M17x R3 Battery Life

[Checkmate]

Hi All,

Just wanted to share my experience with my "base" M17x R3's battery life. So I was at a Starbucks the other day and all the tables near the power outlets were taken.

I was for sure not going to be able to use my M17x R3 for a substantial time, right? Wrong. I powered on the laptop with 100% battery. Switched my graphics from the discrete AMD 6870HD to the Intel 3000HD. Connected to the free WiFi and was able to use my laptop for over 2 hours! By the time I had to leave, I still had about an hour remaining according to the battery meter.

The laptop wasn't playing games or anything but just browsing the web and playing some youtube videos. I honestly didn't think the battery would last as long as it did based on what I've read about the M17x's battery life. I am pleasantly surprised to say the least.

 

[BlackJair]

For normal task's, my battery lasts at least 2:30 hrs... I think thats pretty high because i never turn off the keyboard lights!

 

[Dantheman221]

It also matters about what battery you have. I got a 6-cell and I last 1:30 with keyboard off and watching vids and stuff The 9-cell should last 25% longer, I think xD

 

[AeonSoul]

If I'm not wrong I have a 9-cell battery, and with alienFX off, energy saving option to the max and whatnot, my m17x-r3 battery lasts around 3-4hrs.

 

[BlackJair]

Is R3 power saving? I mean, a R3 battery lasts longer than a R2 battery? 9-cell both.

 

[calric]

i never turn off the keypad; i do turn on the intel graphics card as i write this (on battery alone atm) i show 79% 2 hrs 24 estimated per the battery meter. I find it to be fairly close at times and others; off by like 15 minutes.
I guess it depends on what is going on as well.

i run balanced under the AW command center guess i could start using power saver if i need to run off the battery more :x sounds like i could get another hour or so out of it.

And that was screen bightness all the way up; now the battery is at 59% listed at 2hrs 06 minutes; screen brightness turned down.

There is a battery meter gadget available for download as well which gives you time remaining, the %, and the charge rate and discharge rate as well as the max charge in Wh or mAh.

By the way; is there a way to set the brightness to go any lower than what the lowest is automatically set for at night i'd like to have my lowest setting even dimmer than what it currently is. ? function f5

 

[yikes81]

Did any of you drain your battery dead and then give it a 12h - 16h charge time? Or did you just turn it on and plug it in straight out of the box?

 

[calric]

i did not drain it dead, but i plugged it in when i first got it before using it I THINK.

it is a possibility that i played with it for like 15-20 minutes before the initial charge.. but i know i did not completely drain it dead before the initial charge.

From what i understand from the newer batteries that it really shouldn't matter if you drain it completely or not though. (when i mean newer batteries, not specific to our pc's or previous alienware's but with the way batteries themselves are made as far as the industry for rechargables go. -if that makes sense from how i wrote it, haha)

 

[yikes81]

Yeh I know what you mean. Im pretty sure the new lithium batteries don't need it. I guess old habits die hard with the old Nicad batteries.

 

[BlackJair]

I never let it turn off by itseld, always plug it in at 10% battery left, besides i always run Full Perfomance.