Samsung Galaxy S3 battery deterioration and finding replacement?

A

AC Question

Hi, so recently, I've been having massive problems with my Samsung Galaxy S3's battery life (or so I believe). When the battery is anywhere between 0-70% and I open the camera app or any app that uses the camera (e.g. Snapchat), I'd see the screen flicker and it'd shut off right after. Not in the way that the phone is shutting down with the Samsung logo and everything, but in the same way as if I physically removed the battery while it was running. I haven't found a clear answer to this yet, but I'm fairly certain it's a problem with the battery. I've had many issues with battery life (e.g. battery draining at over 1%/minute with light usage), so it wouldn't be a surprise if that was the culprit. Anyway, I have a few questions regarding this situation:

First, I'm in the market for a replacement battery. Would it be alright to just buy any 3.8 V Li-ion battery (that fits the S3 obviously) off Ebay or Amazon? Is there a certain "mAh" value I need (2100 mAh is the one on mine)? Or would it be worth the time, money and effort to get the default stock Samsung made battery?

Secondly, what can I do to ensure this battery deterioration doesn't happen again? Many have told me to unplug the charger when the phone reaches 100% and/or don't keep the charger plugged in for long periods of time, like when I sleep. Not sure how credible this is, but this is something I plan to do when I get a new battery. Are there any other things I should know about?
 

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Welcome to Android Central! It can be difficult to know if a battery you buy online is good quality, because even if it's a well-known brand (like Seidio or Anker), or if it's advertised as an OEM battery, there's no way to know if it's actually counterfeit. If you order online, stick with a seller that has a good return policy. Fortunately, most S3 replacement batteries are pretty cheap these days, so if one doesn't work and you can't return it, you haven't wasted too much money.

mAh basically tells you how much charge the battery can hold. More mAh means a single full charge will last longer, but it also may mean a heavier battery. There's no minimum--but something under 2000 mAh probably won't last that long on a single charge.

Probably the best thing to do to prolong the battery's lifespan is to avoid frequent deep discharges (i.e., letting it drain to zero or the single digits). Make a habit of charging when it reaches 30-40%. It's still ok to let it drain further on occasion, but just not too often. There's no harm in charging up to 100%, or in keeping it on a charger for a while after it's full. There is also no need to "condition" a modern battery.

Also, avoid extreme temps, especially high ambient temps (so don't leave it lying in your hot car regularly).
 

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