How Long Do Motherboard Batteries Last?

A true motherboard battery is used to store data when the PC goes into standby mode — that way it’s not lost if power is interrupted. As such, these batteries tend to have a much longer lifespan than the traditional button-cell watch batteries, which were used in some older motherboards and quickly became notorious for not holding a charge well after even a few months’ use — especially if they were stored in extreme conditions (like near a heater or mouse) or just plain forgotten about.

Lifespan Of The Replacement Batteries

The lifespan of the replacement batteries seems to vary widely — they tend to last around two years with just occasional use, but up to five or more if you take good care of them and don’t let them get completely drained (the latter scenario can cause corrosion on the motherboard). Bottom line: If you haven’t already, replace your motherboard battery every few years for cheap peace of mind — after all, it’s not like your PC will be able to tell the difference between an old lithium battery and a fresh one any more than it’ll notice that new RAM.

Lithium Battery Lifespan

A typical lithium battery would last as little as 1-2 years, depending on the type of motherboard you have. It’s a good idea to know what kind of motherboard you’re dealing with in terms of the lithium battery because they are replaceable.