I am looking to replace my laptop battery and find that different companies have the same voltage but different mA ratings. For instance, one for $100 has a 6600mA rating, while a $122 batter has a 4000mA rating. What does the mA rating mean. Is more better, worse, or must it be identical to the original?
If you look again, I’m sure you’ll find that that’s mAh which stands for milliamp-hours. It’s a measure of the energy-storage capacity of the battery, with larger numbers indicating higher capacity. Bigger is usually better, but bear in mind that a higher capacity pack will also take longer to reach full charge, so make allowances for this. One thing you should watch for is the battery chemistry. For example, if the original battery is NiMH (nickel-metal hydride), then you should not try to replace it with a Li-ion (lithium-ion) type, unless the documentation for the laptop specifically says it can handle both types. The charging circuitry is designed to accomodate a specific chemistry, in most cases, and trying to use a different one can result in poor battery performance, shorter life or both. Also, be wary of offbrand batteries–stick with either OEM packs or ones made by major brand manufacturers like GPC, Sylvania or Everyready, to name a few at random.
Right, it is mAh.