EDITOR'S NOTE: Back from my brief break, it's time to kick off the summer season at lgp On The Move with yet another new series here on my blog. In this segment, I focus the discussion AWAY from notebooks, for a welcome change.
Notebooks are inexpensive, notebooks are portable, notebooks can be used anywhere - is there anything notebooks today fail to excel at? For many folks notebooks have replaced desktops entirely. But don't dump that big, bad tower case just yet! As you will see, desktops still reign king for the few and the serious.
1. Performance
Nothing can demonstrate computing performance better than a desktop, since this is the primary segment where new technology emerges and where users still prevail, especially in business sales and specialist needs such as graphics/video work. Those large and imposing full-tower cases make room aplenty for water-cooled overclocked Core i7's, triple/quad GPU gaming cards and RAID 6 storage repositories that the serious performance user craves. When it comes to extreme multitasking, encoding HD video streams in parallel, running the latest games at 2560x1600 or working with CAD/CAM/graphics/hi-def video, desktops are still the number one in performance and offer the highest-end components available.
2. Value for money
It's tough to argue against a <$600 notebook compared to a desktop, but that portability does come at a price. All you need to do is move up to the higher-end components and you will immediately see that notebooks come in much more expensive compared to the same hardware/performance in a desktop. Gaming notebooks in particular exhibit this glaring trend, as you can very easily get better gaming performance out of a $2500 desktop system as you would from even the most expensive $4000 gaming notebooks.
3. Serviceability
Ever encountered a problem with your notebook that needed a motherboard removal or display replacement? Notebooks are notorious for their difficult assembly and proprietary parts. Think you're comfortable with a screwdriver? Taking a notebook apart will make you rethink that. It's not an easy job even with a service manual at hand, and is best left sending the notebook in for repair. With a desktop, just open up the case and remove or replace whatever component is bad. No need to be without your computer for weeks, and no risk of getting your computer returned with your data gone.
4. Upgradeability
Have you ever envied your friends who upgraded their CPU/motherboard for better performance or swapped out their video cards to run the newest games? Desktops easily let you do that, and much more. With notebooks, you're stuck with the components inside, and while you may think being able to upgrade a notebook hard drive or memory is enough, you'll be scratching your head when your software wants a better CPU or GPU down the road.
5. Applications of use
Fancy running F@H 24/7, need a HTPC, into 1080p editing/encoding, host a home server, operate a surveillance system, work on multiple monitors with a dozen open windows, looking for something that can feed a QFHD display, need gobs of data for RAID or just like to game on a 30" monitor? Desktops give you the ability to run applications and accomplish tasks that notebooks simply cannot match, especially those requiring constant processing and always-on availability.
6. Configurability
This is where desktops really outshine their notebook rivals. The availability of parts, components and options for desktop systems is near endless, allowing choices for components such as CPU, GPU, hard drives, optical drives, memory, display, motherboard, keyboard and speakers alongside letting you select each one for price. With a notebook, you're stuck with whatever hardware the manufacturer gives you. Those notebooks that are configurable may give you, what first seems like, a decent choice of options; but your choices will be limited by the notebook vendor and not necessarily include the newest or fastest components.
7. Productivity
Everyone always complains that they wish they could get their work done sooner or their computer was quicker. With a desktop, you can indeed get the maximum speed available thanks to overclocking or the choice of faster components. More work done means better performance for your dollar, and more free time for fun. In addition, specialist jobs such as graphics/video/engineering or software requiring high-performance hardware will benefit greatly from the muscle that a desktop system can flex, cutting down project times drastically.
8. Reliability
The ability to isolate issues to specific components and easily replace them makes desktops far more reliable as opposed to notebooks and can extend the life of your system by many years. The wide availability and affordable cost of desktop parts here plays a key advantage. With a notebook failure your options beyond repair may only be a complete replacement, something that may cost several hundred dollars at minimum, or as much as a few thousand dollars at most.
9. Brand flexibility
Partial to a particular brand, want the ability to choose what you use or does your business require you work with a certain manufacturer? Desktops let you choose the brand and model of hardware you have, notebooks not so much. Do you have a game that works best on an ATI graphics card but want an Intel CPU? Need the reliability of a particular DVD burner? Or does your software require specific hardware to function properly? With a desktop, such flexibility comes standard.
10. Build-it-yourself
Last but not least, a great majority of home computer users get great enjoyment out of building and tinkering with the computers they play/work on. The ability to easily swap components, shop around for the best price, upgrade as needed and tweak hardware has been a driving argument in favor of desktops, and will continue to be so. Add to that, the relative ease of which it has become to assemble the "basic box" - it has led to the "modding frenzy" that now includes specialist retailers, select hardware and the emergence of a sub-culture called modders. These are the folks eager to make their rigs as unique as they can, building machines that stand out from every other system.
So there you have it! Shame on me you might say for dethroning the notebook and putting desktops first. But for those of us who seek the fastest and the best, the desktop, without argument, still reigns King!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
lgp On The Move on Hiatus
Due to personal circumstances, I will be taking a break from this blog during the month of June. I should be back again sometime in July, hopefully with another great notebook review for you to enjoy.
To those of you out there who read my blog, your support is appreciated!
Cheers,
LGP
To those of you out there who read my blog, your support is appreciated!
Cheers,
LGP
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Tech Tips #4 - Maximizing Battery Times on Notebooks - part two
Welcome back to the second part of this Tech Tips installment. You will recall in part one I introduced the topic of maximizing battery times on notebooks, beginning with identifying how varying notebook usage scenarios affect run times, why establishing a working budget for you is necessary, and highlighting the critical points you need to consider when configuring equipment options. In this second installment, I'll wrap up my discussion with the remaining sections.
4. Be realistic about what gear you can take along and need with you
You see it all the time - folks in airports, at trade shows and coffee shops toting around their notebooks. Most carry them in a separate case that screams "notebook inside", but some may not. Some have just their notebooks on them, others bring an arsenal of gear to the party. One guy's bag may be a light 3 pounds, another guy's bag may be a hefty 17 lbs. Big or small, you will bring it with you because you need it.
And therein lies the question: just exactly what is it that you need, and what is it you should bring?
Travel is something that will be different for everyone, depending on any number of variables. Obviously going to the local caffeine-and-sugar-repository for an hour will be different than heading through the international terminal at an airport for that 17-hour flight to your corporate getaway in the South Pacific. Likewise, when you're on your feet for 8 hours walking 6 miles a day on the 700,000 square-foot trade show floor during a convention, your gear bag may need to be considerably more forgiving than the time you spent 8 hours sitting on the balcony of your hotel room in Cabo San Lucas enjoying the ocean view.
Many years ago during my work as Director of Sales and Marketing for a national firm I often found myself on the road visiting clients. Bringing along a notebook was necessary as I needed to deliver more than just a killer sales presentation, but provide a live demonstration of the company's online services using the then-common 1xRTT mobile internet connection. Since all I needed was my notebook, that's all I took.
But when I had to attend week-long quarterly regional conferences across the country and my notebook was powered on all day, my requirements drastically changed. Bringing along the AC adapter was a no-brainer, since I needed to start work with a fully-charged notebook every morning. Finding an AC outlet during the day, however, wasn't so easy, and I found myself desperately needing more battery power. As a result my productivity at times became severely hampered. I didn't have an extended battery or a second battery on me, but having one on hand to swap out sure would have helped.
My mantra has always been to travel as light as possible. Fortunately I never needed a separate notebook case since my notebook at the time, an 8.9-inch Fujitsu P1120, fit inside my leather attache with the AC adapter without taking up much room. That was then. Today, I would most likely tote a 12 or 13-inch notebook, carry a second battery, and take it in a case that keeps both my hands free.
Would having multiple devices help? It's quite possible. The attraction of netbooks for use as secondary or "vacation" computers is quite prominent, and puts a serious dent in the appeal of even the best 12-inch notebooks. If you use a netbook for light duties and keep the bigger notebook for your more serious work, you not only have flexibility in choosing your work tool, but can get a case and spare battery that works perfectly with each.
What you do, however, may have a bigger impact on the stuff you need to bring with you. If you absolutely need processing/graphics performance and work with, for example, a big 17-inch quad-core SLI notebook, you might need to do some careful planning before you head out. Throwing four spare batteries in your gear bag is certainly doable and get you those untethered extended run times, but it will also be an expensive proposition and a heavy one to lug around. You most likely will only want to walk around with serious gear like that in a roller case. In instances such as these, I would opt for a location that offers a nearby power outlet and keep my AC adapter handy.
Many road warriors fall into the situation of carrying a ton of stuff with them "just in case", and I can understand their thinking. It's great when you can simply reach down to grab that AC adapter, car charger, mouse, spare battery, portable printer or cable lock whenever you need to. But stop for a moment and consider how many times you've carried all that gear along and never ever used it. I bet the answer is a lot! It's highly possible you could have gotten by with just your notebook at minimum, or with a spare battery at most. Does it make sense toting along that 14-inch roller case crammed with gear for just your 30 minute presentation? Think about what it is you'll be doing, bring only the stuff you need, and pack it in a case that stays small and light!
Airports present another classic problem in that most airlines will only allow two carry-on items on board, which for me would usually be an overnight bag and my leather attache. As my attache contains my work items/files and has no padding or compartment for a notebook, I would need an over-the-shoulder notebook bag to carry my notebook. Some airlines may allow you to bring on board a simple notebook case as a 3rd carry-on, which I have had happen to me on numerous occasions, but other times airline staff will be very persistent. It's a losing argument for them, however, as I simply cannot fit my notebook in my attache no matter how hard I try to show them, nor would I let either out of my sight as checked luggage. Seeing this trend, I have noticed many road warriors now fly with notebook cases that also contain compartments for their business items and double as their business case, effectively creating a single case that can be used for both. It's a logical way to fly, and if you ever do end up in a similar predicament, I would highly recommend buying such a notebook case that can take your business gear along as well, and make your time getting through the airport much easier.
5. Set a comfort level that works for you
Working on the move with a notebook does indeed open up your opportunities to be productive in ways that would not be possible otherwise. Ideally, you want a solution that gets the job done, with minimal effort and fits in with your lifestyle. Considering how we expect so much from notebook batteries though, and the idea that carrying larger batteries or additional batteries presents its own issues, one must think for a moment about what is comfortable to work with given personal preferences.
Carrying the dv4t with it's 12-cell battery around for an hour was something I found problematic to do - it was just too heavy for one hand. Would my opinion change had I carried it in an over-the-shoulder vertical messenger? It's highly possible. Comfort can be extremely subjective - something that works great for one person may be a total deal-breaker for another. It would be wrong of me to recommend one solution that works for me that may not be ideal for others, that is why it is important be aware of not only the gear that you take around with you, but also stay conscious of your surrounds throughout your mobile adventures.
Would carrying a lighter 11-inch Sony TT work better for me? It probably would. But once it's in a case it again becomes difficult to argue against a 13 or 14-inch HP. It begs the question how do you go with a setup when your needs change with the way you work and move around. I think the best answer is to establish a certain approach for each possible scenario that you are likely to encounter.
Take for example the daily trip to the Starbucks - you'll most likely only have your notebook in one hand and maybe a spare battery in your jacket pocket. It works great and gets the job done. But what if you plan your day and want to take a walk after getting your work done? A small messenger bag to keep your gear in and throw over the shoulder will keep both hands free now for that extra activity. You've got the solution for each situation, and it doesn't impact your comfort in a negative way.
Going away for more than a day, you'll throw in the AC adapter as well in that bag and keep you productive. If you know you're flying, an auto/air adapter will keep you powered in the taxi and on the flight.
Just because you don't need something every day, it doesn't mean having it is a disadvantage. For travel I like to keep different stuff handy depending on where I'm going or for how long I'll be gone for, so that I can pack the right gear that I know I'll need. If I know I'll be at a table all day, weight will not be such an issue. Likewise, if I'm going to be away from an outlet all day long, I'll know I'll need to keep at least two batteries with me. But if I'm walking a convention floor for 8 hours, weight will be the primary concern.
It's understandable that the minimum gear every serious notebook user would have is a second battery that they can swap midway through the day, and a small case that can carry their notebook and essential items. You may not need the case right now, but when the time comes when you do, you'll be much better prepared. An auto/air adapter would be another recommendation, as would a spare AC adapter.
What other gear would I consider purchasing? A cable lock is ideal if you know you will be working in an open environment or where others have access to your equipment, otherwise keep your notebook with you! A travel surge suppressor and outlet strip is also a handy item since hotel rooms do not always have the best quality power or keep those outlets accessible. Finally, a retractable cable set (USB, Cat5) would be on my list as well. Make sure your gear bag can fit these items, so that when you need them, you can just drop them in and go.
Depending on where you work, you may indeed not have to worry about battery power if you know there is an AC outlet nearby. But thinking like that can also get you into trouble! You can't always know where you may end up during the day, or determine in advance how your day will go. That's exactly why if I only bring one item with me for the day, carrying a spare battery as opposed to an AC adapter is the smarter choice. You don't want to end up like one of those poor souls you see at the airport or convention center sitting on the floor next to a power jack.
6. Re-evaluate your mobile routine every 8-12 months
Technology changes so fast it can be difficult keeping up. That great notebook you purchased six months ago may now be replaced with a newer model, or a new battery chemistry has just been put on the market that promises longer run times.
Evaluating your mobile needs and routine is something you should always do on a regular basis. Your work circumstances may change and require you do things differently without you even realizing it. Similarly, something you thought worked for you well may now be doable in a whole new way that boosts your productivity.
It's possible that an entirely new gadget has emerged that completely changes the way you interact online, or that notebook you thought had terrible battery life is now available with an extended battery. Maybe that favorite place you like to work at now offers free wifi, or you've spotted a new place open up that offers powered desks. Perhaps your cell phone service contract is up for renewal and let's you choose a better/different data plan.
Each of these circumstances opens up the possibility for you to change the way you work, and perhaps improve upon an idea already working well, or create a whole new idea. You might want to change your notebook for a lighter model, one that has more battery power, or purchase a second battery. Maybe you've realized your gear bag isn't so comfortable to carry for hours on end or you want something that can keep both hands free like a sling or backpack. It's possible you've found it best to recharge your notebook in the car between appointments and decided you need an adapter for the road. Maybe your notebook is old and your battery is degraded, and it's time to replace the battery.
Nobody's lifestyle stays the same forever, and this is especially true of notebook users. As important as it is to keep up with current news and stay on top of your work, you should also stay on top of your routine so that you can make subtle changes as necessary. Above all, make sure you keep control of your lifestyle, and that it doesn't take control over you.
7. Bonus section - Undervolting
As I was about to wrap up part one last month, this topic came to my attention which seemed to fit right in with the discussion. This is something I have yet to actually experiment with, but based on the results I have seen from others who have in fact tried, undervolting has much going for it.
Undervolting basically works your CPU at a lower voltage than normal at a given clock frequency multiplier. It involves the use of a special software tool. The end result is an improvement in notebook battery life thanks to the relaxed voltage flowing through the processor. It works equally well on both current AMD and Intel chips. The procedure has not been widely well documented though and does take somewhat of a learning curve to achieve.
Typical results may get anything from an extra 15-30 minutes to as much as an hour or more battery power. That kind of gain is impressive considering that it is available for "free" and will improve the life of any battery. Two additional side-benefits are that, firstly, since your CPU is running at a lower voltage, your notebook will be cooler. Secondly, this also means your fan may not need to run as aggressively, giving you a quieter notebook.
Conclusion:
So there you have it - seven things to look out for when maximizing the battery times on your notebook. This has been my longest piece to date, and while I may have sidetracked a little here and there, hopefully I've given a better understanding of how you can get the most out of your notebooks battery. At the very least, I've covered about as much as I can concerning batteries and how they interact with our use of notebooks.
4. Be realistic about what gear you can take along and need with you
You see it all the time - folks in airports, at trade shows and coffee shops toting around their notebooks. Most carry them in a separate case that screams "notebook inside", but some may not. Some have just their notebooks on them, others bring an arsenal of gear to the party. One guy's bag may be a light 3 pounds, another guy's bag may be a hefty 17 lbs. Big or small, you will bring it with you because you need it.
And therein lies the question: just exactly what is it that you need, and what is it you should bring?
Travel is something that will be different for everyone, depending on any number of variables. Obviously going to the local caffeine-and-sugar-repository for an hour will be different than heading through the international terminal at an airport for that 17-hour flight to your corporate getaway in the South Pacific. Likewise, when you're on your feet for 8 hours walking 6 miles a day on the 700,000 square-foot trade show floor during a convention, your gear bag may need to be considerably more forgiving than the time you spent 8 hours sitting on the balcony of your hotel room in Cabo San Lucas enjoying the ocean view.
Many years ago during my work as Director of Sales and Marketing for a national firm I often found myself on the road visiting clients. Bringing along a notebook was necessary as I needed to deliver more than just a killer sales presentation, but provide a live demonstration of the company's online services using the then-common 1xRTT mobile internet connection. Since all I needed was my notebook, that's all I took.
But when I had to attend week-long quarterly regional conferences across the country and my notebook was powered on all day, my requirements drastically changed. Bringing along the AC adapter was a no-brainer, since I needed to start work with a fully-charged notebook every morning. Finding an AC outlet during the day, however, wasn't so easy, and I found myself desperately needing more battery power. As a result my productivity at times became severely hampered. I didn't have an extended battery or a second battery on me, but having one on hand to swap out sure would have helped.
