Oftentimes for laptops, prospective buyers can be more interested in the
battery life of the product than the actual specifications and hardware that
lie under the hood. After all, what good is a portable computer if it cannot
run on batteries for as long as the user requires? here is some novice tips and
buying guides that any current or future laptop owner can take advantage of.
1. Use Windows Power Manager
If a laptop will be running on
batteries often, then the settings on the software end should be configured to
reflect that kind of usage. Thus, the built-in Power Management utility for
Windows 7 is a useful and user-friendly tool for optimizing battery life by
manipulating laptop performance and behavior. The tool can be reached under
Power Options in the Control Panel or just by typing in ‘powercfg.cpl’ in the
Run Command window.
With the power manager tool, users
are given direct access to a variety of power options. Windows includes a
couple of pre-built battery plans such as power over performance, performance
over power, and balanced. Of course, if you want more control over a power
plan, you’d have to customize one yourself.
The Advanced settings window will let users do just that by allowing
direct access to set behavioral commands for different computer components. For
example,USB ports can be disabled and CPUs can be underclocked to conserve
battery life. These are powerful and easily adaptable options that should be
adjusted to fit the needs of the user.
2.
Block Flash Ads and Close Unnecessary Processes
One of the easiest ways to increase
runtime is to simply close and shut down unwanted programs and background
activities. This will reduce hard drive access, free up RAM, and decrease CPU
activity, all of which will directly benefit battery life.
A good example is the number of
active windows and icons on the Windows task bar. Programs that automatically
run on startup can be disabled if they are never actively used in order to
reduce clutter, while excess browser tabs and graphic-heavy websites can be
closed if no longer needed to save RAM and CPU cycles.
Additionally, many Flash-based ads
around the web are notorious not just for their impracticality, but also for
occupying more CPU power and are thus needless battery drains. To save battery
power, users should install Flash-blocking programs or extensions for their
browsers. The most popular free extension for this purpose is Adblock, which is
currently available for Firefox, Safari, and Chrome. For Internet Explorer,
users can disable Flash under the Tools and Manage Add-Ons menu, where the
Shockwave Flash Object can be found. While incremental, these steps can make a
difference in battery runtime during long sessions.
3.
Disable Wireless/Bluetooth
Occasionally, wireless settings such
as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are enabled by default. This is sometimes unwanted
especially since some users will rarely use the Bluetooth functionality on the
laptop. We suggest disabling Bluetooth when not in use.
If the laptop is not going to connect
to a network for any reason (such as working outdoors or on a train), then the
wireless connection should be turned off. Otherwise, the laptop will
continuously search for available local networks and drain valuable battery
life in the process.
4.Reduce
the Brightness of the Display
Adjusting the display brightness is
one of the quickest methods to conserving battery life. Usually, the brightness
settings are directly on the laptop keyboard and are often associated with the
fn (function) key. A lower brightness level will mean that more time can be
squeezed out of the battery.
If short on battery life, we suggest
toning down the brightness to a level that will still allow for optimal working
conditions. Brightness levels that are too low or high, however, can cause
eyestrain and make reading text a chore. To prevent this, a higher brightness
setting is suggested for working outdoors under sunny conditions while lower
settings can be used for working indoors or in classrooms. In general, good
modern displays can produce a brightness of over 200cd/m2, but such levels are
not necessary for everyday office use. Play around with the brightness settings
to optimize battery life and to see which levels are most comfortable for the
eyes.
On a similar note, most new laptops
are equipped with LED backlighting instead of the traditional fluorescent
tubes. LED has the potential to produce a more even light throughout the screen
while maintaining superior power efficiency compared to fluorescent lighting.
Therefore, LED backlit screens are preferable if purchasing a new laptop with
battery life in mind.
5.
Use a Virtual Drive
Use of a DVD drive can be quite
taxing on battery life because of the mechanical spinning motor required to
read discs. Consequently, avoid constant use of the DVD drive when running on
batteries. Instead, files on a disc should be copied and accessed through the
hard drive or a USB flash drive if possible.
More often than not, however, many
users could be using the DVD drive for playing clips or movies during long
flights or car rides. If this is the situation, it is recommended to avoid
playing the movie directly off of the DVD and to instead use a virtual drive. A
virtual drive acts as an ordinary DVD drive, but will play disc images off of
the hard drive or flash drive instead of physical DVDs. The disc image will be
an exact copy of the DVD and can be created with some help from freeware
programs, but retail DVD movies cannot be copied for legal reasons.
Common virtual drive programs include
Alcohol 52% and Daemon Tools, both of which have free versions for personal
use. Virtual drives should take away the hassle of carrying around DVDs, all
the while improving battery life.
Among other benefits, solid-state
drives like this OCZ model can offer lower power consumption, but will come at
a moderate to high price.
6.
Consider a Solid-state Drive Upgrade
A solid-state drive (SSD) has many
advantages over traditional hard drive discs (HDD), but in terms of battery
life, the biggest advantage is the absence of moving parts. This, in
combination with its different architecture, allows for generally more efficient
power consumption.
Most SATA-enabled notebooks can have
the original HDD easily replaced with a SSD. The process is no different from
swapping hard drives or upgrading to larger capacities.
The largest disadvantage when
upgrading to a SSD is the associated cost. If you’ve ever wondered why some
laptops are $700 and others are $2500, one likely reason is because the latter
is fitted with a high capacity SSD. The NAND flash chips currently used in many
SSDs can run for as much as $1.00 to $2.00 per gigabyte as of 2011, so it can
cost more than a few hundred dollars just to match the capacity of a HDD. While
the upgrade is simple, the price required is off-putting for many.
7.
