The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    x11 upgraded?

    Discussion in 'Samsung' started by hoolyproductions, Jan 20, 2007.

  1. hoolyproductions

    hoolyproductions Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    42
    Messages:
    408
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    hoolyproductions, Jan 20, 2007
    #1
  2. John Ratsey

    John Ratsey Moderately inquisitive Super Moderator

    Reputations:
    7,197
    Messages:
    28,841
    Likes Received:
    2,166
    Trophy Points:
    581
    The original X11 had a 4 cell battery as standard and an 8 cell battery option. Obviously, the latter would at least double the running time. However, getting 9 hours would require an even bigger battery or a modular bay battery, all of which would add to the weight.

    I see the X60 specs at the same supplier. These more accurately match my X60plus than any of the specs published in the UK (ATI X1700 + 120GB HDD). Those specs tell me that I can get up to 4 hours running time. I would love to know how. With the dimmest backlight I can't get 3 hours in sight. Maybe turn the display off completely and stop the HDD? So the same techniques probably applies to the X11. My guess would be a realistic 5 hours with the 8 cell battery and a weight of about 2.4kg.

    John
     
    John Ratsey, Jan 20, 2007
    #2
  3. hoolyproductions

    hoolyproductions Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    42
    Messages:
    408
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    yeah that makes sense. if you look down the list they have cheaper models with lower quoted battery life.

    my current machine weighs 2.4 kgs and one of the reasons to change is I want to get the weight down, other than that the specs on the x11 blows my current laptop away :)

    still nothing to compete with the SZ for weight, specs and battery life, the search continues...
     
    hoolyproductions, Jan 21, 2007
    #3
  4. John Ratsey

    John Ratsey Moderately inquisitive Super Moderator

    Reputations:
    7,197
    Messages:
    28,841
    Likes Received:
    2,166
    Trophy Points:
    581
    The recent developments in CPUs and chipsets have not reduced power requirements. In fact, they have increased. It would help if the low power dual core CPUs became more common. I am sure that the problem is pricing, not technology. My T7200 will run at full speed at 1V and there would be a useful reduction in power consumption if it could drop down to around 0.75V at 1GHz (but is locked to a minimum voltage of 0.95V). 2 cores running at even lower speed with a lower voltage would further help is stretching out the battery. Give the RAM the same treatment when running on battery.

    My main disappointment with my new X60plus compared with the previous X60 has been the reduction in battery life. Mobilemeter showed that the old X60 could get down to about 15W when running on battery with a dim display. The new one can't get down to 20W. Possible power hogs are the bigger cache on the CPU, more pixels and an overall brighter display and the X1700 GPU. I previously had the X1400. I wonder if the X1700 GPU is the biggest culprit. Although ATI claim it has new power saving technology, it seems that they haven't worked out how to enable it because the driver lacks the ATI PowerPlay module. I hope someone is on the case.

    Smaller displays mean less backlight power. The Sony S series hit the sweet spot in the power / size / weight / battery life combination and it is suprising that there's something else which is very similar.

    John
     
    John Ratsey, Jan 21, 2007
    #4