My mantra has always been to travel as light as possible. Fortunately I never needed a separate notebook case since my notebook at the time, an 8.9-inch Fujitsu P1120, fit inside my leather attache with the AC adapter without taking up much room. That was then. Today, I would most likely tote a 12 or 13-inch notebook, carry a second battery, and take it in a case that keeps both my hands free.
Would having multiple devices help? It's quite possible. The attraction of netbooks for use as secondary or "vacation" computers is quite prominent, and puts a serious dent in the appeal of even the best 12-inch notebooks. If you use a netbook for light duties and keep the bigger notebook for your more serious work, you not only have flexibility in choosing your work tool, but can get a case and spare battery that works perfectly with each.
What you do, however, may have a bigger impact on the stuff you need to bring with you. If you absolutely need processing/graphics performance and work with, for example, a big 17-inch quad-core SLI notebook, you might need to do some careful planning before you head out. Throwing four spare batteries in your gear bag is certainly doable and get you those untethered extended run times, but it will also be an expensive proposition and a heavy one to lug around. You most likely will only want to walk around with serious gear like that in a roller case. In instances such as these, I would opt for a location that offers a nearby power outlet and keep my AC adapter handy.
Many road warriors fall into the situation of carrying a ton of stuff with them "just in case", and I can understand their thinking. It's great when you can simply reach down to grab that AC adapter, car charger, mouse, spare battery, portable printer or cable lock whenever you need to. But stop for a moment and consider how many times you've carried all that gear along and never ever used it. I bet the answer is a lot! It's highly possible you could have gotten by with just your notebook at minimum, or with a spare battery at most. Does it make sense toting along that 14-inch roller case crammed with gear for just your 30 minute presentation? Think about what it is you'll be doing, bring only the stuff you need, and pack it in a case that stays small and light!
Airports present another classic problem in that most airlines will only allow two carry-on items on board, which for me would usually be an overnight bag and my leather attache. As my attache contains my work items/files and has no padding or compartment for a notebook, I would need an over-the-shoulder notebook bag to carry my notebook. Some airlines may allow you to bring on board a simple notebook case as a 3rd carry-on, which I have had happen to me on numerous occasions, but other times airline staff will be very persistent. It's a losing argument for them, however, as I simply cannot fit my notebook in my attache no matter how hard I try to show them, nor would I let either out of my sight as checked luggage. Seeing this trend, I have noticed many road warriors now fly with notebook cases that also contain compartments for their business items and double as their business case, effectively creating a single case that can be used for both. It's a logical way to fly, and if you ever do end up in a similar predicament, I would highly recommend buying such a notebook case that can take your business gear along as well, and make your time getting through the airport much easier.
5. Set a comfort level that works for you
Working on the move with a notebook does indeed open up your opportunities to be productive in ways that would not be possible otherwise. Ideally, you want a solution that gets the job done, with minimal effort and fits in with your lifestyle. Considering how we expect so much from notebook batteries though, and the idea that carrying larger batteries or additional batteries presents its own issues, one must think for a moment about what is comfortable to work with given personal preferences.
Carrying the dv4t with it's 12-cell battery around for an hour was something I found problematic to do - it was just too heavy for one hand. Would my opinion change had I carried it in an over-the-shoulder vertical messenger? It's highly possible. Comfort can be extremely subjective - something that works great for one person may be a total deal-breaker for another. It would be wrong of me to recommend one solution that works for me that may not be ideal for others, that is why it is important be aware of not only the gear that you take around with you, but also stay conscious of your surrounds throughout your mobile adventures.
Would carrying a lighter 11-inch Sony TT work better for me? It probably would. But once it's in a case it again becomes difficult to argue against a 13 or 14-inch HP. It begs the question how do you go with a setup when your needs change with the way you work and move around. I think the best answer is to establish a certain approach for each possible scenario that you are likely to encounter.
Take for example the daily trip to the Starbucks - you'll most likely only have your notebook in one hand and maybe a spare battery in your jacket pocket. It works great and gets the job done. But what if you plan your day and want to take a walk after getting your work done? A small messenger bag to keep your gear in and throw over the shoulder will keep both hands free now for that extra activity. You've got the solution for each situation, and it doesn't impact your comfort in a negative way.
Going away for more than a day, you'll throw in the AC adapter as well in that bag and keep you productive. If you know you're flying, an auto/air adapter will keep you powered in the taxi and on the flight.
Just because you don't need something every day, it doesn't mean having it is a disadvantage. For travel I like to keep different stuff handy depending on where I'm going or for how long I'll be gone for, so that I can pack the right gear that I know I'll need. If I know I'll be at a table all day, weight will not be such an issue. Likewise, if I'm going to be away from an outlet all day long, I'll know I'll need to keep at least two batteries with me. But if I'm walking a convention floor for 8 hours, weight will be the primary concern.
It's understandable that the minimum gear every serious notebook user would have is a second battery that they can swap midway through the day, and a small case that can carry their notebook and essential items. You may not need the case right now, but when the time comes when you do, you'll be much better prepared. An auto/air adapter would be another recommendation, as would a spare AC adapter.
What other gear would I consider purchasing? A cable lock is ideal if you know you will be working in an open environment or where others have access to your equipment, otherwise keep your notebook with you! A travel surge suppressor and outlet strip is also a handy item since hotel rooms do not always have the best quality power or keep those outlets accessible. Finally, a retractable cable set (USB, Cat5) would be on my list as well. Make sure your gear bag can fit these items, so that when you need them, you can just drop them in and go.
Depending on where you work, you may indeed not have to worry about battery power if you know there is an AC outlet nearby. But thinking like that can also get you into trouble! You can't always know where you may end up during the day, or determine in advance how your day will go. That's exactly why if I only bring one item with me for the day, carrying a spare battery as opposed to an AC adapter is the smarter choice. You don't want to end up like one of those poor souls you see at the airport or convention center sitting on the floor next to a power jack.
6. Re-evaluate your mobile routine every 8-12 months
Technology changes so fast it can be difficult keeping up. That great notebook you purchased six months ago may now be replaced with a newer model, or a new battery chemistry has just been put on the market that promises longer run times.
Evaluating your mobile needs and routine is something you should always do on a regular basis. Your work circumstances may change and require you do things differently without you even realizing it. Similarly, something you thought worked for you well may now be doable in a whole new way that boosts your productivity.
It's possible that an entirely new gadget has emerged that completely changes the way you interact online, or that notebook you thought had terrible battery life is now available with an extended battery. Maybe that favorite place you like to work at now offers free wifi, or you've spotted a new place open up that offers powered desks. Perhaps your cell phone service contract is up for renewal and let's you choose a better/different data plan.
Each of these circumstances opens up the possibility for you to change the way you work, and perhaps improve upon an idea already working well, or create a whole new idea. You might want to change your notebook for a lighter model, one that has more battery power, or purchase a second battery. Maybe you've realized your gear bag isn't so comfortable to carry for hours on end or you want something that can keep both hands free like a sling or backpack. It's possible you've found it best to recharge your notebook in the car between appointments and decided you need an adapter for the road. Maybe your notebook is old and your battery is degraded, and it's time to replace the battery.
Nobody's lifestyle stays the same forever, and this is especially true of notebook users. As important as it is to keep up with current news and stay on top of your work, you should also stay on top of your routine so that you can make subtle changes as necessary. Above all, make sure you keep control of your lifestyle, and that it doesn't take control over you.
7. Bonus section - Undervolting
As I was about to wrap up part one last month, this topic came to my attention which seemed to fit right in with the discussion. This is something I have yet to actually experiment with, but based on the results I have seen from others who have in fact tried, undervolting has much going for it.
Undervolting basically works your CPU at a lower voltage than normal at a given clock frequency multiplier. It involves the use of a special software tool. The end result is an improvement in notebook battery life thanks to the relaxed voltage flowing through the processor. It works equally well on both current AMD and Intel chips. The procedure has not been widely well documented though and does take somewhat of a learning curve to achieve.
Typical results may get anything from an extra 15-30 minutes to as much as an hour or more battery power. That kind of gain is impressive considering that it is available for "free" and will improve the life of any battery. Two additional side-benefits are that, firstly, since your CPU is running at a lower voltage, your notebook will be cooler. Secondly, this also means your fan may not need to run as aggressively, giving you a quieter notebook.
Conclusion:
So there you have it - seven things to look out for when maximizing the battery times on your notebook. This has been my longest piece to date, and while I may have sidetracked a little here and there, hopefully I've given a better understanding of how you can get the most out of your notebooks battery. At the very least, I've covered about as much as I can concerning batteries and how they interact with our use of notebooks.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
In The News #1 - 10 Things to Consider when choosing an Extended Battery
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is yet another new series of posts to appear on my blog, this time highlighting my work which has been featured by the professional tech journalism elite.
First published - Tom's Guide 5/11/2009 (click on link to read)
Introduction to topic:
Notebooks have become increasingly predominant in recent years, and today manage to outsell desktops. It is easy to understand their popularity – notebooks are more portable, pack the same features as a desktop, can be found for under $500 and can run totally unplugged for hours on battery power.
That last point – battery power – is critical of notebooks. For many users, a notebook purchase is dependent on it’s ability to run on battery power, since they need something they can easily take with them to places where they may not be able to plug in to mains power. For others, notebook battery power will be a paramount concern as they may need to get by for extended periods, or they simply don’t want the hassle of dealing with cords and finding an outlet.
My recent experience using a HP dv4t notebook with the 12-cell extended battery gave me a great example of just how much the right battery can make a difference to not only notebook power, but also how you use your notebook. Mobile road warriors in particular will attest to this. If you’ve been thinking of getting an extended battery for your notebook, or have wished many times that your notebook had more juice in it after it went dead, this article will hopefully give you a better idea of the options available to you, and the things you should take into consideration when choosing an extended battery.
BTW: I am not affiliated with HP in any way, I’m just a satisfied user of their product.
1. Do you really need an extended battery?
This will be the first question you need to ask yourself. Your work (or play) will more than likely already define how you spend your day, and throwing a notebook into the mix will certainly change things for you. If you already have a notebook, think about how you use it and where you use it. Do you keep it on your desk plugged in constantly or grab it with the coffee before you bolt out the door every morning? Do you find yourself needing 5-8 hours of battery power every day or do you spent 5-8 hours running around town with it and just need sporadic power? Do you bring along just the notebook or have one of those fancy multiple-compartment cases crammed with accessories?
If you’re shopping for a notebook, you may want to keep these in mind as well as look at size, features and prices. Finding a notebook that has what you want for features and price is one thing, but does it have the battery power you’re going to need? Likewise, does that 8-hour notebook the sales guy’s been pitching to you for the last 15 minutes have the features/performance you need and will it be light enough to carry all day?
The bottom line you need to think about here is how long you will intend to keep your notebook powered on for while you are away from the outlet. If the answer to that is not long, or if the outlet is close by, chances are you probably don’t need an extended battery.
If, however, you know you are going to be nowhere near AC power and/or need juice in your notebook for several hours to an entire day, you will definitely be better off getting an extended battery, or perhaps even two.
2. Run time
How long your battery goes for will depend on three main factors – the battery itself, the hardware your notebook has in it, and your usage habits.
Let’s start with that last one, usage habits, since you probably already know what you’re using your notebook for. Light activities such as web surfing and office apps will give you much longer run time than multimedia tasks such as movie playback and 3D gaming. The differences in run times here can be quite staggering – using my HP dv4 I could get 5 solid hours surfing online, but that battery time got cut down to just over 4 hours for movie watching and only 2 and a half hours while gaming. If you tend to take breaks frequently while you work, you may find your battery goes longer than if you work constantly, since the notebook will be running on idle more often. Of course, you should check your Windows power settings and make sure to have “max battery” enabled to get the most from your battery.
When looking at hardware, higher-end components are not always battery friendly. Take Intel’s mobile Core 2 Duo CPU – their T-series processors are rated at 35W TDP, but their similar speed P-series processors run at just 25W. 10 watts less power means more juice left in your battery. In a similar fashion, integrated graphics will consume less power than dedicated graphics processors because of the relaxed feature set. If your display is an LED backlit screen, it will use less power than the same display that is non-LED. And opting for a more expensive SSD drive that uses 1.5W will also boost your battery times compared to regular mechanical drives that typically run at 2.5W.
It’s best to really do your research and look at the options when configuring a notebook, especially if you intend to get every bit of power out of your notebook’s battery.
This also underlines the fact that quoted battery times are almost never what you end up getting under real conditions. That’s because manufacturers will run a common synthetic benchmark such as MobileMark2007 or the older Ziff Davis BatteryMark in order to establish measurable comparisons between different batteries and different notebooks. That’s good when trying to compare a Sony notebook to a HP, but the catch is manufacturers will perform these benchmarks on a model that has bare minimum hardware, using their biggest battery, under predefined settings, and quote a simulated maximum battery time. So don’t be surprised, however, if that 8-hour battery only gives you 6 to 7-hours in the real world.
Finally, while it is beyond the scope of this article, undervolting can also yield significant increases in battery times. Results have shown up to 25% longer performance, that’s a full hour or more in some cases. And unlike overclocking, undervolting is completely safe – the worst you’ll end up with is a BSOD. Two great side benefits to this trick are that you will also get an incredibly quieter and cooler running notebook.
3. Configuration
When it comes to choosing your battery, you may have 2 or even 3 choices for your particular notebook model. Be prepared though to face three common terms – no. of cells, amp hours and watt hours. Each determine your battery’s capacity, and understanding them will help take the guesswork out when it comes to choosing a battery.
For the HP dv4t, I had the choice of 3 options when configuring my battery:
Some notebooks may not offer you a configuration option, leaving you with just the standard battery as a second purchase. Others may have options like a 3-cell, 6-cell and 9-cell. Check your owner’s manual or go online to the manufacturer’s website to see what batteries your particular notebook can support, and look up the specs to determine your battery’s capacity.
Finally, while having more cells does translate into longer battery times, it may not necessarily give you the most efficient solution. When looking at the smaller dv3t notebook, HP offers a 9-cell extended battery rated at 2.55 amp hours and 83 watt hours - very close in performance to the 12-cell, but in a smaller and lighter configuration. It’s something to keep in mind when comparing models.
4. Size and weight
Another thing to consider is size and weight, and I don’t just mean the notebook itself. Your svelte 0.95 inch thin notebook may be light at 3.95 lbs, but if your “uber capacity” battery adds another pound and a half to it’s weight and you need to carry it around in one hand all day, suddenly it isn’t so fun anymore.
Taking my HP dv4t again as an example, the 6-cell and extended capacity 6-cell are both exactly the same size, and both weigh 0.7 lbs each. It’s safe to assume that the notebook weight that is quoted will include the standard battery, but some manufacturers may list it separately. The 12-cell, however, packs on an additional 0.7 lbs and sticks out an inch on the bottom along the rear. What this means is that while the notebook will get excellent battery times, adding a 12-cell will make it heavier and somewhat bigger.
There are several advantages though to this technique, and I’ve seen other notebooks follow this example too. Because the back is now lifted when you place the notebook down, you get a slightly elevated keyboard that is now slanted, creating better typing comfort. It also allows better airflow to the fan on the bottom making the notebook run a notch quieter and cooler. Lastly, I’ve found that extra 1-inch sticking out lets me hold the notebook more securely when I grab it.
I should mention that HP gave me the option to get both a 6-cell and the larger 12-cell battery when configuring my system. That’s good if you want to keep your notebook small and light, but still gives you the flexibility of having a second, bigger battery available when you need the extra power.
One thing you do want to be careful of is not end up getting a notebook/battery combination that is too heavy to carry at the expense of gaining battery time. That 12-cell may indeed increase your productivity while you’re mobile, but if carrying it for an hour or more gets tiring and fatigue begins to set in, it might well do the opposite and actually hamper your productivity. Sometimes a smaller notebook with two batteries works better than a larger notebook with the biggest battery. Many road warriors also fall into the trap of taking a bunch of stuff with them “just in case”, yet could be just as productive carrying only the bare essentials. My golden rule here is simple: always travel as light as you can, and if you need a case, get one!
5. Price
Not surprisingly, we should mention price in the midst of our discussion. This is something you may need to pay attention to if you are shopping on a budget, but also if you already have a notebook and are just looking for a spare battery.
Many manufacturers will give you a discount when you buy an extended battery with the notebook. HP may knock 20% off the price if you buy a spare battery with your notebook purchase. But even if there is no immediate discount, you may still want to make your choice carefully – if that 12-cell sells for $150 and the 6-cell sells for $130, guess which one gives you the best bang for the buck? If you can find coupons that give you a discount, you can make a lot of savings. One other thing you can do is surf around the web and compare prices. Even if your battery is available, you might just find it cheaper from an alternative retailer.
Financing is another option you may want to consider if buying your spare battery with your notebook. Best Buy for example offers 18 months no interest for many of their purchases, letting you enjoy your new mobile freedom and make comfortable monthly payments.
One thing I would certainly not recommend is buying batteries that are used, even if the savings are substantial. It’s difficult to know what condition that battery may be in - you don’t want to end up with a dead “paperweight”, or worse, a battery that was on a recent recall list that could potentially damage your equipment. Always buy batteries that come with the full manufacturer warranty in the event you encounter issues and need a replacement later on.
