How Long Should A Laptop Battery Last On A Single Charge?

Imran Shaikh (0:00)

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Imran Shaikh (2:00)

How long should a laptop battery last on a single charge? We'll find out in moments, but first. These days, you'll often hear the unmistakable chime of Apple Pay more than you see people pulling out their actual wallets to buy something. Apple has come a long way since rebranding passbook to Apple Wallet with iOS 9 in 2015

More than a decade later, Apple Wallet is much more than a digital repository for boarding passes or movie tickets. That's even more evident with the newest features found in iOS 27 While the latest software update includes some quality of life upgrades, like making custom passes and splitting bills, you might have missed some of the tricks Apple Wallet already has. Beyond creating digital copies of your credit cards, we've compiled a list of ways to maximize what you get out of Apple Wallet. Find the full list from Jackson Chen and the six ways to make the most out of your Apple Wallet right now at engadget.com.

Laptops are their most convenient when not plugged in, where their portable nature can really shine. To maximize that convenience, you'll want to make sure your laptop is lasting as long as it should. While there are many different types of laptops, each specializing in its own niche, there are still ways to figure out whether your laptop is receiving the proper mileage. You shouldn't need one of the best laptops on the market to see a decent battery duration. By knowing how long a given laptop's battery should last on a single charge, you can avoid having to replace a battery early in your laptop's life. While most laptop batteries can be replaced without being brought into a repair shop, and warranties can sometimes cover premature battery death, generally replacing batteries is an expensive process that can often require niche tools, such as niche specialized screwdriver heads. It's best to know ahead of time if you're getting your money's worth, as well as how to optimize battery life by changing settings, and knowing which activities will drain power the fastest.

How to tell how long your laptop should last. To start, it's important to look at the type of laptop you have. The general range for modern laptops will lie somewhere between 4 and 12 hours from a single charge. But that's a pretty wide net. Premium, thin, and ultrabook laptops will last near the upper end of that tier at 8 to 12 hours, with some even reaching 15 under optimal conditions. Whereas more standard laptops will last about 6 to 10 hours, or 4 to 7 hours if it's a budget-friendly machine. Gaming laptops will drain significantly faster, and you should only expect about 2 to 4 hours from them. A laptop's niche is only part of the equation, though, as the type of charger you're using can also subtly affect battery life. Aftermarket chargers, in particular, may not deliver the precise voltage you need, and could end up stressing your battery. Though an aftermarket charger isn't a complete recipe for disaster, it's ill-advised if you want your battery to reach its full potential. To reach that full potential for each of these bounds, you'll need to optimize things. There are some key settings to change for extended laptop battery life, such as turning down display brightness, closing background apps and tabs, and lowering your display's refresh rate. You could also switch to a power-saving mode in your laptop's power management settings, though, you may need to switch out of this mode to carry out a demanding task.