How to Choose a Laptop Battery

With so many battery options available for your laptop, it may become a rather daunting task trying to find the right one. Each and every person that uses a laptop has their own unique way of doing so. Because of this, laptop battery that works well for one person may not necessarily be the right solution for someone else. For example- the same way that an aggressive driver will take a heavier toll on a vehicle and reduce its efficiency, an aggressive laptop user will put more pressure on a battery and therefore require a battery more suited for his or her style of use.

Before someone is able to accurately decide what type of battery is best suited for their portable power needs, they need to know the differences between each battery and what it is that each brings to the table. When choosing a battery, the main quality that you need to consider is the amount of energy that can be stored in a battery. This is measured in Watt- Hours (Wh). For longer runtime per charge, choose a battery with a greater Wh rating.

Keep in mind; generally the greater the Wh (watt hour) rating, the bigger the battery may be. To accommodate for the extra power, additional cells are added to the battery pack turning it into an extended battery. Extended batteries are usually double in size and weigh more than a standard laptop battery. Although extended batteries allow users a significantly increase the run time of laptop in between charges, your laptop may no longer fit into a snug sleeve or docking station.

Cell capacity is another factor to consider when setting out to but the correct battery. Some of our batteries are made with 2.2Ah cells versus 2.6Ah cells, and this will affect the ever so precious Wh rating that was mentioned earlier in the post. Here’s why:

Standard 6 Cell Battery		Extended 9 Cell Battery
ATDE66-06	2.2Ah cells with 6 cell will have 4400mAh = 49Whr	ATDE66-09	2.2Ah cells with 9 cell will have 6600mAh = 73Whr
LDE-66	2.6Ah cells with 6 cell will have 5200mAh = 58Whr	LDE-66XT	2.6Ah cells with 9 cell will have 7800mAh = 87Whr

*Specifications, warranty, batteries available, and information from October 2013

Even though ATDE66-06, and LDE-66 are 6 cell batteries and weigh the same, the battery with 2.6Ah cells has a greater Whr rating. Keep in mind; if you happen to be a more aggressive laptop user, then you will obviously want the highest Whr rating possible. In simpler terms; if you want longer runtime, choose a higher capacity. Extended battery packs (ATDE66-09, LDE-66XT) are an available option as well. These are ideal for those who really want to extend their run time and don’t mind the heavier weight.

Note: when used in ideal like conditions, a lower capacity battery will wear out faster than a higher capacity battery because it has to be charged more often.