, platinum, and titanium.

And higher precious metals mean higher efficiency.

For example, 80-plus gold units are about 87% efficient at full load,

while platinum hits around 90%,

and titanium can reach an impressive 94% efficiency at 50% load.

In practical terms, a higher efficiency PSU draws less power from the wall for the same output,

runs cooler, and often has a longer lifespan.

It won't make your PC faster, but it will waste less electricity and generate less heat

inside your case.

This brings us to modular vs. non-modular PSUs, a feature that's all about cable management

and airflow.

Non-modular PSUs have all their cables permanently attached.

Every possible connector for the motherboard, CPU, GPU, and drives is dangling out whether

you need it or not.

This is fine budget-wise, but it can lead to a lot of unused cables cluttering up your

case.

Semi-modular PSUs strike a middle ground.

The essential cables, like the one for the motherboard and CPU, are fixed, while extra cables for SATA

drives or PCIe power can be plugged in as needed.

This reduces clutter a bit, as you only attach the cables you'll use.

Fully modular PSUs take it a step further.

Every cable is detachable.

It's seen too long距離 as procedure.

The reason for the故 – justcin large is so helpful and whatakers can be added in the

including main connectors. You only plug in the ones your build requires,

which makes for the cleanest build and easiest cable routing. The inside of your PC case will

be neater, improving airflow and making any future swaps or upgrades easier.

Shifting from desktops to portable devices, let's talk about batteries. Specifically,

the rechargeable batteries in our laptops, tablets, and phones. While lithium batteries

are robust and low maintenance, they do age and lose capacity over time. However, you can slow

that aging with a few best practices. The first is avoiding extreme levels, which means trying to

keep the charge between 20 and 80% for day-to-day use. This puts less stress on the battery than

going from 100% down to 0% every cycle. In fact, many modern phones, like a Google Pixel running

Graphene OS and the laptops, have optimized charging.

features that hold the battery around 80% if they know you'll be plugged in for a long time.

Studies have shown that staying in the middle range can extend the battery's overall lifespan.

Next, when it comes to batteries, heat is the enemy. If there's one thing that really hurts

lithium-ion batteries, it's excessive heat. High temperatures accelerate the chemical reactions

that degrade battery cells. So avoid leaving your device in hot cars on summer days,

and don't cover your laptop vents. Heat plus high charge, like a phone at 100% in a hot environment,

is a particularly harmful combination for battery longevity. And lastly, if you are storing a device

or battery long-term, weeks or months of no use, first charge or discharge it to about 40-60%,

and then keep it in a cool, dry place. Batteries self-discharge slowly over time,

and you don't want it to drop to zero while in storage.

nor do you want it sitting at 100% for months. But at the end of the day, your device is there

to be used, so don't take this advice too seriously. Don't be a curator of your devices,

just use them. Power and batteries might not be the most interesting tech topics,

but they are absolutely foundational. A solid understanding of your desktop PSU,

its wattage, efficiency, and features ensures you build a PC that's stable,

safe, and ready for future upgrades. And knowing a bit about your laptop or phone battery

can keep your devices running longer. In the Shell is written, researched, and recorded by me,

the partially discharged podcaster. If you are listening in an app that lets you rate shows,

please take a minute to rate this one. I would truly appreciate it.

I wanted to tell a joke about electricity, but it didn't.

didn't conduct well. That's it, take care, and I'll see you next time.