6. Cell technology
Older notebooks used nickel-metal hydride batteries, or NiMH. Over the years manufacturers began replacing this design with Lithium-Ion (Li-ion) batteries, and now many manufacturers are moving on to Lithium-polymer (Li-poly) batteries, such as the new 17” MacBook Pro from Apple.
Li-ion batteries are superior to NiMH because the more advanced chemistry offers better performance - energy density of Li-ion cells are higher than NiMH, and Li-ion cells exhibit relatively low self-discharge (5%) rates compared to NiMH (30%). Li-ion batteries also don’t suffer from memory effect. In layman’s terms, Li-ion batteries will store more energy than same sized NiMH cells and hold that energy longer. The downfall for Li-ion is if they are shorted or overcharged, they are susceptible to explosion, and thus require integrated circuitry to carefully monitor voltage.
The move to Li-poly batteries was made notable recently by Apple, although the technology has been available for use for over a decade. Li-poly differentiates itself from Li-ion in that it does not require a hard casing and can be shaped to fit as needed. The fact that there is no cell spacing allows energy density to improve by over 20% compared to Li-ion designs. Finally, Li-poly is cheaper to manufacture than Li-ion and more robust to physical damage.
I would be hesitant, however, to buy a notebook with a built-in Li-poly battery compared to a removable Li-poly or Li-ion, simply because you are left with a useless notebook when the battery dies. The ability to swap batteries midway through your workday and maintain your productivity without being near AC power is an important consideration to keep in mind.
Finally, regardless of which chemistry your battery uses, all batteries will degrade over time. A reasonable ballpark figure to work with is approx. 10%-20% per year. You may not notice after a year or two, but a 4 or 5-year-old notebook will more than likely need a battery replacement.
7. Brand name or after-market
You may have noticed traditional battery manufacturers like Duracell offer notebook replacement batteries. While my recommendation would be to stick with a manufacturer-branded battery for best performance and compatibility, after-market batteries often sell for far less, sometimes at half the price of what the notebook manufacturer may charge. These may be worth a look if you are on a tight budget, but also if your manufacturer no longer offers batteries for your particular model. For many older notebooks, after-market batteries may be your only option when looking for a battery replacement. It’s also not unlikely uncommon that an after-market battery will be available with bigger capacity than the original battery that came with your notebook.
Another rather innovative idea has been the use of external slab batteries that connect thru the AC jack – Tom’s did look at such a battery from APC a while ago. I have to admit these products are hard to find today and are all but discontinued.
Would I use such an external slab battery? I’m not so sure. While they do have the advantage of offering universal compatibility with just about any notebook via adapter tips and voltage settings, your notebook won’t know it’s on battery power – it will still think you have the AC adapter plugged in! This opens up a proverbial can of worms, most notable being that you now create a situation where if your main notebook battery is down and you then plug your external battery in and it also runs out, your notebook will just turn off cold and kill whatever you were working on at the time – much the same way your notebook would turn off if you remove your main battery while the notebook is on and then pull out the power cord.
The reason this can happen is because unlike an AC adapter, these slab batteries may only pass power to the notebook, not power the notebook and charge the battery at the same time. With my HP dv4t, the original battery was rated at 2.2 amp hours, but the AC adapter can provide 4.1 amps DC, powering both the notebook and the charging circuit. So even if you match the voltage, your external “dumb” battery may not have the amp capacity to feed power the same way your AC adapter does. If you decide to go with an external battery like this, my best advice is to plug it in first, let it run down and then continue working off your notebook’s own battery, so that if it is time to shut down, your notebook can go into hibernation mode properly.
8. Availability and feasibility
Depending on your notebook, you may run into the situation where a new or replacement battery isn’t available. This is most common on older notebooks, but I could also imagine this same situation occur with a recent but more obscure notebook model from a foreign brand. Notebooks from well-known manufacturers are supported quite well, and even if your battery isn’t listed for sale, a quick part number search online will most likely locate what you need. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a battery match that has the only English letters on the label saying nothing except Made in China, it’s possible your notebook battery may not even be available in the US. This is certainly true for import notebooks sold by gray-market retailers. It’s also something to keep in mind next time you pull out the plastic on that Asian shopping spree.
When determining availability, always start with your notebook’s manufacturer and contact their support. Rather than running around to your local Best Buy or Fry’s, you’ll get better luck if you let your fingers do the walking. A quick Google search will usually get results if you know your notebook’s model number or use the part number shown on the battery. While I do not want to recommend retailers that I haven’t purchased from, online suppliers such as Duracelldirect.com, laptopbatteryexpress.com and ebatts.com have a vast selection on their website that should get you pointed in the right direction.
There may be circumstances though where even if your notebook is old and a new battery is available that it simply wouldn’t be feasible. If you have a 4 or 5-year-old notebook and have looked at the price of a replacement battery, that cost, especially if it is between $100-$170 or higher, might be better invested in the purchase of a new notebook. Another example of where it makes little sense to invest in a new battery is when the run time will have only negligible effect. This is especially true for older, power-hungry notebooks with obsolete hardware. If you’re only getting an hour at best on battery, it may be better to put your money towards a new, more efficient notebook that can give you 3 or 4 hours of battery time rather than spend money on a second battery that will only give you another hour as before.
Finally, if you’re using a large desktop replacement, consider downsizing to an economical 13 inch or smaller. It’s not uncommon for folks these days to have a second computer, and with notebook prices starting below $500, picking one up with a second battery could be just what you need to regain your freedom and productivity.
9. Portability
As I mentioned with regards to size and weight, portability will be a key factor. You want a solution that will let you move freely, but at the same time give you the power you need without necessarily anchoring you to one spot.
If you are traveling light, chances are you’ll probably have just your notebook and a spare battery to switch midway through the day. This works fine for many folks, especially since that extra battery can be stashed inside a jacket pocket. The smaller and lighter your notebook is, the easier it will be for you to get around. Anything more than a notebook and spare battery though, and you probably will be looking for a case to hold everything in, including items like mice and power adapters.
You also want to select carefully the size and type of notebook case. It makes little sense buying a larger, heavier case designed for a 17 inch notebook if your device is a 13 inch, so match the case size as close as you can inch-for-inch with your notebook. If you are concerned about carrying gear, you can pick a case that has multiple compartments or pockets to hold your items. If your choice is for a form-fitting sleeve, make sure you take your notebook along and try it for size with your extended battery attached – batteries that stick out may not fit well for certain sleeves.
Finally, depending on where you are going or how far you are going, you may want to opt for a roller case in lieu of an over-the-shoulder bag. Backpacks, slings and vertical messengers also work great when you want to keep both hands free. Ideally, you want something that doesn’t hinder either your work or your mobility. Whatever type of case you choose or however you take your notebook around with you, the important thing is to choose what works best for you and what is most comfortable for you, while avoiding any fatigue from tiredness.
10. Productivity
In the end it all comes down to how your choices impact your productivity. Your solution should be one that let’s you get around freely without interrupting your journey. It should give you the power you need without having to plug in or cut short your time. And it should allow you to keep focused on what you do rather than take your mind elsewhere.
You may find you need more than two batteries to get through the task, a more powerful notebook, or just need a basic notebook alone without all the extra gear. Perhaps the roller case lets you bring more items along and boost your productivity, or going for that smaller, lighter notebook has made running around all day more effortless.
It is important to regularly monitor your tech lifestyle and make changes as necessary. You may find your notebook has been replaced by one that offers more power for the same battery time, or you can now buy a newer model that’s much lighter. Maybe you’ve discovered a new place open nearby where you can work that offers free wifi, and saves you using your expensive and capped 3G. Or you’ve just been given a new assignment and need to change your workday from being in a cubicle to being on the go.
Whether you measure your productivity in hours spent sitting in front of a screen, miles driven in a car or blocks walked from one office to the next, the right choice in notebook and battery will be one that gets you through it all, with minimal effort and no thought.
Because if you are thinking about battery life, if you are thinking about where do I find power, if you cannot get away from the cord, find yourself lugging around a concrete slab, your mind is constantly being distracted by fatigue and your productivity is being hindered by tiredness – if any one of these has been on your mind, then you will need to take a look back and make changes to your routine.
First published - Tom's Guide 5/11/2009 (click on link to read)
Introduction to topic:
Notebooks have become increasingly predominant in recent years, and today manage to outsell desktops. It is easy to understand their popularity – notebooks are more portable, pack the same features as a desktop, can be found for under $500 and can run totally unplugged for hours on battery power.
That last point – battery power – is critical of notebooks. For many users, a notebook purchase is dependent on it’s ability to run on battery power, since they need something they can easily take with them to places where they may not be able to plug in to mains power. For others, notebook battery power will be a paramount concern as they may need to get by for extended periods, or they simply don’t want the hassle of dealing with cords and finding an outlet.
My recent experience using a HP dv4t notebook with the 12-cell extended battery gave me a great example of just how much the right battery can make a difference to not only notebook power, but also how you use your notebook. Mobile road warriors in particular will attest to this. If you’ve been thinking of getting an extended battery for your notebook, or have wished many times that your notebook had more juice in it after it went dead, this article will hopefully give you a better idea of the options available to you, and the things you should take into consideration when choosing an extended battery.
BTW: I am not affiliated with HP in any way, I’m just a satisfied user of their product.
1. Do you really need an extended battery?
This will be the first question you need to ask yourself. Your work (or play) will more than likely already define how you spend your day, and throwing a notebook into the mix will certainly change things for you. If you already have a notebook, think about how you use it and where you use it. Do you keep it on your desk plugged in constantly or grab it with the coffee before you bolt out the door every morning? Do you find yourself needing 5-8 hours of battery power every day or do you spent 5-8 hours running around town with it and just need sporadic power? Do you bring along just the notebook or have one of those fancy multiple-compartment cases crammed with accessories?
If you’re shopping for a notebook, you may want to keep these in mind as well as look at size, features and prices. Finding a notebook that has what you want for features and price is one thing, but does it have the battery power you’re going to need? Likewise, does that 8-hour notebook the sales guy’s been pitching to you for the last 15 minutes have the features/performance you need and will it be light enough to carry all day?
The bottom line you need to think about here is how long you will intend to keep your notebook powered on for while you are away from the outlet. If the answer to that is not long, or if the outlet is close by, chances are you probably don’t need an extended battery.
If, however, you know you are going to be nowhere near AC power and/or need juice in your notebook for several hours to an entire day, you will definitely be better off getting an extended battery, or perhaps even two.
2. Run time
How long your battery goes for will depend on three main factors – the battery itself, the hardware your notebook has in it, and your usage habits.
Let’s start with that last one, usage habits, since you probably already know what you’re using your notebook for. Light activities such as web surfing and office apps will give you much longer run time than multimedia tasks such as movie playback and 3D gaming. The differences in run times here can be quite staggering – using my HP dv4 I could get 5 solid hours surfing online, but that battery time got cut down to just over 4 hours for movie watching and only 2 and a half hours while gaming. If you tend to take breaks frequently while you work, you may find your battery goes longer than if you work constantly, since the notebook will be running on idle more often. Of course, you should check your Windows power settings and make sure to have “max battery” enabled to get the most from your battery.
When looking at hardware, higher-end components are not always battery friendly. Take Intel’s mobile Core 2 Duo CPU – their T-series processors are rated at 35W TDP, but their similar speed P-series processors run at just 25W. 10 watts less power means more juice left in your battery. In a similar fashion, integrated graphics will consume less power than dedicated graphics processors because of the relaxed feature set. If your display is an LED backlit screen, it will use less power than the same display that is non-LED. And opting for a more expensive SSD drive that uses 1.5W will also boost your battery times compared to regular mechanical drives that typically run at 2.5W.
It’s best to really do your research and look at the options when configuring a notebook, especially if you intend to get every bit of power out of your notebook’s battery.
This also underlines the fact that quoted battery times are almost never what you end up getting under real conditions. That’s because manufacturers will run a common synthetic benchmark such as MobileMark2007 or the older Ziff Davis BatteryMark in order to establish measurable comparisons between different batteries and different notebooks. That’s good when trying to compare a Sony notebook to a HP, but the catch is manufacturers will perform these benchmarks on a model that has bare minimum hardware, using their biggest battery, under predefined settings, and quote a simulated maximum battery time. So don’t be surprised, however, if that 8-hour battery only gives you 6 to 7-hours in the real world.
Finally, while it is beyond the scope of this article, undervolting can also yield significant increases in battery times. Results have shown up to 25% longer performance, that’s a full hour or more in some cases. And unlike overclocking, undervolting is completely safe – the worst you’ll end up with is a BSOD. Two great side benefits to this trick are that you will also get an incredibly quieter and cooler running notebook.
3. Configuration
When it comes to choosing your battery, you may have 2 or even 3 choices for your particular notebook model. Be prepared though to face three common terms – no. of cells, amp hours and watt hours. Each determine your battery’s capacity, and understanding them will help take the guesswork out when it comes to choosing a battery.
For the HP dv4t, I had the choice of 3 options when configuring my battery:
- Standard 6-cell battery rated at 2.2 amp hours and 47 watt hours
- High-capacity 6-cell battery rated at 2.55 amp hours and 55 watt hours
- 12-cell extended battery rated at 2.2 amp hours and 94 watt hours.
Some notebooks may not offer you a configuration option, leaving you with just the standard battery as a second purchase. Others may have options like a 3-cell, 6-cell and 9-cell. Check your owner’s manual or go online to the manufacturer’s website to see what batteries your particular notebook can support, and look up the specs to determine your battery’s capacity.
Finally, while having more cells does translate into longer battery times, it may not necessarily give you the most efficient solution. When looking at the smaller dv3t notebook, HP offers a 9-cell extended battery rated at 2.55 amp hours and 83 watt hours - very close in performance to the 12-cell, but in a smaller and lighter configuration. It’s something to keep in mind when comparing models.
4. Size and weight
Another thing to consider is size and weight, and I don’t just mean the notebook itself. Your svelte 0.95 inch thin notebook may be light at 3.95 lbs, but if your “uber capacity” battery adds another pound and a half to it’s weight and you need to carry it around in one hand all day, suddenly it isn’t so fun anymore.
Taking my HP dv4t again as an example, the 6-cell and extended capacity 6-cell are both exactly the same size, and both weigh 0.7 lbs each. It’s safe to assume that the notebook weight that is quoted will include the standard battery, but some manufacturers may list it separately. The 12-cell, however, packs on an additional 0.7 lbs and sticks out an inch on the bottom along the rear. What this means is that while the notebook will get excellent battery times, adding a 12-cell will make it heavier and somewhat bigger.
There are several advantages though to this technique, and I’ve seen other notebooks follow this example too. Because the back is now lifted when you place the notebook down, you get a slightly elevated keyboard that is now slanted, creating better typing comfort. It also allows better airflow to the fan on the bottom making the notebook run a notch quieter and cooler. Lastly, I’ve found that extra 1-inch sticking out lets me hold the notebook more securely when I grab it.
I should mention that HP gave me the option to get both a 6-cell and the larger 12-cell battery when configuring my system. That’s good if you want to keep your notebook small and light, but still gives you the flexibility of having a second, bigger battery available when you need the extra power.
One thing you do want to be careful of is not end up getting a notebook/battery combination that is too heavy to carry at the expense of gaining battery time. That 12-cell may indeed increase your productivity while you’re mobile, but if carrying it for an hour or more gets tiring and fatigue begins to set in, it might well do the opposite and actually hamper your productivity. Sometimes a smaller notebook with two batteries works better than a larger notebook with the biggest battery. Many road warriors also fall into the trap of taking a bunch of stuff with them “just in case”, yet could be just as productive carrying only the bare essentials. My golden rule here is simple: always travel as light as you can, and if you need a case, get one!
5. Price
Not surprisingly, we should mention price in the midst of our discussion. This is something you may need to pay attention to if you are shopping on a budget, but also if you already have a notebook and are just looking for a spare battery.
Many manufacturers will give you a discount when you buy an extended battery with the notebook. HP may knock 20% off the price if you buy a spare battery with your notebook purchase. But even if there is no immediate discount, you may still want to make your choice carefully – if that 12-cell sells for $150 and the 6-cell sells for $130, guess which one gives you the best bang for the buck? If you can find coupons that give you a discount, you can make a lot of savings. One other thing you can do is surf around the web and compare prices. Even if your battery is available, you might just find it cheaper from an alternative retailer.
Financing is another option you may want to consider if buying your spare battery with your notebook. Best Buy for example offers 18 months no interest for many of their purchases, letting you enjoy your new mobile freedom and make comfortable monthly payments.
One thing I would certainly not recommend is buying batteries that are used, even if the savings are substantial. It’s difficult to know what condition that battery may be in - you don’t want to end up with a dead “paperweight”, or worse, a battery that was on a recent recall list that could potentially damage your equipment. Always buy batteries that come with the full manufacturer warranty in the event you encounter issues and need a replacement later on.
6. Cell technology
Older notebooks used nickel-metal hydride batteries, or NiMH. Over the years manufacturers began replacing this design with Lithium-Ion (Li-ion) batteries, and now many manufacturers are moving on to Lithium-polymer (Li-poly) batteries, such as the new 17” MacBook Pro from Apple.
Li-ion batteries are superior to NiMH because the more advanced chemistry offers better performance - energy density of Li-ion cells are higher than NiMH, and Li-ion cells exhibit relatively low self-discharge (5%) rates compared to NiMH (30%). Li-ion batteries also don’t suffer from memory effect. In layman’s terms, Li-ion batteries will store more energy than same sized NiMH cells and hold that energy longer. The downfall for Li-ion is if they are shorted or overcharged, they are susceptible to explosion, and thus require integrated circuitry to carefully monitor voltage.
