Aspire TimelineX 5830TG-6642 - bad to leave plugged in, charging?

I always use my notebooks with power and battery at the desk. And unless there is the need to be mobile I always look for a power outlet nearby. As you said it, it's mostly personal preference. There is real true scientific evidence form both camps (one for keep on charging, the other for let it drain ;D )

cheers ...

Getting at some of the "real scientific evidence" Q was talking about, the things that most affect Lithium-ion batteries are heat, charge state, and time. Since you're talking about charge state, I'll focus on that. Li-ion batteries will last longest when they are most often at an "in-between" charge, in other words not entirely full and not entirely empty. If you plan to be using your computer primarily as a desktop and don't need to use the battery for months at a time, the best way to keep the battery functional for extended idle periods is to discharge it until it's around 40% charged, then take it out of the device and store it in a cool, dry area. The battery will still lose some capacity this way (remember, time is a factor), but it will be minimized.

However, since in your case the battery is not removable, an alternate way to prevent the battery from losing charge capacity due to constantly staying at full charge is simply to unplug the computer every couple weeks or so and let the battery discharge to 20 or 30% of capacity, then plug it back in and let it charge back up again. Doing so extends the life of the battery because it's not staying full (or empty) all the time.

Regardless of how often you charge or discharge the battery, two other factors come into play: heat and time. The hotter the environment, the faster the battery will lose capacity. And even in cooler areas, Li-ion batteries will eventually lose their charge. Typical battery lifetime is between 3-5 years, with some quitting within a year and others lasting up to 6 or 7 years, depending on environment and design.