Is Power Manager worth installing? (ThinkPad W530)

Hi,

Got myself a new ThinkPad W530 and doing a fresh install to remove all of the crapware that came with the laptop. Wondering what people think about installing the Power Manager software?

Just wondering if anyone has had any experience of running with/without Power Manager, and whether it made a significant impact on their battery life?

Cheers!

Martin Hatch

 

If you use your notebook as a desktop replacement, as at least on mine you have a 60% max charge option which should double your battery`s lifespan, though your runtime will be less if you decide to take it outside, unless you fully charge it first.

If you use your notebook on battery all the time, the choice is up to you, it may save some power by installing it i dont know.

EDIT : do you really want to use your real name?

John.

 

If you are using Windows 7, I think Power Manager is great.

I thought I read it was discontinued for Windows 8. Was it?

 

I prefer having Power Manager on mine, I regularly unplug and replug in my machine quite often and if it weren't for the Battery Maintenance feature my 9 cell battery would probably be shot by now.

 

I left the online crowds of anonymity many years ago. These days I run a business, and blog / tweet using my real name .. so yes .. why wouldn't I?

 

didn't hear that, I know that there is no "Windows 8" version currently available but there is for "Desktop Power Manager".

Can't imagine why they would discontinue it, unless they are admitting that either:

a) it didn't really add any value to Windows 8 (because they think the built in power management is good enough?)

or

b) they can't be bothered anymore (i.e. don't care about their customers)

 

I thought modern Lithium Ion batteries didn't suffer from that anymore? (like mobile phones - it was recommended to top them up little and often)

 

And you don't mind the online crowds of anonymous forum members giving valuable and free-of-charge advice.

 

The only lenovo app/software that is worthwhile are their power manager/system update. But is it a must? Not really.

 

Don't top up an lithium based rechargeable battery as every time you hit 100% charge the battery is damaged ever so slightly, same with discharging try not to go below 25% capacity, but every couple of months it`s ok to charge to 100% and discharge to 0% to keep the battery gauge accurate and the wear level, this is called calibrating.

John.

 

Of course I don't, I think places like this (and any internet based community for that matter) are the backbone of the internet.

I don't mean any offence, I used to use a pseudonym nickname online for years but once I started using my real name for work (like Twitter and my blog) it just got a bit weird using my real name in some places and my "other" name in others (especially when they clashed ..).

I just decided to be a bit more careful about what I posted (i.e. nothing slanderous or "not work safe") and just used my real name everywhere as its much easier.

I totally understand why other people choose to remain anonymous, hell thats what is so great about the internet (freedom of speech .. and freedom of anonymity if you want it). I just chose not to do that anymore.

 

Ok Cheers .. I'll have to go double check my whitepaper reading on LiOn and battery levels again clearly my memory is out of whack

I tend to use a bit of both (and probably get down to 10-20% at least once a week) .. I'd prefer to have the "full" 100% of the battery available when needed and just buy new batteries every couple of years rather than spend the next 5 years with only 60% capacity!

Thanks everyone!

PS - I'll make a note to run some comparison battery life tests both with / without it installed

 

Someday we'll all come out of the closet.

 

power manager slows down the system (not by much but still), and on top of that sends information to cisco server ..

I ran without it for 3 years and this totally busted my battery as the laptop was sitting mostly like a desktop, charged at 100%. Now with my second battery I run it. No need to leave your battery at 60% as you said above, but you can safely top it to ~90% (but no more than 95%) and dont charge it until it drops to ~80%. In this case you'll still have almost full battery all the time and it would last considerably longer than if it stays at 100%. Proven.

... and Miro is my real name, and the _GT is somewhat like a performance addition No worries.

P.S. form the Thinkvantage software, the active protection is the other useful app. Besides that I run the keyboard customizer and the easy eject (both not really needed). I had the magnifier before but not anymore.

 

When you really look at it in detail there is not that much bloatware on the new W530 that can't simply be removed in control panel. Took me all of 30min to remove the junk I didn't need and leave only the useful Lenovo applications, like power manager, access connection, think vantage, finger print reader, solution center and communications utility.

Most of the Lenovo software is useful apart from items like Simple Tap. You can get rid of all the junk from Norton, Nitro PDF etc but it don't take that long to clean things up.

I highly recommend Power Manager. LiON batteries still suffer if they are constantly kept at 100% charge and each charging cycle reduces their life. If you install Power Manager it will even tell you to try and not frequently charge the battery to 100% if you want to get a long life out of it. 90% is what I use.

Power Manager also has many more advanced setting that will help you get the longest battery life when traveling or away from a charger.

 

Power Manager's "maximum lifespan mode" recalibrates the battery so 90% shows as full. It's completely reversible and my system still gets 6-8 hours of light use battery life using it, so it's a win from all sides.

 

The Windows 8 version of PowerManager is non-existent. Not sure why that is...

 

Because Windows 8 is still immature. (Do you really need it?)

 

I've found that if I am using an external monitor and don't have the Magnifier installed, I can't do the Fn+Spacebar shortcut to automatically transfer the active window to the monitor, fully maximized. It's not really necessary since you can just click and drag it to the second screen and then maximize it, but it was a convenient touch I couldn't do without.

 

I'm also waiting for Power Manger to be released for windows 8.

They released 'power manager drivers' for windows 8 but that didn't come with the program.. I can hold off using the battery to avoid extensive wear and tear without the PM so I will downgrade it to 90% and then turn off my laptop and unplug. I will now be connected to the power source 100% of the time until PM is released. Oh the problems of upgrading to the latest and greatest OS.

I will be checking twice a week if it gets released.

 

There won´t be a Power-Manager for Windows 8. As Access Connection, the Power-Manager was replaced by some Lenovo Apps (Lenovo Settings App), which are only available on machines, which comes with a Lenovo image of Windows 8. See: ThinkPad software for Windows 8 - Lenovo Community

 

Do not use replace to classify the lenovo settings app. Because it does nothing like what i heard
the power manager does for windows 7. .

 

Not sure with the W530 but with my old T400 a pinch of patience and a dash of tenaciousness added in make a few things possible

Power Manager 6.36 Windows 8

 

Thanks for mentioning this here. However, the issue/challenge/difficulty/disappointment is not with ThinkPad Power Manager alone.

What Microsoft wants is to create a so-called ecosystem that encompasses all applications to be made available to the users via a Microsoft-controlled Windows Store. All the logistics have not been worked out yet. It will take a few months, or longer.

Certain people may want to use their expensive computers and valuable time to "experiment" with Windows 8 right now, but not me. My professional and personal computing needs don't demand it.

 

I'd think that if you are on an extended trip it'd be worth doing the simple thing of carrying an extra battery.

I ordered my Lenovo T430 with a 6 cell battery, so for a 2nd battery I'd buy the 9 cell Lenovo unit, which appears to be the better deal (moneywise) of the 2 batteries.

Unless of course someone can offer reason(s) to not buy the 9 cell Lenovo battery.

On Amazon an actual *new* *Lenovo* battery (for T430, didn't check for the W530) sells for either ~$75 (6 cell) or ~$84 (9 cell).

So as a 2nd battery, 9 cell looks like the better deal to me; given that I've already got a 6 cell Lenovo battery already.

When out and about for short duration, carry the lighter weight 6 cell.

When out and about and needing more battery duration, carry the 9 cell.

When out and about for an extended period, carry both batteries.

 

How did you do that?
Windows 7 compatibility mode?