I5/I7 Battery life
Discussion
Is it a reasonable assumption that a laptop with an I5 processor will have a better battery life than one with a faster I7? Also presumably screen size has an Impact on the battery. So in seeking a used laptop is it reasonable to assume a smaller screen I5 unit would have the longer battery life?
No this is not a safe assumption.
Although the i3 / i5 / i7 classifications give you some differentiation, you have to remember that there have now been 11 generations of these processors. With each generation comes a different profile in performance and power consumption thanks to technological developments.
So a 7th generation i3 will most definitely outperform a 2nd generation i5 (I've upgraded from the i5 to the i3) and you also have to consider that laptop processors tend to be tuned more towards power efficiency at the expense of outright performance.
Other factors like case design and cooling (active / passive) can have a material impact on how much demand is placed on your battery, so a well designed large screen equipped laptop may well last longer than a smaller screen laptop if it is not having to run the cooling fans constantly.
Finally, do remember that batteries in used laptops are a bit of a lottery. Sometimes you get decent ones which will still hold a charge, other times you'll end up with something that may not perform half as well as it used to. Getting a third party replacement that works well can also be a bit pot luck and OEM replacements may be eye wateringly expensive.
Although the i3 / i5 / i7 classifications give you some differentiation, you have to remember that there have now been 11 generations of these processors. With each generation comes a different profile in performance and power consumption thanks to technological developments.
So a 7th generation i3 will most definitely outperform a 2nd generation i5 (I've upgraded from the i5 to the i3) and you also have to consider that laptop processors tend to be tuned more towards power efficiency at the expense of outright performance.
Other factors like case design and cooling (active / passive) can have a material impact on how much demand is placed on your battery, so a well designed large screen equipped laptop may well last longer than a smaller screen laptop if it is not having to run the cooling fans constantly.
Finally, do remember that batteries in used laptops are a bit of a lottery. Sometimes you get decent ones which will still hold a charge, other times you'll end up with something that may not perform half as well as it used to. Getting a third party replacement that works well can also be a bit pot luck and OEM replacements may be eye wateringly expensive.
steve-V8s said:
So in seeking a used laptop is it reasonable to assume a smaller screen I5 unit would have the longer battery life?
Smaller screen size will help. i7s if anything may use less power than i5s of the same generation - https://www.reddit.com/r/hardware/comments/56yjwy/...Chasing later CPU generation is more likely to get you lower power consumption.
2nd hand laptop batteries are a crapshoot.
it is not just the generation of cpu it is the type identified by the suffix, H is high performance mobile, U is power efficient mobile and Y is extremely lower power mobile.
These will make more difference than the performance level or a single generation. For some workloads you might find a higher performance level is more efficient, particularly on the models optimised for lower power.
These will make more difference than the performance level or a single generation. For some workloads you might find a higher performance level is more efficient, particularly on the models optimised for lower power.
i number is only a very small factor.
Buying secondhand, you have to assume the battery is past its prime whatever you buy. You wont get manufacturer figures.
If battery life is really a concern, factor in buying a new battery or buy new.
Batteries are the weak point of all laptops.
Just the fact everything is crammed into a small space mean heat is always an issue and that kills batteries. Just make sure you can plug it in and charge it easily with multiple cables wherever you go.
Buying secondhand, you have to assume the battery is past its prime whatever you buy. You wont get manufacturer figures.
If battery life is really a concern, factor in buying a new battery or buy new.
Batteries are the weak point of all laptops.
Just the fact everything is crammed into a small space mean heat is always an issue and that kills batteries. Just make sure you can plug it in and charge it easily with multiple cables wherever you go.
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