Choose Integrated over Discrete Graphics Solutions
For those in the market for a new
laptop and battery life optimization is of utmost concern, consider looking for
a notebook with an integrated graphics controller instead of one with discrete
graphics. Discrete graphics can be more powerful, but can also acutely reduce
the battery life of any notebook even if graphic intensive processes are not
running. This is largely due to the raw speeds and die sizes of discrete
graphics chips, thus these chips demand more power from the battery just to
keep them running idle.
Additionally, most portable users do
not necessarily need the high-performance capabilities of a discrete graphics
chip. If web browsing, email, music, word processing, Farmville, and streaming
video are on top of the to-do list, then the advanced, often more expensive
dedicated graphics option is simply overkill for the user. A laptop with Intel
GMA HD or AMD Radeon 4200 would suffice.
That is not to say integrated
graphics are inadequate, however. Newer integrated graphics especially are much
more powerful than the previous generations while remaining power efficient.
This allows for smoother video and streaming performance and even support for
full HD (1920×1080) resolution playback through an HDMI-out port. A prime
example is the Intel GMA HD 3000 or the new AMD Fusion APU. These new chips are
powerful enough for light gaming and high-definition video playback on-the-go
without the need for battery-draining discrete graphics solutions.
First shown at CES 2011, the AMD
Fusion APU combines a general-purpose processor with functions of a modern
mainstream GPU into a single chip for greatly reduced power usage.
8.
Consider Switchable Graphics
Some users may need more graphical
power than that provided by integrated graphics chips, however. Heavier
graphics work such as moderate video editing or Adobe Photoshop usage will
benefit greatly from a laptop with better graphics capabilities. For these
users, laptops with switchable graphics preferences can provide the extra
video-processing power needed while still saving on battery life.
A laptop with switchable graphics
will contain both an integrated graphics chip and a discrete graphics chip, but
will generally have only one active at a time. Depending on preference, the
user can have the notebook run on the integrated graphics solution to preserve
battery life or on discrete graphics during times where the additional
processing power is needed. Switchable graphics thus allows for greater
flexibility and utility out of a laptop, but expect to pay a little more for
such capabilities.
A popular option is to look for
laptops with support for Nvidia Optimus technology. Nvidia Optimus enables
on-the-fly automatic switching between the dedicated GPU and the integrated
graphics chip depending on user configuration or current running programs. This
eliminates the need for any rebooting and can save plenty of time for
uninterrupted work or multitasking. Unfortunately, Nvidia Optimus is currently
only available for Windows 7-based notebooks as of this writing, so Macbooks
and Linux-based machines are excluded. Newer MacBook Pros, however, run on
Apple’s own proprietary graphics switching technology that is fully automated
by the MacOS X operating system. While this system functions differently from
Optimus, it can still provide a degree of energy management for Apple owners.
9.
Purchase a New/Larger Battery
If buying a laptop online, especially
from a brand name company like Dell, HP, Sony, or Lenovo, the buyer will
usually be given the option to choose between a 6-cell, 8-cell, or 12-cell
Lithium-ion battery module. A cell refers to one of the many independent, often
cylindrical, lithium ion-based batteries that make up the entire laptop battery
module itself.
Generally, a battery with more cells
will last longer than a battery with less. This also scales quite nicely, as a
12-cell battery will last roughly twice as long as a 6-cell battery, assuming
all else equal. Therefore, it might be worth considering a battery with more
cells right from the get-go when purchasing a new laptop.
Be aware, however, that the larger
the number of cells, the larger and heavier the battery module will be in
general. Many laptops and notbooks nowadays dedicate almost the entire backside
just for the battery. A module with a lower number of cells may fit snugly on
the back, but a larger module will have some volume protruding outwards behind
the laptop due to the increased cell count. Additionally, larger battery
modules will demand more from your wallet, so make sure the extra weight and
size will be worth the investment.
If the current laptop is more than a
few years old, it is advisable to purchase a new battery if a new laptop is not
yet worth the investment. All Li-ion batteries degrade overtime, so a battery
that once provided 4 hours of use two years ago may only provide 1 to 2 hours
today and will ultimately continue to provide less overtime. At this point, a
new battery will aid laptop runtime much more significantly than many of the
suggestions on this list.
While on the subject of batteries,
certain new laptops allow for up to 2 batteries to be attached simultaneously
for up to double the runtime. Thus, these laptops can be favorable options for
future battery-conscious laptop owners. Examples include the Sony Vaio S Series
and Lenovo’s updated ThinkPad series for 2011. With dual batteries, reaching
double-digit hours when off the power grid should be easily reachable.
10.
Consider External Battery Packs
The external battery above is
recharging both a smartphone and laptop simultaneously. This particular
Digipower model provides 4400mAh and is available for about $99.
An alternative but similar option is
to utilize an external battery pack instead of the specialized batteries that
were designed to fit into specific laptops. These rechargeable external
batteries connect directly to a laptop’s DC-in port and often include a number
of different connection cords to ensure compatibility with a wide range of
laptop models. The biggest advantage here is the immense versatility of an
external battery pack; it can power and recharge not only existing and future
laptops, but also potentially other electronics such as phones, cameras, iPads,
and other similar devices. Thus, its usefulness extends through multiple
gadgets as each can take advantage of the portable power source.
A typical external battery designed
for laptops can range from $50 to $200, depending on the size, features, and
output power. Keep in mind, however, that the battery will be an additional
burden for those constantly on the move. Most promise at least several hours of
usage, but be sure to check the milliamps/hr (mAh) rating to be convinced.
Estimated runtime can be calculated from the product of its amps/hr rating and
the voltage output, divided by the laptop power use in watts (Ah x Volts)/(watts).
Of course, this conversion is a very rough approximation, and as such should
not be the sole determinate for selecting external batteries.
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