Laptops have gone from being thick chunky boys with crippled performance levels to thin, light, and, powerful devices that we carry around with us every single day.
While the battery situation has still been quite a nightmare for the longest time, in the last couple of years, it has started to improve a lot.
Today, many laptops will last you a long time on a single charge, and in this article, I’ll discuss the best battery-life laptops you can buy right now.
Table of Contents
What Makes A Laptop Battery Last Long
You may have noticed this before, but even if companies put large-capacity batteries in their laptops, it doesn’t necessarily translate to great battery life, and sometimes way smaller batteries in other laptops can outperform it easily.
This is because there are several factors that come into play to make or break the battery life on laptops and if you want to ensure your next laptop lasts long, you need to keep a few factors in mind while choosing it.
Here’s what makes the battery on a laptop last long,
- The CPU wattage (Thermal Design Power a.k.a. TDP) is the biggest factor in battery life. The lower the wattage, the less power-hungry a CPU is. That means a 15W CPU will consume a lot less power compared to a 45W CPU. However, do keep in mind, that the higher-wattage CPU is much more powerful compared to a lower-wattage CPU, and sustained performance is going to be compromised.
- Process Technology (Fabrication Process) is another factor that applies to both the CPU and the GPU. Although this is a bit more complicated, just know that a lower process technology results in better battery life for modern processors. So, a chip built on the 5nm process should consume less power compared to a chip built on the 14nm process.
- Dedicated GPUs need extra power to work, so a laptop with a dedicated GPU will consume a lot more battery compared to a laptop with just an integrated GPU. For example, A laptop with an i7-12700H and an RTX 3060 will consume a lot less power compared to if the laptop only had the integrated Iris Xe.
- If two laptops have similar hardware specs, the one with the bigger battery will last longer.
- Different operating systems manage battery consumption differently. Currently, macOS handles battery consumption better compared to Windows.
- A bigger, brighter, and higher resolution display will consume more battery.
- App and personal usage is the last thing to consider. Some apps drain significantly more battery compared to the rest. Your usage habits like the choice of apps, preferred brightness level, type of workflow, etc., will have a huge impact on the battery life.
The Best Battery Life Laptops Available Right Now
For this selection, I’ve picked the best of both worlds. That means no matter if you’re Windows or macOS user, you should find something matching your requirements here.
Even if you don’t have a preference and you’re trying to decide on one, that’s fine too. I’ve also included a couple of cost-friendly options for those on a tighter budget.
1. Apple Macbook Air M2
I have to start with Apple’s latest Macbook Air. It received a complete redesign on the outside and inside it got upgraded with the new Apple M2 chip.
However, the biggest advantage of Apple Silicon Macs is excellent power efficiency and that also stands true for the new Macbook Air. It has one of the longest-lasting batteries of all the laptops released in 2022 and its performance is also unmatched for a passively cooled thin & light ultrabook.
Design and Build
Apple has switched to a “Macbook Pro”-style design approach for the Air this year and that helps the device to be thinner, boxier, and lighter compared to its predecessor. The Aluminum chassis is sturdy and it also screams quality. On top of these, you also have a midnight color option, but a little heads up, it gets dirty quite easily as that color (and its finish) is a fingerprint magnet.
There is now a notch on the display that results in thinner bezels, adding to that Apple design statement. However, you only get two USB Type-C ports with a 3.5mm headphone jack, so the port availability is still pretty limited. The MagSafe 3 charging connector is a nice addition though and it reduces the risk of accidental damage.
Display and Performance
The 13.6-inch display is now brighter peaking at 500 nits and more visually appealing as well. It’s IPS, comes with a resolution of 2560×1664, and it also supports the DCI-P3 color gamut, so it works great for both content consumption and creation with some degree of graphics work.
Apple’s new M2 chip does wonders for this machine as the performance rivals Intel’s 12th Gen P-series CPUs and it’s also a nice upgrade over the M1.
So, intensive tasks aren’t going to be an issue. However, sustained performance can suffer at times as there’s no active cooling (fan) in this laptop. Also, the 256GB SSD variant has much slower transfer speeds compared to the 512GB variant and above.
Battery Life and Charging
There’s a 52.6Wh battery inside the M2 Macbook Air and while it isn’t the biggest in capacity, with the amazing power efficiency of Apple Silicon, it easily lasts an entire workday for most people.
