Any other battery options for W3j?

Hello everybody. I'm also waiting for w3j here, but the battery thing concerns me.
5 hours (max!) with both batteries on isn't very exciting (but the looks and the specs... :asus: ) And this notebook is supposed to last me at least 1 year...
Does anybody know anything about alternate battery solutions. Something to do with main batteries or for optical bay, maybe with more cells, or made of some other components?
Or the only way of getting more worktime if downclocking etc..?

 

five hours is a long time. my M170 is supposed to get around two and that is with normal operating systems running, not games or movies. I dont know if your going to get a whole lot more time than that. maybe you should look into an AC anywhere device or some other sort of converter

 

I'd agree that 5 hrs is actually not too shabby, esp. considering the performance you get. If you're looking for more though, I think fiddling with settings/usage is the only way -- underclocking/undervolting CPU & GPU, lowering screen brightness, keeping wifi/BT off whenever possible, etc.

The main battery is a specially designed 8 cell that blends in with the laptop hinge so it doesn't stick out as with many other laptops. It's a pretty cool design, in my opinion, but no larger battery is currently available to my knowledge. The optical bay battery is a 6 cell and also only comes in one size, to my knowledge.

There are rumors that a new battery technology is coming out in the next year or two, beyond lithium ion (or Ni-Cd or Ni-MH). I don't know much about it, but supposedly it gives much longer life but there are technical issues with recharging that are being worked out. Aside from waiting for that though, your options are a little limited.

 

I'd be impressed with 5 hours if I was one battery. For two, I'm not impressed at all. Without good battery life, I don't even see the point in owning a laptop. The beauty of the laptop is the freedom to live without cords and to take it places, conveniently!

-steps of soapboax-

I guess, for me, I'm just surprised that there's no real improvement in battery life in most laptops in the past few years since I bought my last one.

 

Perhaps no great improvement in battery life but performance has sure increased wicked much

 

^ hehe yah,

Well for the future, there's 2 things you can do.

Firstly you said this laptop is gonna last you one year, then what? you plan on selling it and getting another? or giving it to a family member and then your gonna get a new one?

In that case you don't exactly havta worry, and at the end of the first year, before the ASUS battery Warranty end, get the batteries replaced so you don't have to deal with high WEAR %.

The other thing is to wait for new technological advances in batteries:

1) Virus Batteries, they are expected to be extremely powerful, should last 2x more that Lith-Ion Batteries. - ETA ?? - Still being properly developed maybe 2009

2) Zinc Batteries, they are expected to pack more power in a smaller area. The eta is next year 2007, but there are some bugs that they gotta work out. One problem is recharging it, right now it can only do 100-200 recharges before the battery dies.

The Lith Ion batteries can literly do about 1000 recharges.

However expect this battery to be an aftermarket part. It may not be implmented into laptop upon release because of price. Low production levels = high price. The only way to bring down prices is if Dell adopts this and pushes the Zinc battery makers to make more, causing prices to go down.

Also you can expect a 30% increase in Batterylife.

So lets take the 8 cell battery from the W3J, it gets about 3hour and 15mins of batterylife. So change the battery and throw in a Zinc one, and you get 30% more, which is = 4hours 20 mins

But then companies can also adopt this technology and take it a different way, for example ASUS knows the Zinc battery will boost life by 30%, so they will put in a smaller battery, which will make the notebook lighter, and if they were to make a new chasis, it would be smaller in dimensions all round.

Hope this info helps

Thanks,

MysticGolem

 

This may be overkill, but you can also get another main battery (or optical battery) if battery life is absolutely critical.

 

... basically all I need to say is 256mb x1600..... if you have a problem with it's battery life, there are other notebooks that are not as powerful that you can enjoy more life with. This is a workhorse if I've ever seen one. It's like a little person benching 200 pounds... it might not seem like a lot, but it is when it's 3 times their body weight.......

 

i agree with underclocking and turning off all those things you arent using (bluetooth) also you can always buy more batteries if you dont mind carrying the weight.

 

hmm, the weight is just one thing, lol, you gotta factor in size (dimensions).

Carrying 2 main batteries ( one in the laptop and an optical one) + one some where in your bag, plus books, plus lunch, plus gym clothes + w/e else you have (cell phone, PDA, MP3 play (Ipod) and all those other goodies). If you can take all of that with you then your good.

All it all it will definately take up alot of room.

As many suggest just underclock and try to undervolt everything, so that you get longer batterylife.

Besides so many people here on the forums will be getting the W3J, i'm sure someone will come out with a way to get the most batterylife outta it, and then tell you how to do it.

Thanks,

MysticGolem

 

If I do stick with the W3J as my laptop of choice, that will probably me figuring out how to eek out every last ounce of battery. Laptop's worth **** to me without decent battery life.