The move to Li-poly batteries was made notable recently by Apple, although the technology has been available for use for over a decade. Li-poly differentiates itself from Li-ion in that it does not require a hard casing and can be shaped to fit as needed. The fact that there is no cell spacing allows energy density to improve by over 20% compared to Li-ion designs. Finally, Li-poly is cheaper to manufacture than Li-ion and more robust to physical damage.
I would be hesitant, however, to buy a notebook with a built-in Li-poly battery compared to a removable Li-poly or Li-ion, simply because you are left with a useless notebook when the battery dies. The ability to swap batteries midway through your workday and maintain your productivity without being near AC power is an important consideration to keep in mind.
Finally, regardless of which chemistry your battery uses, all batteries will degrade over time. A reasonable ballpark figure to work with is approx. 10%-20% per year. You may not notice after a year or two, but a 4 or 5-year-old notebook will more than likely need a battery replacement.
7. Brand name or after-market
You may have noticed traditional battery manufacturers like Duracell offer notebook replacement batteries. While my recommendation would be to stick with a manufacturer-branded battery for best performance and compatibility, after-market batteries often sell for far less, sometimes at half the price of what the notebook manufacturer may charge. These may be worth a look if you are on a tight budget, but also if your manufacturer no longer offers batteries for your particular model. For many older notebooks, after-market batteries may be your only option when looking for a battery replacement. It’s also not unlikely uncommon that an after-market battery will be available with bigger capacity than the original battery that came with your notebook.
Another rather innovative idea has been the use of external slab batteries that connect thru the AC jack – Tom’s did look at such a battery from APC a while ago. I have to admit these products are hard to find today and are all but discontinued.
Would I use such an external slab battery? I’m not so sure. While they do have the advantage of offering universal compatibility with just about any notebook via adapter tips and voltage settings, your notebook won’t know it’s on battery power – it will still think you have the AC adapter plugged in! This opens up a proverbial can of worms, most notable being that you now create a situation where if your main notebook battery is down and you then plug your external battery in and it also runs out, your notebook will just turn off cold and kill whatever you were working on at the time – much the same way your notebook would turn off if you remove your main battery while the notebook is on and then pull out the power cord.
The reason this can happen is because unlike an AC adapter, these slab batteries may only pass power to the notebook, not power the notebook and charge the battery at the same time. With my HP dv4t, the original battery was rated at 2.2 amp hours, but the AC adapter can provide 4.1 amps DC, powering both the notebook and the charging circuit. So even if you match the voltage, your external “dumb” battery may not have the amp capacity to feed power the same way your AC adapter does. If you decide to go with an external battery like this, my best advice is to plug it in first, let it run down and then continue working off your notebook’s own battery, so that if it is time to shut down, your notebook can go into hibernation mode properly.
8. Availability and feasibility
Depending on your notebook, you may run into the situation where a new or replacement battery isn’t available. This is most common on older notebooks, but I could also imagine this same situation occur with a recent but more obscure notebook model from a foreign brand. Notebooks from well-known manufacturers are supported quite well, and even if your battery isn’t listed for sale, a quick part number search online will most likely locate what you need. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a battery match that has the only English letters on the label saying nothing except Made in China, it’s possible your notebook battery may not even be available in the US. This is certainly true for import notebooks sold by gray-market retailers. It’s also something to keep in mind next time you pull out the plastic on that Asian shopping spree.
When determining availability, always start with your notebook’s manufacturer and contact their support. Rather than running around to your local Best Buy or Fry’s, you’ll get better luck if you let your fingers do the walking. A quick Google search will usually get results if you know your notebook’s model number or use the part number shown on the battery. While I do not want to recommend retailers that I haven’t purchased from, online suppliers such as Duracelldirect.com, laptopbatteryexpress.com and ebatts.com have a vast selection on their website that should get you pointed in the right direction.
There may be circumstances though where even if your notebook is old and a new battery is available that it simply wouldn’t be feasible. If you have a 4 or 5-year-old notebook and have looked at the price of a replacement battery, that cost, especially if it is between $100-$170 or higher, might be better invested in the purchase of a new notebook. Another example of where it makes little sense to invest in a new battery is when the run time will have only negligible effect. This is especially true for older, power-hungry notebooks with obsolete hardware. If you’re only getting an hour at best on battery, it may be better to put your money towards a new, more efficient notebook that can give you 3 or 4 hours of battery time rather than spend money on a second battery that will only give you another hour as before.
Finally, if you’re using a large desktop replacement, consider downsizing to an economical 13 inch or smaller. It’s not uncommon for folks these days to have a second computer, and with notebook prices starting below $500, picking one up with a second battery could be just what you need to regain your freedom and productivity.
9. Portability
As I mentioned with regards to size and weight, portability will be a key factor. You want a solution that will let you move freely, but at the same time give you the power you need without necessarily anchoring you to one spot.
If you are traveling light, chances are you’ll probably have just your notebook and a spare battery to switch midway through the day. This works fine for many folks, especially since that extra battery can be stashed inside a jacket pocket. The smaller and lighter your notebook is, the easier it will be for you to get around. Anything more than a notebook and spare battery though, and you probably will be looking for a case to hold everything in, including items like mice and power adapters.
You also want to select carefully the size and type of notebook case. It makes little sense buying a larger, heavier case designed for a 17 inch notebook if your device is a 13 inch, so match the case size as close as you can inch-for-inch with your notebook. If you are concerned about carrying gear, you can pick a case that has multiple compartments or pockets to hold your items. If your choice is for a form-fitting sleeve, make sure you take your notebook along and try it for size with your extended battery attached – batteries that stick out may not fit well for certain sleeves.
Finally, depending on where you are going or how far you are going, you may want to opt for a roller case in lieu of an over-the-shoulder bag. Backpacks, slings and vertical messengers also work great when you want to keep both hands free. Ideally, you want something that doesn’t hinder either your work or your mobility. Whatever type of case you choose or however you take your notebook around with you, the important thing is to choose what works best for you and what is most comfortable for you, while avoiding any fatigue from tiredness.
10. Productivity
In the end it all comes down to how your choices impact your productivity. Your solution should be one that let’s you get around freely without interrupting your journey. It should give you the power you need without having to plug in or cut short your time. And it should allow you to keep focused on what you do rather than take your mind elsewhere.
You may find you need more than two batteries to get through the task, a more powerful notebook, or just need a basic notebook alone without all the extra gear. Perhaps the roller case lets you bring more items along and boost your productivity, or going for that smaller, lighter notebook has made running around all day more effortless.
It is important to regularly monitor your tech lifestyle and make changes as necessary. You may find your notebook has been replaced by one that offers more power for the same battery time, or you can now buy a newer model that’s much lighter. Maybe you’ve discovered a new place open nearby where you can work that offers free wifi, and saves you using your expensive and capped 3G. Or you’ve just been given a new assignment and need to change your workday from being in a cubicle to being on the go.
Whether you measure your productivity in hours spent sitting in front of a screen, miles driven in a car or blocks walked from one office to the next, the right choice in notebook and battery will be one that gets you through it all, with minimal effort and no thought.
Because if you are thinking about battery life, if you are thinking about where do I find power, if you cannot get away from the cord, find yourself lugging around a concrete slab, your mind is constantly being distracted by fatigue and your productivity is being hindered by tiredness – if any one of these has been on your mind, then you will need to take a look back and make changes to your routine.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Tech Tips #3 - Maximizing Battery Times on Notebooks - part one
EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to time constraints and length, this is the first of a two-part article on lgp On The Move.
My recent experience with the HP dv4t CTO and it's impressive run time with the 12-cell battery got me thinking a lot about just how important battery power is for notebooks. True, some notebooks never get out of the house and spend their whole operating life tethered to a desk, much like my veteran zd7000. But there are quite a lot of folks out there for whom a notebook has become a take-it-with-you-every-morning must-have companion - a tool that is used far away from any office desk or power outlet, sometimes for hours on end.
But while battery times are indeed important for many notebook users, it's not the only thing that will impact your productivity. When you are going mobile, notebook weight will also be a big factor. You may think your svelte 1 inch thin notebook is light at 3.95 pounds, but if your "uber capacity" battery adds another pound and a half to it's weight and you need to carry that around all day in one hand, suddenly it isn't so fun any more.
Likwise, your usage habits will have a strong say in what's best for you - whether you spend 30 minutes getting to point A and work untethered for 8 hours straight or you're traveling for 8 hours to point A,B,C,D,E in your workday and need only 30 minutes of power at each stop. How you get there is also worth consideration, since many notebooks can now be powered/charged from car 12V or airline seat power with the proper adapter.
Finally, the amount of gear you have with you will play a big part in how flexibile your mobile power choices will be. Are you one of those guys who takes just a spare battery along and swaps midway through the day?, or prefer to carry a road warrior's arsenal in one of those multiple-compartment notebook bags with mouse, security lock, spare batteries, auto adapter and 2nd charger? While it's great when you have a choice of what you can take along, sometimes you don't get that luxury, either because you don't have the room or ability to take extra gear or your notebook lacks the options.
So how do you get the most battery time from your notebook investment while on the move? Since your ultimate decision will depend on different variables, let me go over these one by one and offer suggestions for each:
1. Determine where and how you will need to use your notebook
Your work (or play) will more than likely already define how you spend your day, and throwing a notebook into the mix will certainly change things for you. You may be a totally mobile person with no physical office who spends the day roaming the city. Do you work at home and just need a notebook you can take from room to room or outside to work by the pool? Perhaps you're stuck on the 89th floor somewhere and go from one conference room to another all day long. Or you've been sent on assignment across the country/globe for weeks/months and need a reliable solution for that time. Everybody's needs will be different, but understanding your situation will better prepare you and make choosing your solution a more educated decision rather than a mere impulse purchase.
Take the mobile web warrior as an example - since he is on the move all day he will most likely be traveling with a 12"-14" notebook that is light, small and easy to carry. If his notebook will be powered on for extended periods his main focus will be long battery life, most likely from a large battery with the run-time to get him through his day. On the other hand, if he is going from place to place and only needs sporadic power, he may choose a smaller battery that saves him weight as he moves around all day.
For the stay-at-home worker, weight will be a secondary concern since he is only steps away from a power outlet and won't be carrying it all day. He may choose a 15"-17" notebook with a larger display that is more powerful and offers more features, much like a desktop replacement. And if he keeps his notebook at his desk constantly he may even already be using a docking station, with his notebook connected to a separate display, keyboard and network/storage hub.
For the guy stuck in the high rise office moving from room to room, one thing he won't be needing is a case to take it around in. Modern conference desks have power hubs as well so he may not even need to worry about battery life. But not all offices have fancy projectors, so he may opt for a notebook with the largest 17"-18" display, especially advantageous for making presentations and getting his pitch across. It will also serve him well as his office desktop replacement - he can take it home at the end of the day and continue his work, or take it to his company's booth at the trade show and use it to demo their product/service.
Deployed long distance for extended periods? You'll most likely be taking more than just your bare notebook and a spare battery. You'll probably have a 14"-17" notebook that is packed with performance and features, along with a notebook case that contains all the support gear to keep you going while away - spare batteries, mouse, AC adapter, auto/air charger, wifi finder, USB thumbdrive, retractable cables, locks, recovery disks... You may even be carrying a rechargeable printer.
2. Set your budget
Once you've figured out how you will be using your notebook and where you will be using it, set aside the dollar amount you're thinking of spending. And I don't just mean the price of the notebook. You may think that sexy white 14" HP you saw at Best Buy is a steal for $549, but factor in the price of accessories you end up buying with it - spare battery, adapter, case, extended warranty, sales tax - and the price can easily double! The same thing is true when you are configuring a notebook online - the price may start at $799, but see what happens when you begin configuring all the high-end options, adding items and get to the part where it asks for your credit card number - suddenly you've gone over not $1000 but are approaching $2000. Being mobile is still an expensive proposition for some - I've seen notebook bags stuffed with over $3000 worth of gear, yet the starting price of the machine inside was under $1000. You may first want to look around, compare prices and get an idea of how much what you're going to need is going to cost before you set your mind to it.
Of course, if money is no object, your focus can remain on getting what you like, comparing brands, options and features that are of importance to you. Likewise, if your requirements need to be met regardless of cost, you may just get the first thing available to you or look around until you find exactly what you need.
One thing that can influence greatly your choice (and budget) are the deals and promos that retailers will offer from time to time. HP for example regularly posts coupons for use on their online store good for notebook purchases. Consider you're ready to order your notebook with all the extra gear, the final price showing $2112. Now apply a 30%-off coupon - a deal that HP likes to run often. Your final price is now $1438 - that's a saving of almost $700!!! Many other shopping websites also offer stackable codes that you can use, making that $700 saving go even higher. It's worth the effort to search for these, since if you don't take advantage of them you not only end up paying more, but could be missing out on a notebook perfect for your needs that may have just been too expensive for you earlier.
One more thing - check for financing offers. That sexy white 14" HP notebook on sale at Best Buy for $549 can be picked up with 18 months interest free for $0 down, with your first minimum payment of $16 due in 30-45 days. Deals like those may definitely appeal to folks who can't shell out big bucks up front, or prefer to pay off their investment over time with steady monthly installments.
Finally, keep in mind that you may get better pricing on batteries when you purchase them together with your notebook. HP for example may offer you a discount at purchase when you configure your notebook with a second battery or a higher capacity version. And while a 6-cell battery may cost $100, you will find that a 12-cell battery costing $150 gives you double the run time for less than double the price.
3. Choose a notebook fit for the task
Here's where things can get real tricky - even confusing if you're not careful. You've set your budget and figured out what you will be needing, but are now faced with a myriad of notebook models, manufacturers, configurations and specifications. How do you start? Where do you start? What can you do to make the choice easier? Let's explore the possibilities.
Since our focus here is maximizing battery run times, we'll be looking for notebooks with "power friendly" components. That means we need a CPU/GPU combination that uses minimal power, a low-power display, high-capacity battery, low power hard drive and turn off other unnecessary components.
Let's start with the CPU. Going with Intel's mobile Core 2 Duo lineup, we notice the T series and the P series. Speed and cache aside, the big difference is that while the T series runs at 35W, the P series are designed with a 25W TDP. 10 watts less power equals saved battery energy, but the benefits will also show elsewhere. Since the processor heatsink is dealing with less heat output, the heatsink fan will run less often, giving you a quieter and also cooler notebook.
For the GPU you may be presented with the option of integrated versus discreet graphics. We know that discreet graphics are more powerful and offer better performance, but integrated graphics have the upper hand in power savings. Integrated graphics offer a more relaxed feature set that is less power-hungry than the more feature rich and faster discreet offerings. Because the graphics chip is most often soldered near the CPU and is cooled by the same heatsink/fan, such an integrated solution will also result in cooler operation and a quieter notebook.
With the display, you will likely see two distinct options - LED and non-LED. The term refers to the backlight used to illuminate the screen. Non-LED displays use a cathode tube which typically draws 10W to 15W power or more. With an LED display the power draw may be as little as 2W, making power savings significant on battery times. Such low power draw may also allow you to work with a brighter screen when on battery, minimizing eye strain. One more thing to keep in mind is that a smaller screen will also use less power than a larger screen, in addition to the obvious advantage in notebook size and weight.
Battery options will certainly play the greatest part in how long your notebook runs unplugged. When looking at the HP dv4t and it's batteries, you will find three options - a 6-cell standard battery rated at 2.2 amp hours, a 6-cell high-capacity battery rated at 2.55 amp hours, and a 12-cell battery rated at 8.8 amp hours. More amp hours means more run time, but which one you choose will depend also on your needs. The two 6-cell batteries are both the same size and weight, but the 12-cell adds 0.7 lbs to your notebook weight and an extra inch in thickness along the rear - something to keep in mind if you intend to carry your notebook around in one hand for more than an hour.
With hard drives, finding the most energy efficient can be harder because drive power specifications are not always listed with notebooks, or drives themselves. Take my 500GB Western Digital - it draws 2.5W active and 0.85W idle. Why I mention this is because you can get much better efficiency using the newest solid-state SSD drives. While expensive and limited in capacity, SSD drives typically run at only 1.5W active and 0.15W idle. That can make a big impact on battery times. In addition, SSD drives run dead silent, and with no moving parts, run cooler with no risk of damage from drops or head crash. And while using dual drives will consume more power that using one, opting for a 5400rpm drive in place of a 7200rpm drive will not result in any measurable power gains.
Finally, one last way to conserve power on your notebook is to turn off unnecessary hardware. Wireless radios can be turned off when you're not using them, USB devices unplugged, Express Card devices removed and any disc removed from the optical drive to prevent spin-up. Some notebooks will have BIOS settings to enable/disable certain motherboard hardware.
This would also be a good time to check your Windows power settings, and I don't just mean looking at the power settings feature in Control Panel and tweaking what's in there. If you go into device manager, right-click on a particular hardware item and select properties, the windows that pops up will most likely contain a tab labeled Power Management - here you can specify whether your computer will turn off a device to save power, and also if that device can wake up the computer from sleep. For notebooks, you most likely will want your devices to be able to turn off, but not wake up your computer from stand-by and drain it's battery.