Of course, if you’re editing 4K videos unplugged, you can drain it within less than five hours, but with other workflows, you can easily get 10 to 14 hours of use on a single charge.
It supports fast charging with the 67W adapter and you can get it for an extra $20 with the base (256GB) model while it comes included with the 512GB model and higher.
You can also choose the 35W adapter with Dual USB-C ports instead, but that’s not a fast charger and the base model comes with a 30W adapter by default.
Pricing
The M2 Macbook Air starts at $1199.00 for the 8GB, 256GB variant, but if you want the included fast charger (or the dual-port charger), you have to upgrade to the 8GB, 512GB variant which costs $1499.00.
2. Apple Macbook Pro 13 M2
Want better performance out of your portable Mac and don’t mind giving up on the new design? The updated Macbook Pro 13 can be a good alternative.
It comes with the same M2 chip but adds active cooling on top and it also has a bigger battery compared to the M2 Macbook Air.
Design and Build
If you’re familiar with the old Intel-powered 13″ Macbook Pro’s design nothing much has changed for the Apple Silicon models just yet.
You get the same Aluminum chassis with the Touchbar and significantly thicker bezels around the display. It also has the older shape but it’s a premium construction and it’s still lightweight, so carrying it around is no issue either.
The port situation remains the same though as you get two USB type-C ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack, so when it comes to inputs, this one doesn’t justify its Pro tagline.
Display and Performance
The 13.3-inch (2560×1600) IPS display is similar in quality to the Air and it also peaks at 500 nits. Of course, you don’t get the extra screen real estate because there isn’t a Notch in this one, and you’ll miss out on that if you’re going with this one.
Performance is similar to the M2 Air, but it can sustain intensive workloads much better for longer periods of time because of its active cooling system. Sadly the 256GB base model still has the slower drive speeds (about 1900 Mbps), so you may want to consider the 512GB variant instead.
Battery Life and Charging
The Macbook Pro 13 comes with a bigger 58.2Wh battery and Apple claims about 2 more hours of battery backup compared to the M2 Air and that is quite accurate.
Real-world mixed usage will give you anywhere from 12-16 hours depending on your workflow.
Demanding (CPU and/or GPU-intensive) tasks will drain the battery faster as you may expect.
Thankfully the 13-inch Pro (M2) ships with the 67W fast charger in the box, no matter which variant you choose. So, you’re getting the fastest charging speeds available without the confusion that’s associated with the Air.
Pricing
Apple starts the Macbook Pro 13 (M2) at $1299.00 for the 8GB 256GB variant, but you’ll be paying $1499.00 if you want the 512GB variant, which I recommend by the way.
3. ASUS Zenbook S13 OLED
With the efficiency gains on the latest AMD mobile CPUs, the ASUS Zenbook S13 remains one of the longest-lasting laptops in the Windows camp.
Adding to that, it also has a gorgeous display, a modern design, and powerful internals as it’s currently the most premium 13-inch ultrabook made by the company.
Design and Build
ASUS did a great job of designing the S13 as the thin aluminum chassis in a 13-inch form factor and professional looks scream quality.
It’s light, it’s sturdy, and it looks really nice with the updated ASUS logo on the back, so the company has definitely nailed the design and build department.
The thin bezels and the circular concentric hinge area also compliment the same.
The port situation, however, isn’t better than the Macs, as you get three USB Type-C ports alongside a 3.5 mm headphone jack.
Unlike the Macbook Air M2, the headphone jack doesn’t support high-impedance headphones which won’t exactly affect most users, but definitely some.
Display and Performance
The display is where ASUS pulls ahead of the Macs with a 13.3 inch 2.8K (2800×1800) OLED display. It has way better color reproduction with infinite contrast and it even supports Dolby Vision and Touch Input.
The brightness peaks out at 550 nits, so outdoor viewing is slightly better too, but the 60 Hz refresh is a bit of a bummer as most of its Intel counterparts have moved to 90 Hz.
AMD’s 6800U which powers this mighty piece of machinery is an excellent CPU. Its 28W TDP is on par with Intel’s P-series which is great for better-sustained performance.
Light to moderately intensive tasks will do great on this laptop and the integrated Radeon GPU is also slightly better than Intel Xe. The only issue is possible driver problems (in the future) which AMD needs to sort out fast.
Battery Life and Charging
The power efficiency of the 6800U beats Intel’s 12th gen 28W chips quite easily and helps laptops last much longer on a single charge.
