Unplug Power-Hungry Accessories When You’re on the Go

External hard drives, docks, capture cards, and high-refresh external displays all pull power from your MacBook. Even if they’re plugged into a wall, your Mac still has to work harder to drive extra pixels, move data, or power USB-connected gadgets.

So if you’re on the go or your MacBook isn’t connected, you might want to use these devices less. If you have to use them, do it, but if you aren’t using your external drives or hubs, be sure to disconnect them. If battery life is a priority, rely on the built-in display rather than external monitors.

Also, be mindful of dongles with multiple devices connected, as each one adds more work to your MacBook.

Overall, you don’t need to baby your Mac, but trimming your mobile setup to only the essentials can give you extra juice when you’re out and about.