HELP!!

Hi everyone.

Seems like years since I've been here (and it HAS BEEN years indeed)
OK, so I am a dinosaur still using the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.

This was perfectly fine until October 2020 when the battery started to misbehave and had to be replaced (at the local "experts" shop).
At the same time the "Factory Mode" appeared on the tablet (like a translucent menu of some sort on top of the usual icons on the screen) ... not sure how this happened but I know that one of the grand kids used it, turned it OFF, and ON again and this appeared the next day.
The tech at the shop said that he would take care of this as well and that all should be fine once the battery is replaced and the "factory mode" gone.

Once the battery had been replaced, the tablet worked fine and the battery recharged/discharged at the expected rate. No problem there. Except for this darn "factory mode" that jus won't go away.
See attachment for a screen shot ...

Then, in February 2021, the cable (USB to charger/tablet) had to be replaced as well because it was very much in bad shape at the tablet end. The shop provided me with a new, and supposedly high end, cable.

Starting at that point (that SAME DAY as we started using this cable - coincidence?), the big problem materializes as follows:

Once the battery showed low (10% or so, or maybe a bit more or less), we plugged it to the charger (with that new cable). Note: the charger is an OEM Samsung charger (not as "fast charger). We do have a Samsung" fast charger" for the cell phone though).

So, once plugged in for charging, it charged at 100% within a few minutes only!!! Something very weird going on here I thought.

Proceeding to use the tablet for a simple task: Solitaire game and a single Messenger (Facebook) conversation with one of our children. Not long... minutes only.
Then this: the battery charge drops to 30% (plus or minus a few percent) and the tablets shuts off on its own after only 15 minutes!

Back to the shop last week .... they replaced the battery (free of charge). ((NOTE: the tech guy said that the "chip" has been under duress (i.e.: it showing sings of age, so to speak) and that would cause an increase demand on the battery . Really?))

and here is what is happening now:

The battery charges slower than before (expected), but I would say in a "normal time". It doesn't drop as fast as with the first replacement but it is certainly not holding its charge as well as the original (the battery that came with the unit when we bought it 4-5 years ago).
This afternoon, the battery charge showed 40% and suddenly the tablet shut off again (on its own).

I have a detailed log of the past 24 hours + usage of the tablet and the battery performance.
Would its be a good idea to post that her as well?

Can someone explain to me what has happened/happening?
Is it time to dispose of the tablet and get a new one?
Has this something to do with the "factory mode" that I mentioned earlier?

Help please!!!

JP

 

Thanks a bunch for the explanations.
We have decided, after reading those posts, to just keep the tablet until it dies.
In the meantime, we will look for a replacement; we even though of perhaps go with a small laptop instead.

Again, thanks for the help ... much appreciated!