7 Worst Battery Life-Guzzling Gadgets
Acer C7 Chromebook ($199)
Battery Life: 4:24
Cost Per Hour of Juice: $45 per hour
Lets take a look at two Chromebooks with around the same price: the Samsung Series 3 Chromebook ($249) and Acer C7 ($199). Both devices sport 11-inch displays, but the ARM-powered Chromebook lasted 7:34, while the C7 lagged more than 3 hours behind at 4:24. Granted, the C7 isn't designed to be your primary PC, and maybe you will use it mostly around the house. But why would you pay $45 per hour of battery life for the Acer when, for just $50 more, you can get the much more efficient, $33-per-hour Samsung Chromebook? The Series 3 also happens to sport a sleeker design.
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February 12th, 2013 at 4:58 am
Mark,
Thanks for testing out those batteries. I wanted to buy a Google Nexus but the battery only lasts for 4 hours. What’s the use of those advanced features if you can only enjoy it for 4 hours.
February 12th, 2013 at 7:22 am
Clever article in a checklist-driven world.
In a similar spirit, one could also come up with a list about “least important checklist items” or “most misleading bundle offers”. In the mid-2000s everybody whined about manufacturers dropping IR from phones, though it happened because it was slow. Now, if there is no NFC, it is not even a real smartphone, but you cannot in fact use NFC. Add to that that you have to approach something at least 20 cm with your _mobile_ device to make NFC function. Or you have the ads that claim how many peripheries you can add (for extra cash, of course) to make the product function (better), whereas the real question should be what is the product’s core functionality or what you get out-of-the-box.
February 12th, 2013 at 7:43 am
This is interesting they really should come up with a battery that not only lasts but will not slowly dwindle out after a month or so. It would be nice if it held the charge.
February 12th, 2013 at 5:49 pm
Here’s the thing when you’re considering the battery lives: are you going to be web surfing for 4 hours straight? If you travel a lot and over long distances, maybe. In my case, I’m not…but here’s what I’ll tell you from a regular day’s work (I’m using a Google Nexus 4). I work in a science lab and just finished a 3 hour task while running Songza at a reasonable volume. My phone has been unplugged since 8 or so. 70% battery life remaining. If you’re a heavy user where your screen is on most of the time, sure – maybe the 4 and a half hours are not enough for you. I however, don’t have the time to stare at my phone screen for a 6th of my day. Also, the price/hour of battery life seems a bit of a strange consideration. Sure, I get it. But I’m not only buying a battery. I’m getting a gadget with the form factor I want, the UI I want and the cheap phone plan I want.
February 12th, 2013 at 5:50 pm
I suppose I should add that it’s about 5 o clock right now while I’m finishing up this comment.
February 12th, 2013 at 8:52 pm
Why not compare Apples to Apples(no pun) for the Surface Pro . I would love to see the MacBook Air’s score because on Apple’s own site it says up to 5 hours battery time. Comparing a x86 machine to a ARM machine is just silly
February 13th, 2013 at 11:14 pm
I agree with Adrian. You can’t compare a Toyota Prius gas mileage with a Dodge Ram hemi. Two different products. Apple iPad, as great as it is, cannot run NHL2k13 from EA or many other programs. Sure both vehicles can get you fr point a to b with the Prius running better has mileage but that’s all it can do. If you want to do more you can’t. Same with the iPad. It’s great for angry birds or a gameloft nova game which is still impressive, it can’t run the amazing games an intel i5 can.
I have a Microsoft Surface RT and I love it. For me, it’s better than the iPad as I can do everything an iPad does but also do most of what my pc does. I didn’t get the pro because I have a pc already. I wanted a middle ground between iPad qualities with PC functionality and the surface rt worked for me.
March 11th, 2013 at 12:49 pm
I have a Nexus 4 and it lasts pretty much exactly like the iPhone 5 I tested before: around a day and a half.
I’m not sure in which conditions you did your test, maybe you had a faulty device or something.