That means you get great performance while maintaining great battery life in the thin & light S13 OLED. You can get 10+ hours of mixed usage from the 67Wh battery which is great for an x86-powered device.
The included 65W adapter supports fast charging and uses a USB-C type connector to deliver that. The combination of a power-efficient chip, a reasonably big battery, and fast charging puts the S13 in a unique position as a Windows laptop, for its long-lasting battery life.
Pricing
The ASUS S13 OLED is a great laptop and it doesn’t come cheap. With 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD storage, the S13 sells for about $1299.99. However, the price can fluctuate quite frequently on eCommerce sites, so check the price before you buy and make sure you’re not paying significantly more for this one.
4. LG Gram 16 (2022)
If you need a laptop with a big display that also has good battery life, the LG Gram 16 (2022) is the way to go.
It’s powered by 12th Gen Intel Core i7 and it has a big battery inside to provide long unplugged sessions on a single charge. It’s also one the lightest 16-inch ultrabook right now.
Design and Build
LG hasn’t changed its design language much in the past years and the Gram 16 is just an extension of that same design philosophy.
You get an extremely thin chassis made out of Magnesium alloy which is also responsible for its extreme lightweight. The build quality is good, but it’s not as sturdy as good-quality Aluminum and you’ll definitely see some flex on the keyboard deck.
The port selection is very good with two USB Type-C ports, two USB Type-A ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack, an HDMI port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a MicroSD card slot.
I wish it was a full-sized SD card slot, and I have no idea why manufacturers moved to MicroSD, which people barely use these days.
Display and Performance
You get a big 16-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 2560×1600 and up to 99% DCI-P3 coverage That means for regular tasks, you get more screen real estate and even if you decide to do some light photo editing, the color accuracy is still excellent for that.
LG has gone with the i7-1260P which is a 28W CPU and it sits right between the 15W U-series and 45W H-series in terms of both performance and efficiency.
In simple terms, it means that the CPU consumes more power than the baseline U-series, but doesn’t need as much as the flagship H-series. The performance is great thanks to the powerful chip, but the thin chassis has some thermal limitations which can result in dipped sustained performance at times.
Battery Life and Charging
To compensate for the extra power draw, the company went with a large 80Wh battery for the Gram 16. This has worked well and with mixed daily tasks, you should able to last at least 7-8 hours on a single charge. This will vary considering your specific workflow and lighter workdays can result in even longer battery life.
Pricing
The 16GB 256GB base variant LG Gram 16 sells for about $1179.99, but I recommend upgrading to 512GB or 1TB as they sell for $1239.99 and $1299.99 respectively, hence proving a much better value for your money.
5. Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 15
For those of you who want a traditional 16:9 laptop with a relatively big display and great battery life, I’ll recommend the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 15.
Yes, the name is a mouthful, but the device comes with Intel’s latest P-series chips and still manages to provide good battery life, which is what you came here looking for anyway.
Design and Build
Samsung definitely wanted to position its flagship laptop differently compared to the rest of the competition, and that’s why the design of the Book 2 Pro is quite different compared to what Apple is doing.
It’s subtle, muted, and has a default-office-like look going which definitely appeals to professionals. The Aluminum chassis is sturdy and light, so you’re not compromising in those areas either.
It also has a good number of inputs including two USB Type-C ports, one USB Type-A port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, an HDMI port, and an SD card slot. So, you probably won’t need to carry a dongle with this one.
Display and Performance
Samsung is using a 15.6-inch OLED display (a 13-inch variant is available) with a resolution of 1920×1080 (16:9). It’s an excellent display and although it’s just FHD, it consumes less battery compared to a higher-res panel, which adds to the overall battery backup.
The visuals are stunning though and for HDR, you get HDR10+ instead of Dolby Vision. However, I do want to mention that the speakers are pretty bad on this one.
The 12th Gen i7-1260P is a powerful chip and while Samsung isn’t utilizing the full 28W TDP, they have kept it around 20W to balance performance with power consumption.
However, it also limits the CPU’s performance a bit. The device also comes with 16GB of RAM, but I’m not a fan of the slower drive speeds (~2300 Mbps) on the 512GB SSD. The SSD is faster than the 256GB SSD on the latest Macs, but not by much.
Battery Life and Charging
The 68Wh battery delivers unexpected results thanks to Samsung using a lower-res display and lower CPU TDP, This is the only laptop with a 12th Gen P-series CPU that can give up to 10 hours with daily mixed workflows, but you’ll lose battery much quicker compared to the Macbooks with intensive workloads.
