How long do you get out of your battery?

alasdairmalasdairm
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
For the past few weeks I've been planning on getting a Mac notebook. I was originally set on the idea of an iBook but I'm tired of waiting! So this evening I sat down and analysed the iBook vs. PowerBook situation, comparing features, prices and price differences (taking into account education discount).



Basically I've come to the conclusion that for the price, I'd like a 15" PowerBook with combo drive. However I'm a little concerned about the battery life. The Apple web site reports 6 hours for the iBook (12 and 14-inch), 5 hours for the 12-inch PowerBook and 4.5 hours for the 15-inch PowerBook.



Now, I know it does depend a lot on what you do with the machine. However I've seen reports (on various different forums) of people getting about 2 hours out of their PowerBook and hence my posting.



How long do you get out of your PowerBook 15" and what are you doing to achieve such results?



How long do you get out of other 'Books from Mac and what is your configuration?



Portability is not a big factor with this purchase, but battery life is. I can analyse spec vs. price by myself on paper, but you cannot really analyse battery life!



Thoughts?



Cheers



Alasdair



iMac G5 17"/1.8GHz/1GB/80GB/SD/BT/WIRELESS KB+MSE/TIGER
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 25
    alasdairmalasdairm Posts: 12member
    What about the 14" iBook, and 12" iBook/PowerBook??



    Cheers :-)
  • Reply 2 of 25
    alliancep.s.ialliancep.s.i Posts: 133member
    i know my friend battery life on 17 inch PB is very low. using photoshop, illustrator, dreamweaver, AIM
  • Reply 3 of 25
    wingnutwingnut Posts: 197member
    My 12" iBook goes about 4 hours on normal use with screen close to max brightness.
  • Reply 4 of 25
    ragingloogieragingloogie Posts: 426member
    i have a an older titanium PB, and a brand new battery for it thats compatible w/ apple PB's, and i can squeeze 3.5-4hrs in it usually depending on how much use and what im using it for.. when i use music as well... the battery life slows, and drains faster the more you need the batter and such the shorter charge youll get out of it.. but 5-6hrs on a charge is nt known, atleast to my knowledge... good luck... btw: im liking the PB, was going to buy an ibook, but then i got the powerbook from my brother and im loving the powerbook
  • Reply 5 of 25
    jbljbl Posts: 555member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by segovius

    2 - 2.5 max on 15" AI PB. Slight improvement with Tiger but not much. I'd say two in normal surfing etc.



    Yeah. I have been getting about 2.5 on my new 15". I thought there was something wrong with it but apparently that is the norm. I am using the default settings.



    I also have a first generation TiBook (mostly used by my wife). I bought a NewerTech battery for it and now it gets about 3-3.5 hours. I don't know how much of that difference is the battery vs the machine.
  • Reply 6 of 25
    ebbyebby Posts: 3,110member
    Pismo and a 1 1/2 year old battery: 5 - 6 1/2 hours.
  • Reply 7 of 25
    ragingloogieragingloogie Posts: 426member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by JBL

    I also have a first generation TiBook (mostly used by my wife). I bought a NewerTech battery for it and now it gets about 3-3.5 hours. I don't know how much of that difference is the battery vs the machine.



    the battery i got for my powerbook is from newer tech, and im getting roughly 3.5-3.75hrs w/ it
  • Reply 8 of 25
    mikefmikef Posts: 698member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Wingnut

    My 12" iBook goes about 4 hours on normal use with screen close to max brightness.



    Same here on my iBook G4 1GHz, although it was slightly more when the battery was fresh... no complaints on the battery life but I wouldn't want to sacrifice too much.



    Hopefully when we get Intel CPUs in Powerbooks and iBooks, the battery life will be substantially improved. I'd be quite happy with 8 hours
  • Reply 9 of 25
    ragingloogieragingloogie Posts: 426member
    8 hours? that'd be nice... im getting a lil bit less then half of that... im happy
  • Reply 10 of 25
    webwillywebwilly Posts: 11member
    I get about 3 hrs on my 1.33 15" AlBook, that's with the screen on full and airport on, just browsing and stuff.

    With my old 1Ghz iBook i would get close to 5 hrs with full brightness and airport on doing the same stuff.

    The iBook had 768Mb and the PB has 1Gb RAM so I suppose that helps in terms of keeping the disc activity down and saving power.
  • Reply 11 of 25
    ragingloogieragingloogie Posts: 426member
    prolly... but what i need my laptop for, 3-3.5 give or take .25 worth of time is enough for me.... notes, surf web, chat client to satisfy boredom in classes....
  • Reply 12 of 25
    alasdairmalasdairm Posts: 12member
    Do you guys all use Reduced CPU performance to get these times?
  • Reply 13 of 25
    wingnutwingnut Posts: 197member
    Nope, I just use "Automatic." Seems to do the job. I think more efficiency comes from reducing TFT brightness. The iBook's G4 has to use next to no energy, since it appears to be passively cooled.



    I'm not sure if Tiger or Panther has better battery life. I do like Tiger's quick powersaving pull-down list next to the clock.
  • Reply 14 of 25
    cnuco2007cnuco2007 Posts: 73member
    on my 12" ibook, i get 4 1/2 - 5 hours usually with chatting, surfing, programming, etc.
  • Reply 15 of 25
    mikefmikef Posts: 698member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Wingnut

    The iBook's G4 has to use next to no energy, since it appears to be passively cooled.



    My iBook G4 1GHz has a fan... surely your iBook does as well.
  • Reply 16 of 25
    ragingloogieragingloogie Posts: 426member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by AlasdairM

    Do you guys all use Reduced CPU performance to get these times?



    nope... my screen is on max brightness, and im usually just surfing and ichat, sometimes i do like MS apple word stuff.. some photo-shop./.. but i usually save that fun for my vicki (my imac)
  • Reply 17 of 25
    cnuco2007cnuco2007 Posts: 73member
    the ibook DOES have a fan but it usually idles very low making it almost silent. If you run the apple diagnostics, it spins it up to full speed for a few seconds to test it out. then you can hear it. but yea, its very quiet.



    all i do on my ibook is surf the net, chat, write papers/programs, and other basic stuff like that.
  • Reply 18 of 25
    alasdairmalasdairm Posts: 12member
    I think I'll opt for the 12" PowerBook with SuperDrive ;-D



    Hehehe, ty for all the responses
  • Reply 19 of 25
    ragingloogieragingloogie Posts: 426member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by AlasdairM

    I think I'll opt for the 12" PowerBook with SuperDrive ;-D



    Hehehe, ty for all the responses



    de nada... have fun w/ it
  • Reply 20 of 25
    ichiban_jayichiban_jay Posts: 660member
    12" powerbook, I get 20 minutes, at most....



    stupid batteries die after 10 months. Had to get a replacement....



    (you may now start the "not with me" testimonials. but in anycase it's me, not you; big difference there)
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