That's part one of the story for now, and should give you a good start on what to think about. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for part two of this article where I continue with the remaining sections:
4. Be realistic about what gear you can take along and need with you
5. Set a comfort level that works for you
6. Re-evaluate your mobile routine every 8-12 months.
My recent experience with the HP dv4t CTO and it's impressive run time with the 12-cell battery got me thinking a lot about just how important battery power is for notebooks. True, some notebooks never get out of the house and spend their whole operating life tethered to a desk, much like my veteran zd7000. But there are quite a lot of folks out there for whom a notebook has become a take-it-with-you-every-morning must-have companion - a tool that is used far away from any office desk or power outlet, sometimes for hours on end.
But while battery times are indeed important for many notebook users, it's not the only thing that will impact your productivity. When you are going mobile, notebook weight will also be a big factor. You may think your svelte 1 inch thin notebook is light at 3.95 pounds, but if your "uber capacity" battery adds another pound and a half to it's weight and you need to carry that around all day in one hand, suddenly it isn't so fun any more.
Likwise, your usage habits will have a strong say in what's best for you - whether you spend 30 minutes getting to point A and work untethered for 8 hours straight or you're traveling for 8 hours to point A,B,C,D,E in your workday and need only 30 minutes of power at each stop. How you get there is also worth consideration, since many notebooks can now be powered/charged from car 12V or airline seat power with the proper adapter.
Finally, the amount of gear you have with you will play a big part in how flexibile your mobile power choices will be. Are you one of those guys who takes just a spare battery along and swaps midway through the day?, or prefer to carry a road warrior's arsenal in one of those multiple-compartment notebook bags with mouse, security lock, spare batteries, auto adapter and 2nd charger? While it's great when you have a choice of what you can take along, sometimes you don't get that luxury, either because you don't have the room or ability to take extra gear or your notebook lacks the options.
So how do you get the most battery time from your notebook investment while on the move? Since your ultimate decision will depend on different variables, let me go over these one by one and offer suggestions for each:
1. Determine where and how you will need to use your notebook
Your work (or play) will more than likely already define how you spend your day, and throwing a notebook into the mix will certainly change things for you. You may be a totally mobile person with no physical office who spends the day roaming the city. Do you work at home and just need a notebook you can take from room to room or outside to work by the pool? Perhaps you're stuck on the 89th floor somewhere and go from one conference room to another all day long. Or you've been sent on assignment across the country/globe for weeks/months and need a reliable solution for that time. Everybody's needs will be different, but understanding your situation will better prepare you and make choosing your solution a more educated decision rather than a mere impulse purchase.
Take the mobile web warrior as an example - since he is on the move all day he will most likely be traveling with a 12"-14" notebook that is light, small and easy to carry. If his notebook will be powered on for extended periods his main focus will be long battery life, most likely from a large battery with the run-time to get him through his day. On the other hand, if he is going from place to place and only needs sporadic power, he may choose a smaller battery that saves him weight as he moves around all day.
For the stay-at-home worker, weight will be a secondary concern since he is only steps away from a power outlet and won't be carrying it all day. He may choose a 15"-17" notebook with a larger display that is more powerful and offers more features, much like a desktop replacement. And if he keeps his notebook at his desk constantly he may even already be using a docking station, with his notebook connected to a separate display, keyboard and network/storage hub.
For the guy stuck in the high rise office moving from room to room, one thing he won't be needing is a case to take it around in. Modern conference desks have power hubs as well so he may not even need to worry about battery life. But not all offices have fancy projectors, so he may opt for a notebook with the largest 17"-18" display, especially advantageous for making presentations and getting his pitch across. It will also serve him well as his office desktop replacement - he can take it home at the end of the day and continue his work, or take it to his company's booth at the trade show and use it to demo their product/service.
Deployed long distance for extended periods? You'll most likely be taking more than just your bare notebook and a spare battery. You'll probably have a 14"-17" notebook that is packed with performance and features, along with a notebook case that contains all the support gear to keep you going while away - spare batteries, mouse, AC adapter, auto/air charger, wifi finder, USB thumbdrive, retractable cables, locks, recovery disks... You may even be carrying a rechargeable printer.
2. Set your budget
Once you've figured out how you will be using your notebook and where you will be using it, set aside the dollar amount you're thinking of spending. And I don't just mean the price of the notebook. You may think that sexy white 14" HP you saw at Best Buy is a steal for $549, but factor in the price of accessories you end up buying with it - spare battery, adapter, case, extended warranty, sales tax - and the price can easily double! The same thing is true when you are configuring a notebook online - the price may start at $799, but see what happens when you begin configuring all the high-end options, adding items and get to the part where it asks for your credit card number - suddenly you've gone over not $1000 but are approaching $2000. Being mobile is still an expensive proposition for some - I've seen notebook bags stuffed with over $3000 worth of gear, yet the starting price of the machine inside was under $1000. You may first want to look around, compare prices and get an idea of how much what you're going to need is going to cost before you set your mind to it.
Of course, if money is no object, your focus can remain on getting what you like, comparing brands, options and features that are of importance to you. Likewise, if your requirements need to be met regardless of cost, you may just get the first thing available to you or look around until you find exactly what you need.
One thing that can influence greatly your choice (and budget) are the deals and promos that retailers will offer from time to time. HP for example regularly posts coupons for use on their online store good for notebook purchases. Consider you're ready to order your notebook with all the extra gear, the final price showing $2112. Now apply a 30%-off coupon - a deal that HP likes to run often. Your final price is now $1438 - that's a saving of almost $700!!! Many other shopping websites also offer stackable codes that you can use, making that $700 saving go even higher. It's worth the effort to search for these, since if you don't take advantage of them you not only end up paying more, but could be missing out on a notebook perfect for your needs that may have just been too expensive for you earlier.
One more thing - check for financing offers. That sexy white 14" HP notebook on sale at Best Buy for $549 can be picked up with 18 months interest free for $0 down, with your first minimum payment of $16 due in 30-45 days. Deals like those may definitely appeal to folks who can't shell out big bucks up front, or prefer to pay off their investment over time with steady monthly installments.
Finally, keep in mind that you may get better pricing on batteries when you purchase them together with your notebook. HP for example may offer you a discount at purchase when you configure your notebook with a second battery or a higher capacity version. And while a 6-cell battery may cost $100, you will find that a 12-cell battery costing $150 gives you double the run time for less than double the price.
3. Choose a notebook fit for the task
Here's where things can get real tricky - even confusing if you're not careful. You've set your budget and figured out what you will be needing, but are now faced with a myriad of notebook models, manufacturers, configurations and specifications. How do you start? Where do you start? What can you do to make the choice easier? Let's explore the possibilities.
Since our focus here is maximizing battery run times, we'll be looking for notebooks with "power friendly" components. That means we need a CPU/GPU combination that uses minimal power, a low-power display, high-capacity battery, low power hard drive and turn off other unnecessary components.
Let's start with the CPU. Going with Intel's mobile Core 2 Duo lineup, we notice the T series and the P series. Speed and cache aside, the big difference is that while the T series runs at 35W, the P series are designed with a 25W TDP. 10 watts less power equals saved battery energy, but the benefits will also show elsewhere. Since the processor heatsink is dealing with less heat output, the heatsink fan will run less often, giving you a quieter and also cooler notebook.
For the GPU you may be presented with the option of integrated versus discreet graphics. We know that discreet graphics are more powerful and offer better performance, but integrated graphics have the upper hand in power savings. Integrated graphics offer a more relaxed feature set that is less power-hungry than the more feature rich and faster discreet offerings. Because the graphics chip is most often soldered near the CPU and is cooled by the same heatsink/fan, such an integrated solution will also result in cooler operation and a quieter notebook.
With the display, you will likely see two distinct options - LED and non-LED. The term refers to the backlight used to illuminate the screen. Non-LED displays use a cathode tube which typically draws 10W to 15W power or more. With an LED display the power draw may be as little as 2W, making power savings significant on battery times. Such low power draw may also allow you to work with a brighter screen when on battery, minimizing eye strain. One more thing to keep in mind is that a smaller screen will also use less power than a larger screen, in addition to the obvious advantage in notebook size and weight.
Battery options will certainly play the greatest part in how long your notebook runs unplugged. When looking at the HP dv4t and it's batteries, you will find three options - a 6-cell standard battery rated at 2.2 amp hours, a 6-cell high-capacity battery rated at 2.55 amp hours, and a 12-cell battery rated at 8.8 amp hours. More amp hours means more run time, but which one you choose will depend also on your needs. The two 6-cell batteries are both the same size and weight, but the 12-cell adds 0.7 lbs to your notebook weight and an extra inch in thickness along the rear - something to keep in mind if you intend to carry your notebook around in one hand for more than an hour.
With hard drives, finding the most energy efficient can be harder because drive power specifications are not always listed with notebooks, or drives themselves. Take my 500GB Western Digital - it draws 2.5W active and 0.85W idle. Why I mention this is because you can get much better efficiency using the newest solid-state SSD drives. While expensive and limited in capacity, SSD drives typically run at only 1.5W active and 0.15W idle. That can make a big impact on battery times. In addition, SSD drives run dead silent, and with no moving parts, run cooler with no risk of damage from drops or head crash. And while using dual drives will consume more power that using one, opting for a 5400rpm drive in place of a 7200rpm drive will not result in any measurable power gains.
Finally, one last way to conserve power on your notebook is to turn off unnecessary hardware. Wireless radios can be turned off when you're not using them, USB devices unplugged, Express Card devices removed and any disc removed from the optical drive to prevent spin-up. Some notebooks will have BIOS settings to enable/disable certain motherboard hardware.
This would also be a good time to check your Windows power settings, and I don't just mean looking at the power settings feature in Control Panel and tweaking what's in there. If you go into device manager, right-click on a particular hardware item and select properties, the windows that pops up will most likely contain a tab labeled Power Management - here you can specify whether your computer will turn off a device to save power, and also if that device can wake up the computer from sleep. For notebooks, you most likely will want your devices to be able to turn off, but not wake up your computer from stand-by and drain it's battery.
That's part one of the story for now, and should give you a good start on what to think about. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for part two of this article where I continue with the remaining sections:
4. Be realistic about what gear you can take along and need with you
5. Set a comfort level that works for you
6. Re-evaluate your mobile routine every 8-12 months.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Second Take - HP dv4t CTO
Following my brief yet impressive experience with the budget HP dv4-1225dx notebook back in February, I wanted to revisit this model to see just what it was capable of in a more potent configuration. Welcome the new HP dv4t-1300 series CTO model, available directly from HP.
PROS: LED screen, styling, 12-cell battery, smart bay hard drive, gaming performance
CONS: Heat and noise, poor speakers, no firewire
DETAILS:
In early March of this year HP did a slight refresh of their dv4 lineup. Gone unfortunately is the bronze/chrome color scheme that I was such a big fan of, but in place HP now offers a glossy black and, what they call, moonlight white color scheme. Something has me thinking someone at HP wants to mimic that "other" black and white notebook maker. Like it or not, if you want a notebook from HP now it's going to be either an all black or white unit - no bronze, no silver - so get used to it. The specs on my unit are as follows:
-Moonlight White color scheme
- Vista Ultimate 64-bit
-Core 2 Duo 2.66GHz
-1280x800 LED display
-4GB RAM
-512MB nVIDIA G105M
-500GB 5400RPM HDD
-webcam and fingerprint reader
-wireless N with bluetooth
-integrated modem
-lightscribe BD rom/DVD burner
-integrated TV tuner
-12-cell battery
You can pretty much tell that this is an awful lot to cram into a 14" footprint, but it is indeed a potent little package. My unit was priced at over $2100 when ordered, but you can actually get this same exact deal with the Vista recovery DVD thrown in for around $1400, thanks again to HP's generous 30%-off deal they have going right now.
Unfortunately, due to a production delay by HP and a volcano in Alaska (???), my package took longer to arrive than the specified build schedule, taking exactly 18 days from order to front door. HP did offer a complimentary $50 coupon for the delay, which was nice.
Again, let me highlight the differences between what this model offers compared to the details I've given on the dv4-1225dx in my previous review.
First of all, the white color scheme is jaw-droppingly nice - the pictures on HP's website don't do it justice. On taking the unit out of the box you are treated to a smooth pearlescent-white lid with a high-quality wave imprint finish. Fingerprints and smudges are not a problem, but you may want to watch your fingers after you've laid the newspaper down, those marks definitely will show on the white. I will say that the unit is easy to keep clean with a simple wipe.
Open the unit up and you are presented with an all white keyboard/surround/palmrest, chrome trackpad/buttons and a black indicator bar along the top. The display bezel is also black. The end result is a very sexy black and white color scheme that looks great and will definitely appeal to many. It will also get you noticed in that sea of black, gray and silver notebooks everyone else around you has, which for a handsome young guy like myself, isn't a bad thing.
One of the first concerns I initially had when going for a white keyboard would be keeping the thing clean. From my observations the keys don't seem to get any dirtier than any other color keyboard I have typed on. As long as you keep your unit clean as usual, a white keyboard shouldn't present any problem.
Having used the dv7 CTO notebook last year with the 2.8GHz CPU, I was pleased to find that the 2.66GHz CPU offered just as good performance. Applications opened up just as quick as on the dv7 and everything felt just as good. It's too bad HP no longer offers the 2.8GHz option, but with the 2.66GHz processor it's near impossible to tell the difference in performance between the two sans benchmarks.
As I mentioned with the dv4-1225dx, this unit also comes with the smart bay hard drive option, making the dv4 the only 14" notebook to support dual hard drives. It's great being able to swap your optical drive for a 500GB second hard disk, especially for ISO's, backups, movie rips, software libraries or anything else that you need to have with you. It's hotswap capability is just icing on the cake.
The second reason I wanted to explore this model again was the 14" LED backlit display. LED displays differ from regular cathode tube displays in that they provide far longer backlight life, are thinner, offer less weight, more screen brightness, and most importantly, improve battery life. The display is indeed very bright on maximum, and when fully turned down lets you work in a night environment as well. The white keyboard is a decisive advantage here, since the display will let you see the keyboard in the dark without needing a second light - good for folks that like to surf in bed or work on a plane/coach without disturbing their neighbors.
The third reason for revisiting this model was the 12-cell battery option. The size and weight of the dv4 makes this notebook very portable, and the power-saving LED display made the 12-cell battery here the obvious choice. This battery is about double the height of the regular 6-cell and jutts out the bottom of the unit, raising the back slightly and slanting the keyboard. It makes for better typing comfort, but also allows the fan on the bottom to breathe better and run a notch cooler/quieter. It also lets me grab and hold the unit more securely. One great thing HP doesn't note is that the 12-cell battery has a 4-segment LED power meter on the side to tell you how much charge you have left in the battery - a nice touch indeed. There's even a power jack on it to plug in an AC adapter enabling you to charge the battery separately, without having it connected to your notebook!
BENCHMARKS AND GAMING:
Again, as consistent with previous reviews, I ran the same performance benchmarks. Encoding the near 3-hour feature "American Gangster" from VOB to WMV took exactly 3 hours 59 minutes. Using Windows Media Encoder 64 to convert the resulting file to ppc format took 2 hours 21 minutes. That's only 14/26 minutes longer than the time needed by the beefier 2.8GHz Core 2 Duo. For a small and light 14" unit, I find that kind of performance quite good.
In the graphics department, I was keen to see how nVidia's latest G105M would score. 3DMark06 came up 2216. That's not great, but definitely better than the score posted by the integrated solution on the dv4-1225dx. How does it translate to actual gaming? Surprisingly very well.
Despite the lower 3DMark06 score, the dv4 was able to hold it's own at gaming with the higher-spec dv7 CTO I looked at last year. How is that possible you ask? It's all thanks to the 14" display and the CPU. Instead of trying to push games at 1680x1050 or higher as most 17" notebooks would do and become graphics-card dependent, the dv4 is only working at 1280x800, a resolution where CPU power is more significant than graphics power. At 1280x800, framerates ran above 30fps for every game I tried, and eye-candy could be turned up with very little performance hit. Civilization 4 ran exceedingly well even on the most detailed/largest maps, playing GTR2 was just as immerse as on the dv7, and even the OpenGL-killer X-Plane ran without problem.
Crysis? 1280x800 + low settings = 25-45fps. No fancy effects but you do get a playable game.
If you're like me and have a slew of older DX8/DX9 titles like Far Cry, Doom 3, HL2, BF2, GTR2, NFS, Hoyle Casino, TW06, FEAR, etc... then a dv4 model paired with the 2.66GHz CPU and nVidia G105M will run them very smoothly with decent eye-candy, all at the native resolution. Indeed, for a 14" non-gaming notebook, this configuration runs many games quite good.
As far as noise and heat is concerned, the unit is definitely more noisy than the dv4-1225dx sister model and a lot warmer. I'm guessing the faster CPU and dedicated graphics may have something to do with that. The fan is audible at all times, and does crank up when on full load. Although I wouldn't call it a nuisance, it does become evident in a quiet setting after a while. With the hard drive located under the left palmrest the unit does exhibit more heat in that area. The design of the Pavillion notebooks with dedicated graphics means the fan will crank on full during gaming, but the internal heatsink will also pass the heat over to the hard drive, which in turn ends up under your palms. There is a vent on the hard drive cover, but I'm not sure exactly how much that helps. After an hour or more of solid gaming, the unit is definitely quite warm - not dangerous or hot, but it is warm.
