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    Is my battery life coming up short?

    Discussion in 'Alienware 14 and M14x' started by Jovan for PREZ, Sep 16, 2011.

  1. Jovan for PREZ

    Jovan for PREZ Notebook Consultant

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    I get just 3 hours on lowest brightness while surfing the internet with AlienFX on. Just regular Youtube and I was actually doing some FL Studio 10. A pretty basic music production software. Does that sound about right? Oh, and I am running with the Nvidia settings as prefer integrated graphics.

    What are the times everyone else is getting?
     
    Jovan for PREZ, Sep 16, 2011
    #1
  2. danielh35

    danielh35 Notebook Enthusiast

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    3 hours on any alienware laptop is very good. Specially with the FX effect on.
     
    danielh35, Sep 16, 2011
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  3. niko2021

    niko2021 Notebook Evangelist

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    Yeah that's normal, i get 3.5 hours with fx off.
     
    niko2021, Sep 16, 2011
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  4. Jovan for PREZ

    Jovan for PREZ Notebook Consultant

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    Ahh, good to know! Thanks guys.
     
    Jovan for PREZ, Sep 16, 2011
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  5. Gearsguy

    Gearsguy Notebook Deity

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    With my CPU underclocked to 1.5ghz, AlienFX off, wifi on, lowest brightness, I can reach 5.5 hours. Just stating
     
    Gearsguy, Sep 16, 2011
    #5
  6. GIJoeMyGoodness

    GIJoeMyGoodness Notebook Geek

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    I get about 4-5 hours with A-FX on dim, and screen dimmed. This is with basic internet browsing (here for example) and work stuff (webmail and Office). Using an i5 though.

    I just installed the new Plextor 256GB SATAIII SSD though. Not sure how much it will help yet.
     
    GIJoeMyGoodness, Sep 18, 2011
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  7. erephus

    erephus Notebook Geek

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    You can check if the Nvidia card is used.

    Watching movies on youtube for instance.
     
    erephus, Sep 18, 2011
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  8. bacuda

    bacuda Newbie

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    Hello all. I'm new here.

    For the first 3 month I get about 3.5 hours.
    But lately it become shorter.
    Even with alienfx off, i only get 1 hour for the fully charged.
    Can someone tell me what is wrong with my laptop.
     
    bacuda, Feb 25, 2012
    #8
  9. CGSDR

    CGSDR Alien Master Race

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    3.5 hours is very good, I wish I can get 3.5 hours with AlienFX on, because I only get around up to 2.5 hours and that with the AlienFX off, level 2-3 brightness, oh well, maybe I'm using the Balance power plan I guess. What power plan are you on?

    Just wondering, how did you get to downclock your CPU to 1.5Ghz? Because I might want to do that to increase the time I have while on battery as well.
     
    CGSDR, Feb 25, 2012
    #9
  10. Voodooi

    Voodooi AFK for a while...

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    I get about 4.5-5 hours if I'm surfing. Otherwise, it's 5.5hrs~, however this is with tweaked settings.

    3 hours+ is very good with FL Studio, Jovan ;)

    If I'm not mistaken, we get 300+ good charges before we start to notice a decrease in the battery's performance.
     
    Voodooi, Feb 25, 2012
    #10
  11. tyler27

    tyler27 Notebook Consultant

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    i used to get about 4-4.5 hours but now my battery has an 8% wear level and i only get about 3-3.5 hours, i think its strange
     
    tyler27, Feb 25, 2012
    #11
  12. Gearsguy

    Gearsguy Notebook Deity

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    Ive noticed my battery isnt as great anymore. Ive had my system since June and I swear I can only get 5 hours max now
     
    Gearsguy, Feb 25, 2012
    #12
  13. smokeydogsmokey

    smokeydogsmokey Notebook Consultant

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    how you find out battery wear level?
     
    smokeydogsmokey, Feb 25, 2012
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  14. Voodooi

    Voodooi AFK for a while...

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    Voodooi, Feb 25, 2012
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  15. Nomadjlc

    Nomadjlc Notebook Enthusiast

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    You guys think thats bad?...Mine says "No battery detected"...not cool....lol.
     
    Nomadjlc, Feb 26, 2012
    #15
  16. jwolf7722

    jwolf7722 Notebook Deity

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    Mine shipped with 7% wear which is odd but still getting around 4 to 4:30 battery life. Four to Five hours should be normal from what I have read.
     
    jwolf7722, Feb 26, 2012
    #16