How do NiCD, NiMH, and LiIon cell batteries differ?
Ni-Cd: The Nickel Cadmium battery is the most durable battery on the market. These batteries are quick to charge, last for approximately 700 charge and discharge cycles, and work well in extreme temperatures. They do, however, suffer from "memory effect" if not completely discharged each cycle. "Memory effect" reduces the overall capacity of the battery, thus affecting its run time. If a battery is discharged to 30% and then recharged, for example, the battery will only charge to 30% of its capacity. If improperly cared for, a Ni-Cd battery can quickly deteriorate. Ni-CD cellular phone batteries are recommended for light use.
Ni-Mh: The Nickel Metal-Hydride battery runs almost 75% longer on each charge than Ni-CD batteries but only last for about 500 charge cycles. Ni-MH batteries, however, are resistant to memory effect. Made from non-toxic metals, Ni-MH batteries are also environmentally safe. Ni-MH cell phone batteries are recommended for medium to heavy usage.
Li-Ion: The Lithium Ion battery is lightweight and does not suffer from memory effect. The Li-Ion battery also delivers a higher run time average. Similar to Ni-MH technology, Li-Ion batteries have a life expectancy of 500 charge and discharge cycles. Li-Ion cellular phone batteries are quickly becoming popular among regular cell phone users due primarily to the light weight and portability. Li-Ion cellular phone batteries are recommended for medium to very heavy use.