Haswell chips could bring 50% more battery life to Apple's next-gen MacBooks

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
The next generation in Apple's MacBook line could see 50 percent greater battery life thanks to the processors expected to go into them, according to Intel.

macs


In a media briefing ahead of the launch of its Haswell processor platform, Intel chief Rani Borkar said that the chipmaker had designed the line with notebooks and tablets in mind, according to PCWorld. That focus on mobile devices led to dramatic increases in battery life, with 50 percent longer operation in normal use and extending idle and standby battery life by up to 20 times.

That could mean that battery life for future MacBooks ? already near the top of the industry ? will see considerable improvements. A 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro, in AppleInsider's tests got about six hours and 15 minutes, but in normal use it should hit Apple's seven-hour estimate.

The Haswell line is the latest in the chip giant's instruction set architecture. Intel updates the lines every two years, and this year's refresh is more important than most. The rise of smartphones and tablets has hobbled the PC industry, the main source of Intel's sales. Increasingly, consumers are opting for mobile devices rather than traditional computing form factors, and Intel has struggled to gain a foothold in the mobile device segment.

The Haswell line, then, is intended to address both traditional computers and tablets as well. Some components of the line have had their power consumption reduced to as low as 7W. Intel's tablet-tailored offerings are said to offer better performance than non-Intel chipsets, but with comparable battery life.

Intel has been talking up the possibilities of the Haswell line for months ahead of its launch. Most recently, the chipmaker released a document showing that Haswell will double or triple graphics performance compared to previous models.

Apple's expected refresh of its MacBook line of devices is widely expected to feature Intel's latest and greatest processor set, and AppleInsider has already explored what impact Haswell's graphical capabilities are likely to have on the next generation of Macs.

Currently, retailers are running low on supplies of some MacBooks, and many Apple observers expect the company to announce the next generation during the keynote of its Worldwide Developer Conference in June.
«13456

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 106
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member


    Ooh! Back on the Intel hype train, are we? All aboard! Next stop: It'd Be Nice If It Were True Like They Claimed A Few Years Ago, But We Probably Won't Suffer Too Much If It Isn't And As Long As They Don't Switch To iGPUs Across The Entire Lineup…ville.


     


    It would be great if Apple could pitch the MacBook Air as having 10-12 hours of battery.

  • Reply 2 of 106
    Can't wait to test both the integrated graphics performance and battery life on a new 13" rMBP!
  • Reply 3 of 106
    tzterritzterri Posts: 110member
    Still doesn't solve the problem of being without your laptop for a few days while its battery gets changed when it goes bad. Not to mention Apple's overpriced battery replacement fee.
  • Reply 4 of 106
    Can't decide.. 13" MBA or iPad. Eager to see what both bring to the table this fall. I wonder if Apple plans on adding touchscreens to the MBA.
  • Reply 5 of 106
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    tzterri wrote: »
    Still doesn't solve the problem of being without your laptop for a few days while its battery gets changed when it goes bad. Not to mention Apple's overpriced battery replacement fee.

    They are good for 1000 full cycles before they at 80% original capacity. If you're talking about a bad battery treat it like a bad component that needs to be replaced. This whole notion that everything should be user-replaceable is an archaic and outmoded concept in 2013 for a consumer device.
  • Reply 6 of 106
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by TzTerri View Post



    Still doesn't solve the problem of being without your laptop for a few days while its battery gets changed when it goes bad. Not to mention Apple's overpriced battery replacement fee.


     


    Obviously you are one of the few that have had a bad experience, but if it bothers you that much … do it your f*cking self.  


     


    It is possible to buy the part and change the battery yourself.  It will save you the "overpriced" fee, but it will be slower and I bet you screw it up. 

  • Reply 7 of 106
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member


    Retina MacBook Airs are almost a shoo-in with this technology. 

  • Reply 8 of 106
    bdkennedy1bdkennedy1 Posts: 1,459member


    The chip will also bring 50% more battery life to competing laptops. I wish Apple would stop concentrating on how thin they can make something. Make it 2mm thicker and give me an all day battery.

  • Reply 9 of 106
    asciiascii Posts: 5,936member


    I'm not quite sure it will be a 50% improvement but it should be decent if that's what they focussed on this time around. Thank you Intel!

  • Reply 10 of 106
    jj.yuanjj.yuan Posts: 213member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Gazoobee View Post


     


    Obviously you are one of the few that have had a bad experience, but if it bothers you that much … do it your f*cking self.  


