Battery technology hasn’t changed recently, but suddenly it seems that there’s about to be a battle of the batteries. Manufacturers who for years focused on thin and light have now decided to bring out machines that aren’t so light, but can run a long, long time on a single charge. This feat of endurance is performed thanks to larger batteries coupled with processors offering better energy efficiency and software that maximizes power resources.
The HP EliteBook 8460p has an aerospace-inspired HP DuraCase that meets the MIL-STD 810G military-standard testing specifications, enabling it to withstand wear and tear while still sporting a stylish platinum color tone finish. The EliteBook 8460p also provides industry-leading battery life of up to 32 hours — in a specific configuration. According to HP such amazing performance is only possible with an HP BB09 Ultra Extended Life Notebook Battery and customer download of the latest Intel graphics driver and HP BIOS. The notebook must be also be configured with Intel graphics, optional Intel 160 GB SSD drive, HP LED HD Display and Windows 7 operating system. Despite all of that, as usual HP warns that the maximum capacity of the battery will decrease with time and usage.
Equipped with just a 3-cell battery, the 8460p weighs in at 2.07 Kg. It has a 14-inch diagonal high-definition (HD) LED-backlit display and offers a choice of Intel Core i7 quad-core processors and Core i7, i5 and i3 dual-core processors paired up with up to 16GB DDR3 RAM and hard drive options from standard or encrypted to SSD. The best graphics choice is the AMD Radeon HD 6740 GPU with 1GB VRAM — but that’s not best for battery life. The 8460p also features new USB 3.0 ports and a USB 2.0 charging port, in addition to a range of wireless connectivity options and a choice of operating system.
The 8460p connects to the HP 90W Docking Station or the HP 120W Advanced Docking Station for use with peripherals such as a monitor and keyboard, enabling knowledge workers to have a desktop experience without the need to plug and unplug accessories. Decent audio is delivered through SRS Premium Sound, which provides optimized audio settings for voice and multimedia applications. The HP EliteBook 8460p starts at $1,000 and add at least $1,000 more if you go for higher end features. The laptop becomes available in the US on March 15.
Running a close second in the battle of the batteries is Lenovo’s ThinkPad T420, which reaches battery life benchmarks of up to 30 hours with an extended battery. Using its standard 9-cell battery, the ThinkPad T420 delivers up to 15 hours of battery life, but when it’s combined with the optional 9-cell slice battery, 30 hours of computing power are a reality. Other hardware specs include an Intel Core i7-2820QM 2.3GHz quad-core processor and a 14-inch display. The T420 becomes available in late March at a starting price of $780, but add at least double that amount for top of the line hardware.
If you’re concerned about high performance that respects the environment, then be aware that the ThinkPad T420 is the first laptop that’s been certified UL Environment Gold. This means that the laptop exceeds ENERGY STAR 5.0 requirements and that certain hazardous substances that pose threats to human health and the environment have not been used in its manufacture. The T420 is also certified to meet other eco-labels including Nordic Swan and the Electronics Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) Gold rating. To know more about the latest 2011 Lenovo ThinkPad laptops, see the video at .
