Laptop Components You Look For In A Notebook For Longer Battery Life
Main Laptop Components You Look For In A Laptop For Longer Battery Life
- Look for Bluetooth 4.0 and Wireless-AC;
- Look for the latest in IGZO screen technology;
- CPU battery life: Go with Intel’s Bay Trail-M technology;
- CPU performance-per-watt: Choose Haswell or Broadwell (due Q4, 2014) Intel CPUs with CULV technology or Core-M (due in 2014 Q4);
- Look for Solid State Drive technology from Samsung;
- Look for the latest nano-wire laptop batteries;
- Lower resolutions require less energy;
- Look for at least six cell batteries or at least 6,000 mAh packs in Ultrabooks and 4,000 mAh in Chromebooks.
Most laptop manufacturers don’t state the total amount of energy stored within a battery. Some list the total number of cells used, which commonly run from three to nine cells. In my experience, the term “cell” refers to the number of 18650 form-factor batteries contained within a HP pavilion dv6 battery pack. For example, a six-cell laptop battery contains six 18650 batteries. The mAh rating of each 18650 battery within the pack can vary, but most offer around 1,800-3,000 mAh. Most quality 18650s originate from Samsung, Sanyo, Sony or Panasonic.
Lithium-ion batteries with a graphite anode will soon get replaced by an upcoming technology. As of 2014, two new kinds of battery technology exist, which increases battery longevity, recharge speeds and energy density. The technology, nano-wire batteries, use either a “crushed” silicon or germanium anode. The theoretical energy capacity hovers around 10 times greater than current graphite anode technology. However, early production models boost energy capacity by 20-40%. As battery technology improves, laptop manufacturers prefer shrinking the size of the battery. When manufacturers moved from cadmium to lithium-ion technology, laptops didn’t gain much in terms of battery life – they just became sleeker. But if we were to take a standard six-cell pavilion dv5 battery with around 12,000 mAh and swap in silicon anode 18650 batteries, we would see mAh ratings somewhere between 14,400 and 16,800 mAh. Because 18650 batteries may eventually see silicon nano-wire technology, it’s conceivable that DIY-ers could swap such technologies into their current laptops.
The two most important laptop components for battery life: screen and CPU. Neither component can upgrade with ease so these remain critically important at the time of purchase. The hard drive, wireless card and battery can potentially upgrade to a better standard. However, not all laptop manufacturers provide upgraded battery packs – so you may also want to pay close attention to the number of cells contained within the battery pack.
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