BATTERY:
So just how well does that 12-cell battery perform and is it worth the price premium over the 6-cell? I have to say it does an amazing job. Running Civilization 4 on balanced power settings I managed to get a record-setting 2 hours 26 minutes run time before the unit switched off. That's almost 90 minutes longer than the time I got with the behemoth Toshiba X305-Q708 and over an hour better than the dv4-1225dx. If your idea of gaming means being totally unplugged, then a dv4 notebook with the 12-cell battery is what you need.
But for this review I wanted to test more than just battery time with gaming - I wanted to see exactly what a 12-cell battery can do for a compact 14" LED-backlit notebook, and how far that "max battery" setting can take me.
First, I reran the Civilization 4 benchmark at the balanced power setting, but turned the LED display brightness all the way down. End result was... no difference! On further reading the specs point out that the LED backlight consumes a measly 2W, making the brightness setting irrelevant to your battery times. That could be important when you need battery power but don't want to kill your eyesight over time squinting at a dim screen.
On my next test I ran a benchmark to see how many hours of movie playback time the notebook would provide. I set the power option for max battery, yanked the cord and then fired up my WMV version of the movie "300". This movie is 1 hour 55 minutes long, after which time the battery meter showed 57% capacity. Using basic math that easily gives you over 4 hours and 20 minutes of audio/video playback on a single charge.
On my final test, I decided to see how long I could surf the web on a single charge. With nothing plugged in except my USB trackball, ethernet cable and wireless off, I started firefox and began browsing newegg.com and hp.com, clicking, scrolling and viewing different pages. After exactly one hour of non-stop surfing, I took a peek at the battery meter which displayed a healthy 80%. That's 5 hours of solid work time from a single charge on the max battery setting. Carry a 2nd 12-cell battery with you and you've got yourself a 10 hour workday. Can you say mobile web warrior?
Is it possible to get even better battery times? I don't know. Limiting the CPU to throttle speed or voltage is something I did not have time to experiment with. To be honest though, the portability of the dv4 combined with the power from two 12-cell batteries should be enough to convince even the die-hard Starbucks squatters that this is a notebook that can go the distance.
THE BAD:
I was disappointed to find out that my $2100 purchase was now available for $1400, but sometimes that's what you get when you want to be the "first kid on the block" with the cool stuff. It seems that HP does regularly promote their 30% discount though, which is good if you happen to miss out on that killer deal.
As I pointed out in my review of the dv4-1225dx, the speakers are awful for music listening. The lack of bass should not be a factor for a notebook sold as an entertainment pc, but it seems there's only so much HP's engineers could cram into the space available. Movies play fine on the unit in general, but if you're passionate about your music a good pair of headphones are mandatory. Fortunately I got myself a pair of Sony's latest XB700 cans not too long ago, so poor notebook speakers for me will no longer be a concern.
Another small problem is the lack of a firewire port. If you've got a firewire camcorder, you'll need to invest in one of those express card firewire adapters to get a firewire connection.
OPTIONS:
One thing I didn't touch upon with my review of the dv4-1225dx is the slew of options and extras HP has available for the dv4 series notebooks. I've already mentioned the smart bay hard drive option, but one useful extra most folks are not aware of is the great docking station HP has available. Sold as the xb4 notebook media docking station, this device docks your notebook while giving you a set of better 2.1 speakers, a full set of connectivity ports, wireless keyboard/mouse and a dock to hold a 3.5 inch personal media drive. If you use your notebook as your primary computer, a docking station makes a lot of sense.
Like to have a matching mouse? HP has you covered. Need an auto/air adapter for the dv4? HP has one. Looking for extended warranty coverage for 4 years? Lost your recovery discs? Want a HP branded leather case to go with your purchase? Decided you need a matching pair of bluetooth headphones? The list of options and extras available for the dv4 notebooks from HP is impressive if not complete.
CONCLUSION:
With the 12-cell battery and LED backlit screen, the HP dv4t-1300 series becomes an impressive, no-compromise 14" notebook that you can easy take around with you. With it's exceptional battery times, capable performance, stylish color scheme, dual hard drive option, gaming ability, full wireless suite, built-in tv tuner and BD drive; the HP dv4t is a very portable and potent little notebook you will find ready to use for both work and play, be it at home or on the move.
And if you can grab that 30% coupon from the HP website when you order, you'll get a great-looking and great-performing notebook for a sweet deal.
Recommended.
UPDATE: If you really want to get maximum battery times with your dv4, my recommendation is to go for a model with the 12-cell battery, LED display, Intel GMA 4500MHD and one of the 25W processors such as the 2.53GHz P8700. Such a configuration will not only run cooler and quieter, but still provide very good performance and add anywhere from 1 to 2 hours longer run times than the numbers I've shown with my unit. Swap your hard drive out with an SSD drive, and that 12-cell may even push 8 hours!
PROS: LED screen, styling, 12-cell battery, smart bay hard drive, gaming performance
CONS: Heat and noise, poor speakers, no firewire
DETAILS:
In early March of this year HP did a slight refresh of their dv4 lineup. Gone unfortunately is the bronze/chrome color scheme that I was such a big fan of, but in place HP now offers a glossy black and, what they call, moonlight white color scheme. Something has me thinking someone at HP wants to mimic that "other" black and white notebook maker. Like it or not, if you want a notebook from HP now it's going to be either an all black or white unit - no bronze, no silver - so get used to it. The specs on my unit are as follows:
-Moonlight White color scheme
- Vista Ultimate 64-bit
-Core 2 Duo 2.66GHz
-1280x800 LED display
-4GB RAM
-512MB nVIDIA G105M
-500GB 5400RPM HDD
-webcam and fingerprint reader
-wireless N with bluetooth
-integrated modem
-lightscribe BD rom/DVD burner
-integrated TV tuner
-12-cell battery
You can pretty much tell that this is an awful lot to cram into a 14" footprint, but it is indeed a potent little package. My unit was priced at over $2100 when ordered, but you can actually get this same exact deal with the Vista recovery DVD thrown in for around $1400, thanks again to HP's generous 30%-off deal they have going right now.
Unfortunately, due to a production delay by HP and a volcano in Alaska (???), my package took longer to arrive than the specified build schedule, taking exactly 18 days from order to front door. HP did offer a complimentary $50 coupon for the delay, which was nice.
Again, let me highlight the differences between what this model offers compared to the details I've given on the dv4-1225dx in my previous review.
First of all, the white color scheme is jaw-droppingly nice - the pictures on HP's website don't do it justice. On taking the unit out of the box you are treated to a smooth pearlescent-white lid with a high-quality wave imprint finish. Fingerprints and smudges are not a problem, but you may want to watch your fingers after you've laid the newspaper down, those marks definitely will show on the white. I will say that the unit is easy to keep clean with a simple wipe.
Open the unit up and you are presented with an all white keyboard/surround/palmrest, chrome trackpad/buttons and a black indicator bar along the top. The display bezel is also black. The end result is a very sexy black and white color scheme that looks great and will definitely appeal to many. It will also get you noticed in that sea of black, gray and silver notebooks everyone else around you has, which for a handsome young guy like myself, isn't a bad thing.
One of the first concerns I initially had when going for a white keyboard would be keeping the thing clean. From my observations the keys don't seem to get any dirtier than any other color keyboard I have typed on. As long as you keep your unit clean as usual, a white keyboard shouldn't present any problem.
Having used the dv7 CTO notebook last year with the 2.8GHz CPU, I was pleased to find that the 2.66GHz CPU offered just as good performance. Applications opened up just as quick as on the dv7 and everything felt just as good. It's too bad HP no longer offers the 2.8GHz option, but with the 2.66GHz processor it's near impossible to tell the difference in performance between the two sans benchmarks.
As I mentioned with the dv4-1225dx, this unit also comes with the smart bay hard drive option, making the dv4 the only 14" notebook to support dual hard drives. It's great being able to swap your optical drive for a 500GB second hard disk, especially for ISO's, backups, movie rips, software libraries or anything else that you need to have with you. It's hotswap capability is just icing on the cake.
The second reason I wanted to explore this model again was the 14" LED backlit display. LED displays differ from regular cathode tube displays in that they provide far longer backlight life, are thinner, offer less weight, more screen brightness, and most importantly, improve battery life. The display is indeed very bright on maximum, and when fully turned down lets you work in a night environment as well. The white keyboard is a decisive advantage here, since the display will let you see the keyboard in the dark without needing a second light - good for folks that like to surf in bed or work on a plane/coach without disturbing their neighbors.
The third reason for revisiting this model was the 12-cell battery option. The size and weight of the dv4 makes this notebook very portable, and the power-saving LED display made the 12-cell battery here the obvious choice. This battery is about double the height of the regular 6-cell and jutts out the bottom of the unit, raising the back slightly and slanting the keyboard. It makes for better typing comfort, but also allows the fan on the bottom to breathe better and run a notch cooler/quieter. It also lets me grab and hold the unit more securely. One great thing HP doesn't note is that the 12-cell battery has a 4-segment LED power meter on the side to tell you how much charge you have left in the battery - a nice touch indeed. There's even a power jack on it to plug in an AC adapter enabling you to charge the battery separately, without having it connected to your notebook!
BENCHMARKS AND GAMING:
Again, as consistent with previous reviews, I ran the same performance benchmarks. Encoding the near 3-hour feature "American Gangster" from VOB to WMV took exactly 3 hours 59 minutes. Using Windows Media Encoder 64 to convert the resulting file to ppc format took 2 hours 21 minutes. That's only 14/26 minutes longer than the time needed by the beefier 2.8GHz Core 2 Duo. For a small and light 14" unit, I find that kind of performance quite good.
In the graphics department, I was keen to see how nVidia's latest G105M would score. 3DMark06 came up 2216. That's not great, but definitely better than the score posted by the integrated solution on the dv4-1225dx. How does it translate to actual gaming? Surprisingly very well.
Despite the lower 3DMark06 score, the dv4 was able to hold it's own at gaming with the higher-spec dv7 CTO I looked at last year. How is that possible you ask? It's all thanks to the 14" display and the CPU. Instead of trying to push games at 1680x1050 or higher as most 17" notebooks would do and become graphics-card dependent, the dv4 is only working at 1280x800, a resolution where CPU power is more significant than graphics power. At 1280x800, framerates ran above 30fps for every game I tried, and eye-candy could be turned up with very little performance hit. Civilization 4 ran exceedingly well even on the most detailed/largest maps, playing GTR2 was just as immerse as on the dv7, and even the OpenGL-killer X-Plane ran without problem.
Crysis? 1280x800 + low settings = 25-45fps. No fancy effects but you do get a playable game.
If you're like me and have a slew of older DX8/DX9 titles like Far Cry, Doom 3, HL2, BF2, GTR2, NFS, Hoyle Casino, TW06, FEAR, etc... then a dv4 model paired with the 2.66GHz CPU and nVidia G105M will run them very smoothly with decent eye-candy, all at the native resolution. Indeed, for a 14" non-gaming notebook, this configuration runs many games quite good.
As far as noise and heat is concerned, the unit is definitely more noisy than the dv4-1225dx sister model and a lot warmer. I'm guessing the faster CPU and dedicated graphics may have something to do with that. The fan is audible at all times, and does crank up when on full load. Although I wouldn't call it a nuisance, it does become evident in a quiet setting after a while. With the hard drive located under the left palmrest the unit does exhibit more heat in that area. The design of the Pavillion notebooks with dedicated graphics means the fan will crank on full during gaming, but the internal heatsink will also pass the heat over to the hard drive, which in turn ends up under your palms. There is a vent on the hard drive cover, but I'm not sure exactly how much that helps. After an hour or more of solid gaming, the unit is definitely quite warm - not dangerous or hot, but it is warm.
BATTERY:
So just how well does that 12-cell battery perform and is it worth the price premium over the 6-cell? I have to say it does an amazing job. Running Civilization 4 on balanced power settings I managed to get a record-setting 2 hours 26 minutes run time before the unit switched off. That's almost 90 minutes longer than the time I got with the behemoth Toshiba X305-Q708 and over an hour better than the dv4-1225dx. If your idea of gaming means being totally unplugged, then a dv4 notebook with the 12-cell battery is what you need.
But for this review I wanted to test more than just battery time with gaming - I wanted to see exactly what a 12-cell battery can do for a compact 14" LED-backlit notebook, and how far that "max battery" setting can take me.
First, I reran the Civilization 4 benchmark at the balanced power setting, but turned the LED display brightness all the way down. End result was... no difference! On further reading the specs point out that the LED backlight consumes a measly 2W, making the brightness setting irrelevant to your battery times. That could be important when you need battery power but don't want to kill your eyesight over time squinting at a dim screen.
On my next test I ran a benchmark to see how many hours of movie playback time the notebook would provide. I set the power option for max battery, yanked the cord and then fired up my WMV version of the movie "300". This movie is 1 hour 55 minutes long, after which time the battery meter showed 57% capacity. Using basic math that easily gives you over 4 hours and 20 minutes of audio/video playback on a single charge.
On my final test, I decided to see how long I could surf the web on a single charge. With nothing plugged in except my USB trackball, ethernet cable and wireless off, I started firefox and began browsing newegg.com and hp.com, clicking, scrolling and viewing different pages. After exactly one hour of non-stop surfing, I took a peek at the battery meter which displayed a healthy 80%. That's 5 hours of solid work time from a single charge on the max battery setting. Carry a 2nd 12-cell battery with you and you've got yourself a 10 hour workday. Can you say mobile web warrior?
Is it possible to get even better battery times? I don't know. Limiting the CPU to throttle speed or voltage is something I did not have time to experiment with. To be honest though, the portability of the dv4 combined with the power from two 12-cell batteries should be enough to convince even the die-hard Starbucks squatters that this is a notebook that can go the distance.
THE BAD:
I was disappointed to find out that my $2100 purchase was now available for $1400, but sometimes that's what you get when you want to be the "first kid on the block" with the cool stuff. It seems that HP does regularly promote their 30% discount though, which is good if you happen to miss out on that killer deal.
As I pointed out in my review of the dv4-1225dx, the speakers are awful for music listening. The lack of bass should not be a factor for a notebook sold as an entertainment pc, but it seems there's only so much HP's engineers could cram into the space available. Movies play fine on the unit in general, but if you're passionate about your music a good pair of headphones are mandatory. Fortunately I got myself a pair of Sony's latest XB700 cans not too long ago, so poor notebook speakers for me will no longer be a concern.
Another small problem is the lack of a firewire port. If you've got a firewire camcorder, you'll need to invest in one of those express card firewire adapters to get a firewire connection.
OPTIONS:
One thing I didn't touch upon with my review of the dv4-1225dx is the slew of options and extras HP has available for the dv4 series notebooks. I've already mentioned the smart bay hard drive option, but one useful extra most folks are not aware of is the great docking station HP has available. Sold as the xb4 notebook media docking station, this device docks your notebook while giving you a set of better 2.1 speakers, a full set of connectivity ports, wireless keyboard/mouse and a dock to hold a 3.5 inch personal media drive. If you use your notebook as your primary computer, a docking station makes a lot of sense.
Like to have a matching mouse? HP has you covered. Need an auto/air adapter for the dv4? HP has one. Looking for extended warranty coverage for 4 years? Lost your recovery discs? Want a HP branded leather case to go with your purchase? Decided you need a matching pair of bluetooth headphones? The list of options and extras available for the dv4 notebooks from HP is impressive if not complete.
CONCLUSION:
With the 12-cell battery and LED backlit screen, the HP dv4t-1300 series becomes an impressive, no-compromise 14" notebook that you can easy take around with you. With it's exceptional battery times, capable performance, stylish color scheme, dual hard drive option, gaming ability, full wireless suite, built-in tv tuner and BD drive; the HP dv4t is a very portable and potent little notebook you will find ready to use for both work and play, be it at home or on the move.
And if you can grab that 30% coupon from the HP website when you order, you'll get a great-looking and great-performing notebook for a sweet deal.
Recommended.
UPDATE: If you really want to get maximum battery times with your dv4, my recommendation is to go for a model with the 12-cell battery, LED display, Intel GMA 4500MHD and one of the 25W processors such as the 2.53GHz P8700. Such a configuration will not only run cooler and quieter, but still provide very good performance and add anywhere from 1 to 2 hours longer run times than the numbers I've shown with my unit. Swap your hard drive out with an SSD drive, and that 12-cell may even push 8 hours!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Tech Tips #2 - Essential Software for a New Notebook
My recent purchase of the HP dv4-1225dx notebook was different for several reasons. First of all, it was bought for my sister who was looking for a capable replacement for her desktop, since she moves frequently between locations and required a notebook she could easily take around with her. Second, it was a notebook I needed to prepare for her, since she is not with the "geek" crowd and I wanted her to have a great turnkey experience, without dealing with software installation, junkware removal and OS settings.
While it is true that every user has their own particular setup for their specific reasons, some things are just a requirement no matter what notebook you buy or what you use it for. From the experience I have had reviewing so many recently, I have put together a list of the things you should look out for (in no particular order) when playing with a new notebook for the first time, including some recommended software.
1. Mozilla Firefox
Every Windows notebook comes with Windows Explorer, the same way every user knows that Mozilla is the better browser. For those that are still on Windows Explorer, I recommend switching over to Firefox - it is faster, smoother, less resource hungry and simply works better than Internet Explorer does. I make it a requirement on every notebook I touch, and it is the first download I perform.
