Saving current - increase the battery runtime
Here are easy tips for current saving, which allow significantly longer battery runtimes.
How to avoid unnecessary load of processor and video card
Deactivate all unnecessary programs, which run in the background. Also small tools in the task bar often need some percent of performance.
Reduce the display brightness
Reduce they the screen brightness as low as still a pleasant working is possible. Good modern displays show a brightness of over 150cd/m². If one does not use the laptop outside in fresh air or direct sunshine the brightness can be shifted back to 100cd/m². This can save some watts. With the last tested mobile computer we could measure a difference of 10 watts between minimum and maximum brightness!
Enable current saving functions
Modern mobile video cards got special current savings functions implemented. So one can limit the performance, but also restrain the current need. Powerful graphic cards like Nvidia go 7800gtx or ATI Radeon Mobiliy X800 need very much power.
ATI calls the current savings functions "Powerplay" and increases the battery runtime with the setting "optimal battery life" (about 4 watts of savings with a ATI X700). With NVidia graphics cards the same function is called "Powermizer".
Disable WLAN and Bluetooth
If you do not need integrated functions such as Wireless LAN, Bluetooth or infrared, turn these functions off (best by existing hardware switches) for current saving.
