fallsauce

Is it very important to have laptops with batteries that last longer than 2 hours? (Most of the ones I've seen are 2 hours, with one that's 4 hours.) I'm planning on getting one for uni so it doesn't need to have the best graphics card etc.

Another question I have for uni students is, do you actually carry your laptop around? Or does it just end up sitting in your room?

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shakran

get the longest battery life you can. Some laptops are available with different batteries - always get the long life version if you can. Remember that 2 hours is not guaranteed. The brighter your screen is, louder your volume is, more processor intensive your apps are, etc etc etc, the shorter your battery life. I have a 4 hour battery on mine and it does last that long if I stick to stuff like Word and the calculator, but if I start video editing or running GPS nav the battery life drops significantly.

Of course a lot of laptop sellers will let you buy a second battery at a deep discount if you buy it when you buy the laptop. . . I really wish I'd done that.

Hardknock

I have a dell laptop and my battery life is only 1.5 hrs. And I have one of the 2 hour batteries. I'm kicking myself in the ass too because I didn't buy a second battery at the time of purchase. I haven’t been shopping for a notebook recently buy I assume that they can came with a combination of battery types.

To answer your second question, I carry my laptop around, when I'm gone at work and I'm staying in hotels and when I need to get some work done. Most of them nowadays are getting Wi-Fi installed so I can have access when I'm bored off my ass in the hotel room. I'm not in college staying at the dorms, so my answer might not be exactly what you're looking for but it's another opinion to add to the mix.

fallsauce

Oh yeah, just to add, I won't be staying in a dorm, if that makes a difference at all.

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hambone

Definitely get the longest battery life you can (you can do much better than 2 hours). You might not always need it, but there will be times you will and you will regret not getting it.

Plus, once the battery starts to lose its life(they all do), its nice to have a long life to go through

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JeremyS

The battery in my laptop is lucky to run an hour and 15min without having to be charged..I would say defintely go for the longest lasting battery you can, because it drives me crazy.

t3m3st

I've got a 12 inch iBook G4 and I can stretch the battery life out to 6 hours running only Word, which is good for note taking with consecutive classes where there's no way to recharge in between. So it also depends on what OS you want to be using. If you're just looking for a work computer, or you're in graphic arts or film, maybe the iBook is the way to go. It's rather cheap in comparison to many of the noteable brand name PC laptops, and I believe it's still one of the most power effiecient on the market.

Also, I carry my laptop everywhere. It's just a little larger than an 8x11 sheet of paper, and fits in my backpack easily. And yeah, occasionally you'll catch me playing Unreal Tournament or Soul Blade during class Dont let all the rumors and misconceptions about Macs completely rule them out as an option.

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metalgeek

Get an IBM x31
Mine has 4.5 hours of battery life, (withno graphical apps, etc.)
No internal CDrom though.
You can also get the umm ultrabay add on for it, that gives you a cdrom, plus an addition battery for around 8.5-9 hours of battery life.

Amnesia620

I currently own a HP Pavilion Notebook zt3340us and my battery life (depending on what applications/programs I'm running) lasts 3 - 4 1/2 hours on a 6-cell Li-Ion. Battery life also depends on power settings also.

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maleficent

My Dell Latitude is about 3 years old.... the original batter that came with it - is good for about 3 hours - I have a spare battery that I use if I have a longer flight (the extra battery is an extra pound that I just don't want to lug over my shoulder) The extra battery is good for about 4 hours.

When I am battery power, I don't use the cd player (that does eat up the battery) and I rarely use WiFi (that sucks the battery life out of it)

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RogueHunter65

I have an IBM thinkpad T42, its a good laptop. I usually get about 2.5 hours of battery life. But if you change your power settings and screen lighting I can get it to last as much as 4 hours. The computer runs like a dream. It would be worth checking out but there are others with longer battery life.

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maleficent

In laptop land - 2 hours isn't that long... If you took the laptop to class, to take notes or whatever.. chances are you won't have an outlet to plug into -- so you are on battery life... Classes in my day were anywhere from 60 minutes to 3 hours... A 2 hour battery won't get you thru some classes if that's the case.

You may want to wait until you get to school and see what you think you would be using the laptop for, you usually get a lot more bang for your buck wiht a desktop pc.

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FloydianOne

I own a Dell 700m for taking notes on and wireless internet in class... I bought the more expensive battery which lasts about 5.5 hours. Ive never run out of power in class.... and I can leave it on pretty much all the time and not worry about it. Then again I have my PC in my dorm, so if this is your only computer I might recommend something more powerful.

Here is a picture: http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/2004/0823/dell.jpg

Amnesia620

There are several steps you can take to insure that you get maximum performance from your battery:

-Breaking In New Batteries - new batteries come in a discharged condition and must be fully charged before use. It is recommended that you fully charge and discharge your new battery two to four times to allow it to reach its maximum rated capacity.

-Preventing the Memory Effect - Keep your battery healthy by fully charging and then fully discharging it at least once every two to three weeks. Exceptions to the rule are Li-Ion batteries which do not suffer from the memory effect.

-Keep Your Batteries Clean - It's a good idea to clean dirty battery contacts with a cotton swab and alcohol. This helps maintain a good connection between the battery and your portable device.
-Exercise Your Battery - Do not leave your battery dormant for long periods of time. We recommend using the battery at least once every two to three weeks. If a battery has not been used for a long period of time, perform the new battery break in procedure described above.

-Battery Storage - If you don't plan on using the battery for a month or more, we recommend storing it in a clean, dry, cool place away from heat and metal objects. NiCad, NiMH and Li-Ion batteries will self-discharge during storage; remember to break them in before use. Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) batteries must be kept at full charge during storage. This is usually achieved by using special trickle chargers. If you do not have a trickle charger, do not attempt to store SLA batteries for more than three months.

-For Laptop Users - To get maximum performance from your battery, fully optimize the notebook's power management features prior to use. Power management is a trade off: better power conservation in exchange for lesser computer performance. The power management system conserves battery power by setting the processor to run at a slower speed, dimming the screen, spinning down the hard drive when it's not in use and causing the machine to go into sleep mode when inactive. Your notebook user's guide will provide information relating to specific power management features.

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For example, I find that a lot of college girls are barbie doll carbon copies with few differences...Sadly, they're dumb, ditzy, immature, snotty, fake, or they are the gravitational center to orbiting drama. - Amnesia620