2. AVG Free 8.0
Anti-virus software does not come with Vista, yet it is required to fully utilize the security features of Vista and keep the system working properly. Thankfully, you don't need to purchase anti virus software because there are a lot of free products available online. One of the best is AVG Anti-virus Free from AVG. It integrates with the security features of Vista and keeps the system up-to-date. Automatic scanning, definition updates and engine updates are included.
3. Disable Norton
Every notebook manufacturer offers Norton on their systems, and it will nag you to install and purchase it until you do. Why pay a subscription for something you can get for free? I've found that you can prevent the Norton nag screen by going into msconfig and unticking Norton in the startup tab. But if this option isn't available, simply uninstall Norton altogether. You won't be losing anything by uninstalling it (free trials can be downloaded all the time), but if you already have other security software, like AVG, you will need to remove Norton if it is installed for your other anti-virus software to work.
4. Remove Junkware
Every notebook comes with manufacturer installed software. Most of the time you don't need these as they are either useless, trial software, redundant or require you to pay extra for full use. In other cases they take up valuable space on your hard drive. If you don't need it, it doesn't need to be there.
5. Create recovery discs
One of the first things you should do if your notebook did not come with recovery discs is to create your own. Even if your model has a special recovery partition on the hard drive, you'll need something to grab if your hard drive goes down and takes that recovery partition with it. Trust me, I have had it happen - a dead notebook with no rescue discs is useless. On the HP dv4-1225dx, I used two double layer DVD's to burn a recovery disc set. Keep these in a safe place, and if you ever need to, you can recover to the factory settings if your hard drive fails or you decide to swap for a bigger hard drive later on.
6. Install backup software
Unless you are using Windows Vista Ultimate, you will need to look for your own backup software to do a full system backup that backs up your entire system. This is important since a virus or simple user mistake can ruin Windows to a point where it may not even boot properly, or a hard drive failure will make everything on your notebook inaccessible. With backup software, you can keep a copy of your entire system on either DVD's or a spare hard drive. Keeping regular backups will ensure you are also prepared if disaster strikes. My choice for software here went with Acronis True Image Home. It works with Vista nicely and allows many options for automated backups, including bootable rescue discs and smart backup file maintenance.
Keep in mind that while recovery discs will bring your notebook back to its factory settings, you will still need a full system backup to save everything else you've worked on since you first got it, including files you've added, programs you've installed, updates that were done and any settings you've made.
7. Check security settings
With Vista, I make sure that all Windows and Microsoft updates are enabled, my firewall and Windows Defender are turned on, and any anti-virus software is also working and recognized by windows. You may also want to set update times here, since if you are connected to the web your notebook can keep itself up-to-date overnight while you count sheep.
8. Customize display/trackpad/sidebar as desired
Set your theme, screensaver, trackpad settings and anything else you're used to having. With the Vista sidebar, I set up the calendar, local weather and notepad. Organize your desktop icons as you want them. Some folks like to have a double-height taskbar as well.
9. Install other software/apps as needed
For my sister's HP dv4-1225dx, I also got IM set up and installed Google Earth. Other stuff I installed included MS Streets and Trips for local mapping and WinDVD for movie playback. I also made sure Works 9.0 was running fine since she needed that specifically.
10. Enjoy your purchase.
Everybody knows how great it is to open up that new shiny notebook and spend hours playing with their latest purchase. With the easy tweaks and tips I have shown here, that great new notebook will run even better, make you even happier, take the user experience up another level, and give you even more fun and satisfaction. You'll be feeling really good.
While it is true that every user has their own particular setup for their specific reasons, some things are just a requirement no matter what notebook you buy or what you use it for. From the experience I have had reviewing so many recently, I have put together a list of the things you should look out for (in no particular order) when playing with a new notebook for the first time, including some recommended software.
1. Mozilla Firefox
Every Windows notebook comes with Windows Explorer, the same way every user knows that Mozilla is the better browser. For those that are still on Windows Explorer, I recommend switching over to Firefox - it is faster, smoother, less resource hungry and simply works better than Internet Explorer does. I make it a requirement on every notebook I touch, and it is the first download I perform.
2. AVG Free 8.0
Anti-virus software does not come with Vista, yet it is required to fully utilize the security features of Vista and keep the system working properly. Thankfully, you don't need to purchase anti virus software because there are a lot of free products available online. One of the best is AVG Anti-virus Free from AVG. It integrates with the security features of Vista and keeps the system up-to-date. Automatic scanning, definition updates and engine updates are included.
3. Disable Norton
Every notebook manufacturer offers Norton on their systems, and it will nag you to install and purchase it until you do. Why pay a subscription for something you can get for free? I've found that you can prevent the Norton nag screen by going into msconfig and unticking Norton in the startup tab. But if this option isn't available, simply uninstall Norton altogether. You won't be losing anything by uninstalling it (free trials can be downloaded all the time), but if you already have other security software, like AVG, you will need to remove Norton if it is installed for your other anti-virus software to work.
4. Remove Junkware
Every notebook comes with manufacturer installed software. Most of the time you don't need these as they are either useless, trial software, redundant or require you to pay extra for full use. In other cases they take up valuable space on your hard drive. If you don't need it, it doesn't need to be there.
5. Create recovery discs
One of the first things you should do if your notebook did not come with recovery discs is to create your own. Even if your model has a special recovery partition on the hard drive, you'll need something to grab if your hard drive goes down and takes that recovery partition with it. Trust me, I have had it happen - a dead notebook with no rescue discs is useless. On the HP dv4-1225dx, I used two double layer DVD's to burn a recovery disc set. Keep these in a safe place, and if you ever need to, you can recover to the factory settings if your hard drive fails or you decide to swap for a bigger hard drive later on.
6. Install backup software
Unless you are using Windows Vista Ultimate, you will need to look for your own backup software to do a full system backup that backs up your entire system. This is important since a virus or simple user mistake can ruin Windows to a point where it may not even boot properly, or a hard drive failure will make everything on your notebook inaccessible. With backup software, you can keep a copy of your entire system on either DVD's or a spare hard drive. Keeping regular backups will ensure you are also prepared if disaster strikes. My choice for software here went with Acronis True Image Home. It works with Vista nicely and allows many options for automated backups, including bootable rescue discs and smart backup file maintenance.
Keep in mind that while recovery discs will bring your notebook back to its factory settings, you will still need a full system backup to save everything else you've worked on since you first got it, including files you've added, programs you've installed, updates that were done and any settings you've made.
7. Check security settings
With Vista, I make sure that all Windows and Microsoft updates are enabled, my firewall and Windows Defender are turned on, and any anti-virus software is also working and recognized by windows. You may also want to set update times here, since if you are connected to the web your notebook can keep itself up-to-date overnight while you count sheep.
8. Customize display/trackpad/sidebar as desired
Set your theme, screensaver, trackpad settings and anything else you're used to having. With the Vista sidebar, I set up the calendar, local weather and notepad. Organize your desktop icons as you want them. Some folks like to have a double-height taskbar as well.
9. Install other software/apps as needed
For my sister's HP dv4-1225dx, I also got IM set up and installed Google Earth. Other stuff I installed included MS Streets and Trips for local mapping and WinDVD for movie playback. I also made sure Works 9.0 was running fine since she needed that specifically.
10. Enjoy your purchase.
Everybody knows how great it is to open up that new shiny notebook and spend hours playing with their latest purchase. With the easy tweaks and tips I have shown here, that great new notebook will run even better, make you even happier, take the user experience up another level, and give you even more fun and satisfaction. You'll be feeling really good.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
First Impressions - HP dv4-1225dx
It's been quite a while since my last notebook review, but today I take a look at what might be the most impressive notebook I have come across - welcome the dv4-1225dx from HP. This budget notebook is available now from Best Buy for a mere $629. Cheap but useless you say? Find out here.
PROS: Extreme bang-for-the-buck, quality, usability, 12-cell battery, smart bay hard drive
CONS: Forget video encoding and serious gaming, poor speakers, lack of firewire
DETAILS:
At 14" this is (almost) the smallest of the dv series models HP offers and comes with my favorite bronze/chrome trim. At under five pounds, it is extremely portable, yet still offers the good comfort and features of a standard notebook. The specs are as follows:
-Bronze color scheme
-Vista Premium 64-bit
-Turion X2 ZM-72 2.1GHz
-1280x800 display
-4GB RAM
-Radeon HD 3200
-250GB 5400RPM HDD
-webcam
-wireless N with bluetooth
-integrated modem
-lightscribe DVD burner
-6-cell battery
Feature and connectivity-wise there is little to complain as it is very similar to the much more expensive dv7, sans the number pad and larger screen. Indeed, for an entry level product, this is quite well-equipped and leaves very little out.
As far as overall usability is concerned, I was incredibly surprised at just how capable the AMD processor and ATI video graphics ran Vista 64. Generic tasks such as web browsing, email, blogging, IM, photo editing, music, video and office tasks ran as smooth as you could expect. For someone shopping in the $600 range needing a laptop for such every-day tasks, the dv4-1225dx is an exceptional choice.
One very cool feature I liked is the Smartbay. A latch on the bottom lets you eject the DVD burner and replace it with either a weight-saver or a second hard drive. A second hard drive is a great advantage if you need to carry tons of stuff or maintain backups, especially since this is removable (hot-swappable) and can be used in another dv4 notebook someone else might have.
In the heat and noise department, you can expect the low power AMD processor to run cool and quiet. Only under load did the fan spin on full, and it was barely audible even in a quiet room. The notebook remained completely cool to the touch as well with only the bottom being warm near the exhaust vents.
BENCHMARKS:
Considering the price and hardware inside, I had apprehensions concerning the benchmarks. The video encoding benchmark from VOB to WMV took just on seven hours to complete. While that is definitely quicker than my P4 zd7000, it is a far cry from the time needed by a Core 2 Duo at 3-4 hours. On the other hand, the media encoder 64 benchmark took 2 hours 22 minutes to complete, which was more in-line with the time I would accept from the hardware. Needless to say, video encoding work is NOT what this notebook should be used for, unless you can get by with the long wait.
On the graphics end 3DMark06 returned a score of 1545. That's about a third of what the top end dv7 offers and about one-eighth of what the Toshiba X305 I reviewed last year produced. Downright lousy by gamers standards, but when it came to actually playing games the dv4-1225dx ended up giving me a pleasant surprise. Civilization 4 ran extremely well, as did GTR2 and Hoyle Casino. Granted, these titles aren't that new or graphics-demanding, but it seems that for casual gaming and older games, even a $629 notebook can provide what I call a "basic to good" gaming experience.
Crysis? At 1280x800, low settings, the game worked. I did not say it worked great, but it did work.
Battery life with the 6-cell came in at 1 hour and 25 minutes during Civilization 4 on the balanced power settings. Only average. Keep in mind, the dv4-1225dx comes with the standard 6-cell battery - HP also sells a high-capacity 6-cell and an extended 12-cell battery for the dv4. I would guess the 12-cell would provide close to 3 hours of "full" use, and probably approach 3.5 hours under a more normal load. If extended battery time is what you need, I would suggest going with a 12-cell and maybe carry a second 6-cell. With two 12-cell batteries though, the dv4 becomes a powerful all-day road warriors notebook.
THE BAD:
For $629 I can pretty much forgive any negatives the dv4-1225dx may have, but I found nothing to complain about. Everything just works, and works so well. One gripe I did have was the lack of a firewire port when I wanted to connect an old hard drive, but the eSata port fills that void nowadays. If you've got a firewire camcorder though, you're out of luck.
I was kind of surprised that a notebook labeled an entertainment PC had such terrible speakers though - there is just no bass whatsoever coming from the puny Altec Lansing drivers. Movies play fine, but not even an equalizer will improve music. Again, at only $629, you can afford a set of good headphones for music listening, if you don't have a pair already.
CONCLUSION:
When you look at everything this notebook offers for the $629 price, the dv4-1225dx is an extremely capable and affordable choice that can perform surprisingly well. Add to that the fact that Best Buy lets you buy this at the moment with 18 months interest-free financing, it's a deal any notebook shopper should seriously consider, even for a second notebook.
The quality build, features, connectivity, usability and extreme value-for-money earn the HP dv4-1225dx notebook for the very first time the lgp On The Move Bloggers Choice Award.
Totally Recommended.
UPDATE: HP has just released a near-identical white version of this notebook for sale at Best Buy. The dv4-1313dx comes with a slightly more powerful Turion X2 RM-74 at 2.2GHz. The really big news is the price though - only $549!!! That's definitely a steal of a deal.
PROS: Extreme bang-for-the-buck, quality, usability, 12-cell battery, smart bay hard drive
CONS: Forget video encoding and serious gaming, poor speakers, lack of firewire
DETAILS:
At 14" this is (almost) the smallest of the dv series models HP offers and comes with my favorite bronze/chrome trim. At under five pounds, it is extremely portable, yet still offers the good comfort and features of a standard notebook. The specs are as follows:
-Bronze color scheme
-Vista Premium 64-bit
-Turion X2 ZM-72 2.1GHz
-1280x800 display
-4GB RAM
-Radeon HD 3200
-250GB 5400RPM HDD
-webcam
-wireless N with bluetooth
-integrated modem
-lightscribe DVD burner
-6-cell battery
Feature and connectivity-wise there is little to complain as it is very similar to the much more expensive dv7, sans the number pad and larger screen. Indeed, for an entry level product, this is quite well-equipped and leaves very little out.
As far as overall usability is concerned, I was incredibly surprised at just how capable the AMD processor and ATI video graphics ran Vista 64. Generic tasks such as web browsing, email, blogging, IM, photo editing, music, video and office tasks ran as smooth as you could expect. For someone shopping in the $600 range needing a laptop for such every-day tasks, the dv4-1225dx is an exceptional choice.
One very cool feature I liked is the Smartbay. A latch on the bottom lets you eject the DVD burner and replace it with either a weight-saver or a second hard drive. A second hard drive is a great advantage if you need to carry tons of stuff or maintain backups, especially since this is removable (hot-swappable) and can be used in another dv4 notebook someone else might have.
In the heat and noise department, you can expect the low power AMD processor to run cool and quiet. Only under load did the fan spin on full, and it was barely audible even in a quiet room. The notebook remained completely cool to the touch as well with only the bottom being warm near the exhaust vents.
BENCHMARKS:
Considering the price and hardware inside, I had apprehensions concerning the benchmarks. The video encoding benchmark from VOB to WMV took just on seven hours to complete. While that is definitely quicker than my P4 zd7000, it is a far cry from the time needed by a Core 2 Duo at 3-4 hours. On the other hand, the media encoder 64 benchmark took 2 hours 22 minutes to complete, which was more in-line with the time I would accept from the hardware. Needless to say, video encoding work is NOT what this notebook should be used for, unless you can get by with the long wait.
On the graphics end 3DMark06 returned a score of 1545. That's about a third of what the top end dv7 offers and about one-eighth of what the Toshiba X305 I reviewed last year produced. Downright lousy by gamers standards, but when it came to actually playing games the dv4-1225dx ended up giving me a pleasant surprise. Civilization 4 ran extremely well, as did GTR2 and Hoyle Casino. Granted, these titles aren't that new or graphics-demanding, but it seems that for casual gaming and older games, even a $629 notebook can provide what I call a "basic to good" gaming experience.
Crysis? At 1280x800, low settings, the game worked. I did not say it worked great, but it did work.
Battery life with the 6-cell came in at 1 hour and 25 minutes during Civilization 4 on the balanced power settings. Only average. Keep in mind, the dv4-1225dx comes with the standard 6-cell battery - HP also sells a high-capacity 6-cell and an extended 12-cell battery for the dv4. I would guess the 12-cell would provide close to 3 hours of "full" use, and probably approach 3.5 hours under a more normal load. If extended battery time is what you need, I would suggest going with a 12-cell and maybe carry a second 6-cell. With two 12-cell batteries though, the dv4 becomes a powerful all-day road warriors notebook.
THE BAD:
For $629 I can pretty much forgive any negatives the dv4-1225dx may have, but I found nothing to complain about. Everything just works, and works so well. One gripe I did have was the lack of a firewire port when I wanted to connect an old hard drive, but the eSata port fills that void nowadays. If you've got a firewire camcorder though, you're out of luck.
I was kind of surprised that a notebook labeled an entertainment PC had such terrible speakers though - there is just no bass whatsoever coming from the puny Altec Lansing drivers. Movies play fine, but not even an equalizer will improve music. Again, at only $629, you can afford a set of good headphones for music listening, if you don't have a pair already.
CONCLUSION:
When you look at everything this notebook offers for the $629 price, the dv4-1225dx is an extremely capable and affordable choice that can perform surprisingly well. Add to that the fact that Best Buy lets you buy this at the moment with 18 months interest-free financing, it's a deal any notebook shopper should seriously consider, even for a second notebook.
The quality build, features, connectivity, usability and extreme value-for-money earn the HP dv4-1225dx notebook for the very first time the lgp On The Move Bloggers Choice Award.
Totally Recommended.
UPDATE: HP has just released a near-identical white version of this notebook for sale at Best Buy. The dv4-1313dx comes with a slightly more powerful Turion X2 RM-74 at 2.2GHz. The really big news is the price though - only $549!!! That's definitely a steal of a deal.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Wish List #1 - Components Choice for a Notebook in 2009
There's literally a TON of choices for enthusiasts and professional users out there today looking for powerful notebooks with good graphics horsepower. Toshiba, Sager, OCZ, and need I say Gateway have released some impressive notebooks over the past six months that can chew through the toughest graphics tasks and CPU intensive applications.
