[Leica] CPU power vs. battery life

[ricc at embarqmail.com (Ric Carter)]

maybe more important is turning off stuff you are not using--bluetooth, 
wifi, ethernet...

don't forget to dim display

ric




On Jul 16, 2010, at 3:59 PM, Lawrence Zeitlin wrote:

> Akhil asks:
> 
> Can any list members shed some light on the CPU power vs. battery run-time
> 
> trade offs involved? I have of course, asked the manufacturers' tech 
> support
> 
> but never could get a satisfactory answer.
> 
> 
> - - - - -
> 
> 
> First be aware that all computer manufacturers lie about battery run time. 
> A
> good rule of thumb is that, in normal use, you will get no more than half
> the battery run time claimed.
> 
> 
> Second, CPU cycles take power. The faster the CPU, all other things being
> equal, the less the battery run time. Just how much shorter depends on a
> variety of other factors like screen brightness, disc run time, Wi-Fi use,
> etc.
> 
> For portable use manufacturers favor chips with conservative power
> requirements rather than faster, more capable power hogs.
> 
> 
> Most laptop makers have a minimum battery use mode for extended portable
> operation. If you look at just what the computer does, you invariably see
> that the CPU speed is reduced, sometimes to half its normal setting, the
> disc run times shortened, and the screen turned off after several minutes
> without keystrokes.
> 
> 
> My experience with battery operated computers ranging from the old HP LX 
> 100
> handhelds to the latest MacBooks is that the lower the CPU power, the 
> longer
> the battery life. There ain't no free lunch.
> 
> 
> Larry Z
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information