Can I Extend My Laptop Battery Run Time?

The short answer: yes, sometimes.

A new laptop battery typically provides between 1.5 and 3.5 hours of runtime, depending on the applications you are using. Power-intensive functions will drain your battery more quickly.

You can extend battery runtime by reducing the two largest power draws: screen brightness and optical drive usage (CD/DVD).

Battery life can also be improved by adjusting the power management settings within your operating system.

Windows users: Go to Control Panel > Power Options to adjust power usage and low-battery alerts. Lowering screen brightness can significantly extend battery life. Reducing CD/DVD usage will also help.

Mac users: Go to System Settings > Energy Saver to adjust graphics, screen, disk, and sleep settings to improve battery performance.