     


    It is possible to buy the part and change the battery yourself.  It will save you the "overpriced" fee, but it will be slower and I bet you screw it up. 





    From Amazon reviews, I see most people are happy with their handy work. For people whose replacement failed, the seller replaced them promptly and made the buyer happy in the end. I haven't done it. I feel that I wouldn't hesitate if I need to replace it myself.

  • Reply 11 of 106

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post





    They are good for 1000 full cycles before they at 80% original capacity. If you're talking about a bad battery treat it like a bad component that needs to be replaced. This whole notion that everything should be user-replaceable is an archaic and outmoded concept in 2013 for a consumer device.




    Except the commenter wasn't talking about EVERYTHING...just the battery.

  • Reply 12 of 106


    I want an AIR 11 inch with the ipad 2048-by-1536 retina touch display. Then I'm in.

  • Reply 13 of 106
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    youngexec wrote: »

    Except the commenter wasn't talking about EVERYTHING...just the battery.

    And his point is as foolish as wanting the GPU to be user-replaceable in a notebook in case it goes bad so he doesn't have to be without his machine for 2 days whilst Apple repairs it.
  • Reply 14 of 106
    alandailalandail Posts: 755member
    our they could make them lighter and thinner by using a smaller batter.
  • Reply 15 of 106
    negafoxnegafox Posts: 480member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ascii View Post


    I'm not quite sure it will be a 50% improvement but it should be decent if that's what they focussed on this time around. Thank you Intel!



    There will not be a 50% improvement in battery life. Haswell processors consume about 41% less power in general computer use. However, I believe the display is the primary consumer of battery life, not the CPU. Also, the wireless card and SSD drain about 2% of the battery life each. So in real world tests, laptop battery life will likely be slightly improved (maybe around 15% or so).

  • Reply 16 of 106
    geekdadgeekdad Posts: 1,131member


    Haven't they said similar thinsg about SandyBridge chipset as well? Wasn't there supposed to be a sigificant battery improvement with well....EVERY new chipset relased? I don't that has come to fruitition. I hope it is true..... My rMBP battery lasts about 6-7 hours of normal use for me. So the new Haswell rMBP would last 9- 10 hours? I hope this true....i might have to upgrade just for the battery alone....

  • Reply 17 of 106
    alandailalandail Posts: 755member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by youngexec View Post




    Except the commenter wasn't talking about EVERYTHING...just the battery.



     


    it still adds to the cost and makes other compromises to the machine (how do you have a user replaceable battery in a unibody design) when the battery should already last about 3 years if you drain it and charge it every single day.


     


    I've never had to replace a battery on a unibody MacBook and we've had over a half dozen of them.

  • Reply 18 of 106
    mdriftmeyermdriftmeyer Posts: 7,503member


    Marketing BS. These 10% improved CPUs with a decent size expansion in GPU performance won't improve battery life for squat.

  • Reply 19 of 106
    cash907cash907 Posts: 893member
    solipsismx wrote: »
    They are good for 1000 full cycles before they at 80% original capacity. If you're talking about a bad battery treat it like a bad component that needs to be replaced. This whole notion that everything should be user-replaceable is an archaic and outmoded concept in 2013 for a consumer device.

    lol. Manufacturers LOVE mind sets like yours, Sol. You're just the blank check that keeps cashing out. Meanwhile, ifixit and I continue plucking away and solving our own problems without ridiculously overpriced extended warranties and repair fees.

    Speaking of battery replacement, this is funny: I can get an OEM replacement for my 2009 MBP 13" for 49 dollars online, and swap it out in about ten minutes. Apple, on the other hand, wants 130 bucks and a day to do the same thing. What? If I'm paying 50, they are probably paying 35 or less, which means they expect almost 100 dollars for ten minutes of labor. I don't care if you're Daddy Warbucks himself, that's ridiculous.
  • Reply 20 of 106
    asciiascii Posts: 5,936member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Negafox View Post


    There will not be a 50% improvement in battery life. Haswell processors consume about 41% less power in general computer use. However, I believe the display is the primary consumer of battery life, not CPU. Also, the wireless card and SSD drain about 2% of the battery life each. So in real world tests, laptop battery life will likely be slightly improved (maybe around 15% or so).



    That sounds more realistic. Thanks for reminding us that the CPU is not the only thing in the computer.

Sign In or Register to comment.