In 2008 Intel showed off a new platform (Calpella) due for release in Q309. I remember seeing a demo using a prototype notebook mounted on a special cooling base. What impressed me the most, however, was the CPU. It was a new mobile quad-core, able to not only dynamically overclock based on CPU load, but it would do so while switching off the other cores not needed.
While we're not quite there yet, the OCZ whitebook paired with a QX9300 will allow manual overclocking. In a recent review, the 2.53GHz chip went all the way to 3GHz. The Toshiba Qosmio X305-Q708 has a bios setting to disable 2 of the 4 cores as well.
Do you see where all this is headed?
Dynamic CPU frequency throttling and core switching based on application load.
Start a video encoding job, for example, and all four cores get to work at stock speed. Fire up a single-core optimized game, however, and three cores switch off while the fourth core gets a nice overclock. Get back to idle and see the CPU go down to half speed. Browse the web while your virus scan runs - two cores on two cores off.
We've already seen what hybrid SLI has done for graphics. Match that graphics flexibility with a "smart" CPU that can overclock and switch cores and you have a notebook that is not only power-friendly, but can truly optimize it's performance based on what you have running.
Fast forward to the future now to August 2009. Where do I see my dream notebook? Let's take a look:
1. CPU
Welcome to the mobile Core i7 aka Clarksfield. Four cores with hyperthreading, dynamic multiplier and voltage adjustement for speed, and core switching based on load. Throw in an advanced heatpipe cooling solution with some silent fans and you have a CPU that will be impressive, efficient yet extremely powerful.
2. Graphics
How does dual 1GB G280M sound? SLI paired with a low power G110M for hybrid graphics? I'll take it!
3. Display
17" WUXGA 1920x1200. Take advantage of the power of your graphics cards to push games in sharp high-resolution, while at the same time give all your icons, tabs and taskbar the room they need for serious work. Throw in an LED backlight, stereo microphones and a 1.3MP webcam and we're in business.
4. Keyboard
Need I mention? Well I have to. Isolated inverted-t cursor keys, full shift keys, and separate 4-column number pad. While I've been used to the zd7000 keyboard, the X305 has pretty-much nailed it for layout. But layout alone won't help those who expect good feedback and 4-5 years of key-pounding reliability.
5. Speakers
Toshiba Qosmio X305. Listen to it. Enjoy it. And don't settle for anything less. Four quality speakers with a bass-reflex subwoofer bring not only PC games to life, but make music listening an audiophile experience and take movie watching to an exciting new level. Once you've listened, you will not want to go back.
6. Hard Drive
Dual drives, and not 7200RPM but SSD. You can put them in RAID 0 for maximum performance. With SSD drive sizes now at 512GB, you can truly get 1TB of lightning-fast, reliable storage for games, apps, movies and backups
7. Optical drive
Go Blu-ray. With a WUXGA screen to take advantage of all the hi-def 1080p content and speakers to go along with the eye candy, it will make an amazing entertainment system. Go all the way and get a BD burner for creating HD content on the go.
8. Other options
Case design and color? Everyone has their own taste. While I didn't mind the flame design and lights of the X305, professional users may opt for less ostentatious, no-nonsense styling.
Memory and OS? I'd go for a minimum of 4GB DDR3 and pair it with Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit. I've yet to encounter software that would not run on Vista 64, and with XP becoming less and less supported on notebook chipsets, Win 7 offers a future-proof, secure, optimized and modern desktop to work on. Would I try 8GB? If it meant better performance, yes.
Battery life and placement? We've seen 1 hour runtimes with standard batteries. With the option to use external polymer lithium-ion batteries of higher capacity, I can see users who would appreciate a high-performance notebook with an untethered 8-hour life.
So there you have it - my top picks for upcoming notebook technologies of 2009 and my component wishlist. As soon as I get a notebook with all these goodies loaded, you'll find it reviewed here.
In 2008 Intel showed off a new platform (Calpella) due for release in Q309. I remember seeing a demo using a prototype notebook mounted on a special cooling base. What impressed me the most, however, was the CPU. It was a new mobile quad-core, able to not only dynamically overclock based on CPU load, but it would do so while switching off the other cores not needed.
While we're not quite there yet, the OCZ whitebook paired with a QX9300 will allow manual overclocking. In a recent review, the 2.53GHz chip went all the way to 3GHz. The Toshiba Qosmio X305-Q708 has a bios setting to disable 2 of the 4 cores as well.
Do you see where all this is headed?
Dynamic CPU frequency throttling and core switching based on application load.
Start a video encoding job, for example, and all four cores get to work at stock speed. Fire up a single-core optimized game, however, and three cores switch off while the fourth core gets a nice overclock. Get back to idle and see the CPU go down to half speed. Browse the web while your virus scan runs - two cores on two cores off.
We've already seen what hybrid SLI has done for graphics. Match that graphics flexibility with a "smart" CPU that can overclock and switch cores and you have a notebook that is not only power-friendly, but can truly optimize it's performance based on what you have running.
Fast forward to the future now to August 2009. Where do I see my dream notebook? Let's take a look:
1. CPU
Welcome to the mobile Core i7 aka Clarksfield. Four cores with hyperthreading, dynamic multiplier and voltage adjustement for speed, and core switching based on load. Throw in an advanced heatpipe cooling solution with some silent fans and you have a CPU that will be impressive, efficient yet extremely powerful.
2. Graphics
How does dual 1GB G280M sound? SLI paired with a low power G110M for hybrid graphics? I'll take it!
3. Display
17" WUXGA 1920x1200. Take advantage of the power of your graphics cards to push games in sharp high-resolution, while at the same time give all your icons, tabs and taskbar the room they need for serious work. Throw in an LED backlight, stereo microphones and a 1.3MP webcam and we're in business.
4. Keyboard
Need I mention? Well I have to. Isolated inverted-t cursor keys, full shift keys, and separate 4-column number pad. While I've been used to the zd7000 keyboard, the X305 has pretty-much nailed it for layout. But layout alone won't help those who expect good feedback and 4-5 years of key-pounding reliability.
5. Speakers
Toshiba Qosmio X305. Listen to it. Enjoy it. And don't settle for anything less. Four quality speakers with a bass-reflex subwoofer bring not only PC games to life, but make music listening an audiophile experience and take movie watching to an exciting new level. Once you've listened, you will not want to go back.
6. Hard Drive
Dual drives, and not 7200RPM but SSD. You can put them in RAID 0 for maximum performance. With SSD drive sizes now at 512GB, you can truly get 1TB of lightning-fast, reliable storage for games, apps, movies and backups
7. Optical drive
Go Blu-ray. With a WUXGA screen to take advantage of all the hi-def 1080p content and speakers to go along with the eye candy, it will make an amazing entertainment system. Go all the way and get a BD burner for creating HD content on the go.
8. Other options
Case design and color? Everyone has their own taste. While I didn't mind the flame design and lights of the X305, professional users may opt for less ostentatious, no-nonsense styling.
Memory and OS? I'd go for a minimum of 4GB DDR3 and pair it with Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit. I've yet to encounter software that would not run on Vista 64, and with XP becoming less and less supported on notebook chipsets, Win 7 offers a future-proof, secure, optimized and modern desktop to work on. Would I try 8GB? If it meant better performance, yes.
Battery life and placement? We've seen 1 hour runtimes with standard batteries. With the option to use external polymer lithium-ion batteries of higher capacity, I can see users who would appreciate a high-performance notebook with an untethered 8-hour life.
So there you have it - my top picks for upcoming notebook technologies of 2009 and my component wishlist. As soon as I get a notebook with all these goodies loaded, you'll find it reviewed here.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Tech Tips #1 - Choosing a great gaming notebook for 2009
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a new series of posts beginning in 2009 where I share with you my experience and knowledge, offering advice for notebook users on various topics of interest.
And while both notebooks are indeed very good at what they do, the experience has left me with one burning question - just what does it take to make a great gaming notebook?
You may recall my less-than-fantastic encounter with the Gateway P-7811FX. This was a unit marketed specifically for gaming with typical hardware under the hood and priced extremely competitively. Indeed, for $1400 the lure of a 512MB 9800GTS paired with a Core 2 Duo, 4GB DDR3 memory and ultra sharp 1920x1200 display created a buzz of attention among the gaming community, and unfortunately for Best Buy, a ton of returns.
Taking those same specs further, we have the Toshiba Qosmio X305 series of gaming notebooks. With significantly better features than the Gateway, along with more solid build quality, gamers could again take home a gaming notebook for only a few hundred more than the price of the Gateway.
With my HP dv7 CTO, I got a very high end CPU paired with a midrange GPU for under $2500, offering basic to good gaming performance.
At the $2000 price point, there's the Toshiba Qosmio X305-Q706 with hybrid SLI graphics offering very good gaming performance. At $3000 you can get a crossfire equipped OCZ whitebook with even better gaming performance.
And at the top end $4000-plus range, you have the quad-core SSD equipped Toshiba X305-Q708, Dell XPS line of notebooks and the Sager NP9262 models, fully loaded with hardware that will bring even a modern desktop to shame.
So the question arises, just which one do you choose, and what does it take to come up with an uncompromised gaming experience on a notebook. Fortunately, there are numerous ways in which to approach the issue, so let me tackle these one by one.
1. PRICE
For many gamers, price is the number one concern when purchasing a notebook, as many are students/teenagers with a very tight budget. This was one reason why the $1400 price of the Gateway P-7811FX made it so popular among gamers. It's also the reason why gamers often get away with the same hardware for half the price by building a desktop, sometimes for as little as $650.
If you are a gamer looking to seriously frag on a notebook, my recommendation is to aim for the $2000 mark. At that level, manufacturers will offer you mid to high range components that are more suitable for running games, alongside websurfing and the other mundane things you would do when taking a break from endlessly hitting the wasd keys. It's also a price range that opens up more models not available in stores, since most Best Buys and Circuit Citys today favor the $500-$1500 notebooks, as opposed to high-end $2500 units.
2. GRAPHICS CARD
It is without argument that the graphics card is the most important hardware piece and determining item when it comes to gaming performance, be it notebook or desktop. The rule here is simple - the better the graphics card, the smoother the game will run, the faster the framerates will be and the higher you can turn up the options for eye candy. Once you have set a price range, go for a model with the best graphics card available. For notebooks today, that choice rests with the nVIDIA 9800M series of GPU cards, my recommendation being a single 512MB 9800M GTS or better.
Another handy indicator is to run a graphics benchmark such as 3DMark on a notebook you intend to use for gaming. If you can get a 3DMark06 score of 8,000 or better, your notebook is pretty much good to go for the games being released in 2009, and will run very well for anything released before then.
3. THE GAMES YOU PLAY
Games to computers are like cars to gas - each one will run differently even when you use the same gasoline or graphics card. For that reason, it is important to look at what games you will be playing, whether these are older games you already have from a few years, current hits requiring recent hardware, or newer/future games that will need the newest hardware to run effectively. It is very important to realize that unlike desktops, notebook graphics cannot be upgraded, so you will want to buy a notebook that is able to play the games being released not only today, but games coming out for at least the next 18 months. You don't want to end up buying a $2000 investment that cannot play a hot, new title released just six months later.
For older games of the DX8/9 genre, a mid-level card such as the 512MB 9600M found in the HP dv7 is more than adequate and will give you fast framerates with maximum details. Even for non-gaming, a dedicated graphics card will provide quick video acceleration, a necessity if you use the media playback features of a notebook such as HDTV tuner or Blu Ray movie playback.
If you play newer DX10 games such as Crysis, have a fetish for high resolution eye candy, refuse to tolerate framerates under 30FPS or are always experimenting with the newest titles the day they go on sale, your best choice is to stick with the highest model graphics card in an SLI or crossfire configuration. A pair of 1GB 9800M GTX cards in SLI will provide notebook gaming performance comparable to a tricked out desktop, but without the weight, without the huge power draw, and make going to LAN parties as effortless as taking a backpack, not to mention earning a few nice bragging rights. Likewise, a high-end setup will ensure your system remains future-proof for the life of the hardware, up to four years, and offer a fairly good guarantee that future games will run on your notebook without problem.
3. CPU
A Core 2 Duo is pretty much standard in notebooks today, and offers decent multitasking and 64-bit performance for Windows as well. My recommendation is a Core 2 Duo T9400 or better, but if you can get you hands on a QX9300 mobile quad-core CPU, you will get the best performance for gaming, multitasking, video encoding and anything else you care to run.
4. DISPLAY
If you can afford it, stick with a 17" screen. They offer much more real estate, come in much higher resolutions and provide a more complete viewing experience for movies. For power users, you'll get more room for icons, taskbars, spreadsheet cells, windows, tabs and whatever else you load up while gaming. As far as resolution goes, I would not get anything lower than 1680x1050, and recommend a WUXGA 1920x1200 if available. These screens are very high res and offer full HD playback of Blu Ray movies as well.
5. OS AND RAM
I'm hitting a nerve here, but while many gamers will swear by XP, every notebook released today comes with Vista 64 SP1. I find Vista 64 runs very stable, have never had a crash, nor have I met a game that wouldn't work. It also allows use of more than 3GB of ram. Many new notebooks also come with newer chipsets which do not have drivers for XP, making Vista a requirement. While Win7 promises better performance, it is yet to arrive or prove itself for games, so in the meantime, my recommendation is to go for Vista 64 Ultimate or Premium.
6. HARD DRIVE
Gamers will accept nothing slower than a 7200RPM notebook drive, so if the choice is there, take it. Many newer notebooks also offer dual drive configurations, letting you install your OS and apps on one drive while leaving a dedicated drive available for game installations. With some games taking up as much as 60GB, a second drive will not only speed up loading times, but will let you get more organized with your notebook and boost your storage space tremendously.
Some dual drive notebooks also offer RAID capability, which let you use two drives as if they were a single, huge, fast drive. This speeds up the drive, but also increases a drive failure rate by double. The best notebooks offer three drives with RAID 5, offering speed, storage and data redundancy in the event one drive does fail.
New in 2008 and becoming more common in 2009 SSD drives will offer the fastest speeds with no risk of mechanical failure. OS boot times, application load times and game levels load extremely fast, the drives run completely silent, generate no heat, and can match/exceed capacities of mechanical platter drives. Their downfall however is high price, but as they become cheaper, more notebooks will be including them.
7. KEYBOARD
A good gaming notebook requires a good gaming keyboard, both in layout and key feedback. With 17" notebooks, I look for full-size shift keys on both left and right, isolated inverted-T cursor keys, and a separate 4-column number pad. When gaming, the 8 keys I find I use most are the wasd keys and the 4 cursor keys - if these keys aren't laid out well or don't give good feedback, it will not make for a good gaming experience. The best thing you can do here is find a notebook and test drive one for yourself, using your hands and typing as a guide. If you cannot find a model in store, look for a friend with one or search online forums for owners. In the worst case, you can still return a purchase if the keyboard doesn't work out for you.
8. SPEAKERS
A good gaming notebook deserves a good pair of speakers, especially considering the amount of detail put into the sound in today's games. Even for non-gaming, you want a unit that will play music well, make watching movies pleasant and give clear vocals for webcam chats. As an audiophile, I look for good frequency response, speakers that can play loud without clipping, and provide bass that is rich, full and free of distortion. Unfortunately this is one area that you really can only check my listening for yourself, either in store or on a loaner machine. My tip is to take a USB thumbdrive with your favorite tunes and play them, listening for things you're used to hearing on home speakers or a good set of headphones. While stores can be noisy, if you can hear what you want in a noisy location, you will get better sound at home.
And while two good speakers are recommended, a four speaker arrangement is even better and allow surround sound as well.
Notebooks with a separate subwoofer will provide the best bass, and will allow the main speakers to focus on the mid-high tones. For the best sound, choose a 5 speaker arrangement with a separate bass-reflex subwoofer - games will come alive, music will play like from a quality home audio system, and movie action sequences will boom with surround sound.
9. BUILD QUALITY
Gaming notebooks tend to get a lot of rough treatment. Gamers can sit for hours at a time pounding away at the keyboard, stressing the hard drives and CPU/GPU at peak loads, running the fans continuously and at times creating quite a bit of heat. Gamers also aren't afraid to manhandle their machines, bumping them frequently, tossing them in bags that fly around or spilling that can of monster juice on the keyboard. For them, they want a solidly built unit, with a sturdy display bezel and lid, solid frame/casing, parts that don't fall off or break and an effective cooling/heatsink that will withstand many hours of use under load.
10. BATTERY
While last on the list, if you're gaming on a notebook, chances are that at some point or another you're going to be running on battery. Traditional gaming notebooks have offered very poor battery times of 10-30 minutes, but newer models are promising gaming times of 1 hour or greater away from the outlet. If your idea of mobile gaming means being totally unplugged, keep this in mind.
With these tips at hand, which current model tops the list? I would have to put my bet with the Toshiba Qosmio X305-Q706. Priced at $2000, it provides the best bang for the buck with 9800M SLI graphics, an amazing 5-speaker sound system, solid build quality, a proper keyboard layout and a standout gamers color scheme. This model is very similar in performance to the X305-Q708 I looked at, minus the high price tag.
So there you have it! Ten things to look out for when choosing a notebook for gaming. 2009 promises a slew of new models and new technologies, so stay tuned for the latest reviews here at lgp On The Move.
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