All mobile devices suffer from one common complaint: poor battery life. But according to industry analysts, that complaint could be a problem of the past by the end of 2015 as 24 hour laptop batteries are coming closer to a reality.
A number of recently-released laptops are offering 15 hour battery lives. These laptops advertise having 20+ hours of battery life when users install an optional second battery. To be clear, that’s a second battery inside the laptop – not a second battery you have to bring around with you at all times.
This past week, Panasonic unveiled a laptop called the Toughbook 31. That laptop can last for 18 hours on its own or an unprecedented 27 hours with a secondary battery pack.
The laptop has the added advantage of a tough, briefcase-style exterior which Panasonic claims helps it to withstand falls.
The Toughbook 31 will go on sale next month for $3,699. It looks like it could withstand a direct strike from a nuclear warhead:
The next closest laptops to the Toughbook are the Dell XPS 13 (15 hours or 22 hours with a second battery) and the Lenovo ThinkPad X250 (20 hours with a second battery). Both of those laptops were announced at CES 2015 – marking a trend in the industry to move away from ultra slim laptops and towards larger, more battery-friendly devices.
Expect Heavier Laptops
The new Toughbook 31 weights 3.7kg (8 pounds) with two batteries inside. It also features a 13.1-inch touchscreen.
Weight and size will be two of the first features to go as we move towards longer battery life across the industry. There will always be the ultra-slim portable laptop market, but current battery technology necessitate a certain amount of size.
That being said, modern CPU, memory, and circuitry technology are all contributing to smaller, longer-lasting laptops.
“Energy efficiency” is one of the biggest buzzwords in the industry. After years of focusing mostly on the horsepower of its chips, Intel has started focusing once more on energy efficiency.
AMD, on the other hand, claims that its PC chips will be 25 times more efficient within the next 3-5 hours. That could mean 50 hour battery life is within reach (at least when the laptop is idling).
Going away for a short business trip or vacation? You might be able to leave that power cord at home by this time next year.
