If you're in the market for a new laptop or just want to compare how yours stacks up to the competition, battery life is an important aspect to examine.
While it's essential to think about how many years the battery will last, it's also critical to consider how long the battery lasts with each charge.
In this piece, we'll compare HP laptop batteries to other well-known computer brands. If you find out that your computer is running below average, there may be some things you can do to improve the battery charge life and overall lifespan.
Keep reading to find out how your laptop stacks up and what you can do about poor battery performance.
When discussing battery performance, we could be talking about two different but related things: short-term battery life or long-term battery life.
Short Term Battery Life
How long your battery lasts on a full charge is what is known as short-term battery life. This is the amount of time that HP advertises as the "Battery Life" for your laptop model.
You can find out your laptop's Battery Life on the HP website, or you can check how many milliamps per hour (mAH) are listed on the laptop's packaging or specifications sticker. Milliamps per hour measure how much power the battery can hold on a full charge.
There are a few things that can impact your HP laptop's short-term battery life. Chief among these is brightness settings. Having your screen brightness set to 100% all the time will dramatically reduce the number of hours your computer can run on a full charge.
Another aspect that can affect short-term battery life is the computer's cooling systems. Newer HP laptops have decent fans and heat systems in place that will keep your laptop running at an optimal temperature.
However, if the ventilation becomes dirty or dusty, it can raise the operating temperature of the CPU and other internal parts. A cool battery runs longer than a hot battery, so if your laptop is heating up quickly, it will likely reduce the short-term battery life.
Long Term Battery Life
Long-term battery life describes how many years your laptop battery will last before needing to be replaced. Although this number might change depending on several factors, the HP website says that their laptops generally last around two to four years or around 1000 charges.
What that means is that how often you use your laptop and how often you charge it will determine how long the battery lasts. For example, if you only use your HP laptop occasionally and charge it every two or three days, then you're going to get a much longer time out of the battery.
If you're like us and use your computer constantly, charging it two or three times per day, then its lifespan will be significantly reduced.
However, keeping your laptop charging constantly will reduce its long-term battery life no matter how often you use it. The best way to ensure your battery keeps working for years is to run it down to 0% and then recharge fully, unplugging it once fully charged.
This allows the battery to run through a full charge cycle, keeping it functioning as intended.
How Long Should An HP Laptop Battery Last Per Charge?
According to HP, the average short-term battery life of their laptop range is around seven to eight hours. However, many newer models far exceed those expectations, resulting in a battery life that can run through the entire workday.
Which HP Laptop Has The Longest Battery Life?
Out of the entire range of HP laptops in 2021, there is one that stands out among the rest in battery life: the HP Spectre x360 14. Not only is it a powerful computer with a great processor, 2-in-1 convertible screen technology, and high-speed performance, but it lasts an astounding 15 hours and 45 minutes on a full charge.
The battery life might change depending on which applications you use, your brightness settings, and the amount of time you keep the computer. However, you can expect a longer battery life out of the Spectre x360 than most competitors and all other HP models.
What Is The Average Laptop Battery Life?
In past years, the average battery life was only about two to three hours on a full charge. That meant that you would have to carry your charger wherever you went to ensure your laptop wouldn't die in the middle of a project.
Nowadays, though, laptop batteries often last around seven to eight hours on average, across most major brands like Dell, Asus and Lenovo. This number changes depending on what model you use and how much you paid for it. More expensive laptops like MacBooks definitely enjoy a longer battery life in most cases.
Gaming laptops are especially well-known for having extremely long battery lives. This is because they are optimized for peak performance across integrated and well-tuned internal parts, complemented by state-of-the-art cooling systems.
Despite the energy draw from a powerful processor, these laptops can last up to around seventeen hours on a single charge.
You should always check different models' specific battery life expectations and compare that figure to its internal hardware and processing power.
Sometimes a laptop's battery performance might be great, but then you purchase it and find out it can't run any of the applications you want. Battery life is just one aspect of computer performance, so don't compromise in other areas when you don't have to.
How Do I Check My HP's Battery Performance?
If your HP has been experiencing a reduced short-term battery life, you might be worried that it's time for a replacement. However, don't start browsing for a new PC just yet. While you can always take it to an authorized HP dealer or repair shop, there are a few other ways to check how your HP laptop battery is performing.
Advertised Battery Life
The first way is to check the number that HP advertises as your laptop model's short-term battery life. For example, HP might say that your laptop should last around ten hours on a full charge, but your's is only lasting five. If you lower the brightness settings and it doesn't significantly improve the battery life, you know you have a problem.
