Most of this guide will focus on modern notebooks running Windows 7,
but much of the advice below holds true even if you're running Windows
XP or planning to move to Windows 8.
Don't Overwork Your Laptop
In the simplest terms, anything your laptop does requires power.
Therefore, your laptop is wasting power every time it does something
that you don't "need" it to do. One simple solution is to close
applications you aren't using rather than leaving programs running in
the background or minimized in the Windows taskbar. However, you can go
one step further.
Every laptop running a modern version of Windows has the ability
change power profiles using the Windows Power Management. Click on that
battery icon on the bottom of your screen, and make sure your notebook
is set to "Balanced" or "Power Saver" if you want a quick and simple way
to limit unnecessary power consumption.
The
"High Performance" setting is great if you are encoding video or
playing games but it makes your processor and hard drive(s) work harder
than they have to, using more power and throwing out more heat. Most
notebooks also include power regulation software from the laptop
manufacturer (HP Power Advisor, Toshiba Power Saver, etc.) which can be used to help reduce overall power consumption.
Being Wireless Will Eventually Leave You Powerless
We usually need our laptops to be connected to a wireless network of
some kind; Wi-Fi, 3G broadband, your 4G USB modem, or even your
Bluetooth external keyboard and mouse at the office. The problem is that
constantly sending and receiving wireless signals drains a significant
portion of your notebook's battery. The solution is simple: If you're
not actively using a wireless connection then make sure you turn it off.
You can disable Wi-Fi or Bluetooth on your laptop either by clicking on
the wireless network icon on the bottom right corner of your Windows
desktop or by pressing the Wireless on/off switch on laptops that have
such switches.
Another Bright Idea: Turn Down The Display
The single component that consumes the most amount of power on your
notebook is the screen backlight. This is particularly true for "desktop
replacement" notebooks with large screens (15-inch and 17-inch
laptops). Yes, displays usually look better when the backlight is nice
and bright but when you're away from a power outlet you need to balance
your desire for a vivid screen with your desire to keep your laptop
running. Start by lowering the screen brightness to the lowest setting
and increase it slowly until you reach the dimmest setting you find
bearable. Of course, this will vary depending on the room you are in ...
you'll have to increase the screen brightness if you're working
outdoors under direct sunlight but you might be able to use the absolute
lowest brightness setting when you're working on a plane with the cabin
lights off.
DVDs Will Leave Your Laptop DEAD
Sooner or later most people find themselves stuck on a flight or in a
car without Wi-Fi and nothing better to do but watch a movie to pass
the time. Pulling out that DVD or Blu-ray collection sounds like fun but
it's one of the fastest ways to drain your laptop's battery. The motor
that spins the optical drive and the laser used to read the discs create
a huge power draw while the disc is spinning. In addition to the drive,
your laptop's processor (and the GPU) has to work hard to decode the
audio and video. This usually translates into more than a 30% increase
in power consumption compared to when your notebook is basically just
sitting idle while you type a document in Microsoft Word. If you must
watch movies, try to stick with digital content that you previously
downloaded such as iTunes or Amazon Instant Video that has been saved to
your computer. You can also stream online from Netflix.com or Hulu.com
but, as previously mentioned, Wi-Fi power consumption is something to
keep in mind.
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