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    Battery Technology?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by paper_wastage, Apr 9, 2011.

  1. paper_wastage

    paper_wastage Beat this 7x7x7 Cube

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    I haven't kept up with laptop technology in the last 2 years, but am looking for one right now

    Current models are the Macbook Pro 13" and the Lenovo E420 series and Toshiba Portege R835

    Does anyone know about the battery technology? The laptop I have right now is the Dell M1330(used for 3 years, 23% wear)

    I heard that Apple has the enhanced battery technology(more wear cycles, slower degradation). Do Toshiba/Lenovo have such technology?
     
    paper_wastage, Apr 9, 2011
    #1
  2. voltron1337

    voltron1337 Notebook Geek

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    Apple is one of the few who uses lithium polymer battery and everyone else uses lithium ion. I don't know why they don't use lipo much because they are better and can be made flat so you don't have ugly cylindrical batteries sticking out.

    Lithium ion is always user replaceable though and cheaper to replace.
     
    voltron1337, Apr 9, 2011
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  3. sgogeta4

    sgogeta4 Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Patents???
     
    sgogeta4, Apr 9, 2011
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  4. paper_wastage

    paper_wastage Beat this 7x7x7 Cube

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    HP's Envy has some LiPo batteries

    but back to the Li-Ion... how has the technology for that evolved? Can I trust it not to degrade as quickly as my m1330?
     
    paper_wastage, Apr 9, 2011
    #4
  5. whitrzac

    whitrzac The orange end is cold...

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    they blow up...


    as in 2ft flames from your laptop...



    I race RC and have been using lipos for 3 years now. For the "average" user they are plenty safe, but all it takes is one mistake and boom...

    This is an "acceptable" loose in the RC world, but when a laptop blows up in your face, there will be lawsuits...
     
    whitrzac, Apr 9, 2011
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  6. HTWingNut

    HTWingNut Potato

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    If I keep a laptop for more than two years (which is rare) I just expect to replace the battery. It's a consumable item, not real expensive these days. Li-Po is expensive and also doesn't hold as much charge per volume as standard Li-Ion.
     
    HTWingNut, Apr 9, 2011
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  7. Judicator

    Judicator Judged and found wanting.

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    Li-Ion technology has improved some, but as stated above, I think it's more battery management that's evolved. For example, my old Compaq R3000 just ate batteries, like every half a year to a year or so. My Gateway NX860XL (about 4-5 years old now) has gone maybe a third or halfway through its one (extended) battery. My new 3-4 month old HP 8740w hasn't seen any degradation yet.

    One thing I've noticed that's different between my old NX860XL and my new 8740w, for example, is that the NX860XL would always try to keep the battery at full charge; if the battery dropped from 100% to 98-99%, it'd immediately start charging if plugged in. My 8740w, however, won't charge unless it drops at least below 95%. I'm sure that this little change, at the very least, will add an immense amount of time to the life of the battery in my 8740w.
     
    Judicator, Apr 9, 2011
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