Extreme Endurance: Four Notebooks with Extra-Long Battery Life

  First post by: www.itsbattery.com

The average thin-and-light notebook lasts about four hours on a Hp PP2182L charge. That kind of battery life is fine if you’re flying from New York to Orlando or if you’ll be in meetings only half the day. But what if you’re going from New York to San Francisco and you want to use your laptop to check e-mail, and catch the latest episode of House online in the airport, watch a DVD in the air, and maybe even look up some restaurant reviews on your way to the hotel using your broadband card? Or maybe you just want to be able to stay productive at an all-day conference without having to fight over an outlet. That’s where these long-distance runners come in.


When properly equipped, the latest power-sipping notebooks can last a full workday or longer on a single charge. We put several to the test with the LAPTOP Battery Test, which entails continuous Web surfing over Wi-Fi, and found four favorites that last more than 8 hours—more than enough endurance to last a cross-country trip. To achieve these marathon times, though, the systems were equipped with slower processors, premium features such as solid state drives, and extended batteries—which significantly increased both their cost and weight. Still, if you’re looking for the ultimate in endurance, these machines are worth the premium.

By adding an extended battery, solid state hard drive, and LED-backlit display, the Hp 345027-001 can last up to 14 hours—welcome longevity for globe-trotting road warriors. You’ll just need to decide if the machine’s weight and price tag are worth it.


Design

The 6930p looks both tough and elegant. It sports a brushed, anodized aluminum lid and a magnesium alloy chassis. Indeed, this 5.2-pound notebook is sturdy, but at 13.0 x 9.6 x 1.2 inches, it’s a bit wide and thick.

When you attach the extended battery—crucial for getting that 14-hour battery life—the notebook weighs 6 pounds, unheard of for a thin-and-light machine. The battery adds so much weight and heft to the backside of the notebook that it can’t balance upright when on a lap.

The matte black, spill-resistant keyboard is offset by a brushed-metal deck and upper panel, both of which match the lid. HP’s DuraKeys feature a fingerprint-resistant UV coating that claims to be six times more scratch-resistant than HP’s previous business notebooks. The only design element we found off-putting were the two holes flanking the touchpad, which is where the metal posts for the lid hook when the system is closed.


The keyboard was easy to type on and made little noise. Above the keyboard are touch-sensitive controls for HP Info Center, which contains ProtectTools Security Manager and Connection Manager, Wi-Fi, Presentation Options, and volume settings. The touch controls responded immediately and didn’t require much Hp 342661-001 pressure. Although the touchpad is well sized and has the right amount of friction, the buttons are a bit narrow and required too much pressure to activate.


Audio/Visual Performance

The 14.1-inch (1280 x 800) matte display looked muted when we watched a DVD, but allowed for good viewing angles. Our display was LED backlit, a critical ingredient for attaining 14 hours of battery life. Users can opt for a non-LED display and shave $50 off the price.

The audio, while not booming, was pleasant and full. A 2-megapixel webcam option is available, but our unit did not come with one. A 2.53-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9400 CPU and 2GB of RAM notched 3,123 on PCMark Vantage, about 300 points higher than the average thin-and-light. We simultaneously sent and received e-mails, explored Facebook, read a blog, and created a presentation in Zoho Show without a hiccup.


One trade-off in extending the battery life is diluted graphics performance. pavilion dv6000 On 3DMark06, the Intel GMA 4500MHD GPU configuration scored 697, about half the thin-and-light average. However, the notebook can speedily complete everyday business tasks.


Battery Life

With the extended battery ($159), our unit lasted an epic 14 hours and 5 minutes, right on target with HP’s prediction. It’s by far the best endurance we’ve seen in any notebook category.

Wi-Fi

We were unable to get official wireless throughput scores, but the 802.11a/b/g/n wireless radio smoothly streamed a four-minute clip on Vimeo, even with just a bar or two of connectivity. The 6930p is also available with mobile broadband; using Gobi technology, customers can opt for service from Hp dv6000 battery AT&T or Verizon Wireless.


Extras

The EliteBook offers plenty of security features. You get a fingerprint reader, TPM circuitry, and a 3D accelerometer that parks the hard drive whenever it detects sudden movement. The 6930p can be configured to include Intel’s vPro technology, which lets IT managers remotely manage and secure the system easily and faster.

HP’s QuickLook 2 lets you press a button to get your e-mail, calendar, tasks, and contact information before the system boots. HP SpareKey makes forgetting your password less stressful by letting you configure three predetermined questions as an alternate form of authentication. HP Privacy Manager protects against identity theft by using digital signatures and encryption in e-mail and IM. HP File Sanitizer permanently deletes files and personally identifiable information.

The Final Word

If all-day endurance is what you’re looking for, the HP EliteBook 6930p will Pavilion dv8000 satisfy. However, it’s heavier and clumsier, and its performance is less than what you’d get with a $1,399 configuration. This configuration is best suited for those who demand long battery life and don’t mind schlepping a 6-pound laptop