Walk-Away Method
Another tried and true way to check your battery performance is known as the walk-away method. This method is straightforward and doesn't require any spending or much time to complete. Essentially, just use your computer as you typically would for about an hour.
After that, leaving your computer turned on, walk away for about an hour. If when you come back the battery has reduced the same or more than when you were using it, you know there is a problem with the battery.
Restart or Reset
Sometimes, all your HP laptop needs is a good reboot. Many people often leave their laptops turned on constantly, never shutting them down and consistently charging them to keep them running.
This can be detrimental to the laptop's processor as it stacks multiple processes and applications that wouldn't otherwise be running simultaneously. Give your computer a restart or shut it down for a few hours, then come back and check the battery performance.
Alternatively, you could back up your files and give it a factory reset. This will wipe the hard drive and clear out any clutter that might be messing with your battery performance. This is a fairly drastic option, so only do so if you think it might actually make a difference.
Turn Off Bluetooth/WiFi
Bluetooth devices and Wifi connection drain batteries faster than average. While most people need their Wifi turned on constantly, Bluetooth is often on without us knowing. Turn both off and see if there is a reduction in battery drain speed. If there is, then your battery should be operating normally. If there isn't, then there is probably a problem with the battery.
Disconnect Peripheral Devices
If you have any peripheral devices like speakers or a mouse attached to your HP laptop, disconnect them and see what the battery drain speed is like. It could be that your devices aren't optimized for your HP model, which is putting a strain on the processor and draining the battery as a result.
HP Hardware Diagnostics
One of the best ways to check your battery performance without taking your computer into the shop is by using the HP Hardware Diagnostics App. While this should already be installed on your laptop, you can also download it if you deleted it at one point or another.
Run the app and select "Run as administrator." Then, click "Components Test" and "Power." There should be a "Battery Check" option available which will initiate the battery performance test.
Your screen will then show you your battery status with guidance to fixing the issue. It may advise you to replace the battery, but try the methods above first before committing to a new power source.
Is 5 Hours of Battery Life Good for a Laptop?
In all honesty, five hours of battery life is not ideal for a laptop, especially if it is brand new or bought within the last two years. Many laptops run for upwards of eight hours, while gaming laptops like Alienware or Razer sometimes lasting longer.
Five hours is enough time to get work done on the go, and you'll still need to carry your charger around with you for when the battery inevitably fails.
Is It Worth It To Replace My HP Laptop's Battery?
In general, the answer to whether or not you should replace your HP laptop's battery will depend on how much you paid for the computer in the first place. For example, if you bought a budget model for around $500, paying for a new battery might not be financially wise.
You could possibly get a new budget laptop, giving you a brand new computer that will last a much longer time than your current one, even with a replacement battery. This could end up saving you money in the long run, especially if you're replacing the battery every year or so.
However, if you have a more expensive model that costs around $1000, it might be worth replacing the battery to squeeze some extra time out of it. This could be the best option, especially if your laptop is malfunctioning well before its projected lifespan.
HP laptop batteries are cheaper than many other PC brands' batteries. Newer models will need a battery costing around $50 to $140, while older models' batteries only cost around $20 to $50.
Always make sure your laptop specifications, like wattage output and mAH, match up with whatever replacement battery you buy.
Is My HP Battery Covered Under My Purchase Warranty?
If you've purchased a laptop recently, most likely it is still covered by the warranty. HP offers laptop warranties with most purchases but explicitly states that battery warranties are a separate matter.
You may be forced to purchase a battery warranty in addition to the laptop warranty in order to have your battery covered in the event of failure.
However, some types of damage aren't covered by typical hardware insurance. If you get your laptop wet, hardware like the battery won't be covered by the warranty in most circumstances.
You may want to purchase another warranty that covers accidental damage, especially if it's an expensive laptop or you're prone to spilling drinks on your computer.
Conclusion
All in all, HP laptop batteries have fairly good battery life on average. Since most middle-range models boast up to 10 hours of battery life, they're a great laptop brand to go for if you're always on the move.
The higher-priced models have excellent battery performance as well, meaning HP laptops, in general, are great options if battery life is a big issue for you.
Andrew White is the founder of TechGearoid, a leading technology review & information website that is designed to help consumers make better decisions when it comes to their IT purchases. As a specialist tech writer (nerd) with over 10 years of experience, he enjoys writing about everything there is to do with modern technology & the newest market innovations. When he isn’t providing value for his readers, he’s usually drinking coffee or at the beach. Andrew lives in Sydney, Australia with his wife and family.