The included 65W adapter supports fast charging, so when you do run out of charge, you can top it up quickly. Samsung has managed the charging tech really well, so you don’t need to worry about that.
Pricing
While the i7 variant of the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro with 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD is priced at $1499.99, it usually sells for less than $1300 on Amazon.
That’s actually a good price considering the long battery backup this laptop is able to provide.
6. Apple Macbook Air M1
If you want to stick to macOS, but don’t necessarily have the budget to get one of the newer models, the last-gen M1 Macbook Air still reigns supreme with excellent battery life and top-tier performance in its segment. You can even get it at massive discounts now, arguably making it the best option in the under $1000 segment.
Design and Build
Just the 13-inch Pro, Apple kept the same old design for the M1 Macbook Air. You get a well-built thin Aluminum chassis with a full-on function row instead of a Touchbar and you also have the thicker bezels to go with it.
It’s still an industry-leading build quality as you’d expect from Apple and I have to add that it comes with an excellent keyboard which is quite rare in this segment.
The input situation is essentially the same with two USB Type-C ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack. However, unlike the M2 Air, this one won’t support high-impedance headphones which shouldn’t really bother most of you as it’s a cheaper laptop as well.
Display and Performance
There is a 13.3-inch IPS display with a resolution of 2560×1600 and it has support for DCI-P3 color gamut just like the 13-inch Pro, but it is slightly dimmer at 400 nits.
Other than that, the display will perform similarly to its elder cousin. So, doing your basic day to tasks and occasional creator tasks aren’t going to be an issue.
Compared to M2, the M1 isn’t a huge downgrade. Sure, there are a few new additions in the latest-gen Apple silicon, but when it comes to performance, the jump isn’t as significant.
Also, the energy efficiency is actually better on the M1 compared to its successor. That means you can still do a lot more compared to the x86 completion in the same segment.
Battery Life and Charging
The battery is smaller at 49.9Wh, but thanks to better power efficiency, the battery life is actually very similar to the M2 Air. You can still get anywhere from 10 to 14 hours of usage with mixed day-to-day workloads and 4-5 hours with intensive workloads.
It ships with the 30W adapter in the box, so you do miss out on fast charging if you’re going with this one. Do consider this before making a purchase decision.
Pricing
The M1 Macbook Air is priced at $999.00 for the 8GB 256GB variant but it sells for $799.00 most of the time. At that discounted price, its value is unbeatable in terms of both performance and battery life.
7. ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED
If you want something affordable in the Windows camp, get the last-gen ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED (AMD). Although it can’t compete with the M1 Macbook Air in performance, it still has great battery life and it outperforms the Air in several other areas which can make it a better buy for a lot of you out there.
Design and Build
As this is a Zenbook, ASUS hasn’t compromised in the design and build quality departments. The design falls in line with all modern Zenbooks with a thin & light profile, thinned-out bezels, and premium looks all around. The Aluminum chassis feels well made and you also get the lit-up number pad feature on the trackpad.
The port situation is surprisingly better though with two USB Type-C ports, one USB Type-A port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, an HDMI port, and a Micro SD card slot. So, if you want a lot of flexibility in this department, this one’s a good option.
Display and Performance
There is a 14-inch 2.8K OLED panel which isn’t common in this segment and although the S13’s display is better, this one is still superior compared to the Vivobook counterparts and it’s a huge step up over the M1 Air. The bigger size also gives some extra room to work on. The 90Hz refresh rate and up to 600 nits of brightness are just other cherries on top.
The Ryzen 5825U isn’t as powerful as the 6800U, but it still handles day-to-day tasks remarkably well, so unless you’re trying to do super-intensive tasks, you shouldn’t run into problems. 8GB RAM is standard in this category, but the Zenbook 14 has more storage (512GB) compared to the M1 Air’s base model (256GB).
Battery Life and Charging
If all of that wasn’t enough, there is a big 75Wh battery inside which is a lot for a laptop of this caliber. While the 6800U still has better power efficiency, the 5825U does a great job too. You should get 8-10 hours of use with daily mixed usage. I think that is incredible for a budget Windows laptop.
Pricing
The ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED (AMD) is priced at $949.99, but again, thanks to discounts you can get it for $799.99 or less, most of the time. I can’t recommend you a better Windows laptop than this in the under $1000 price segment.
Best Battery Life Laptops – My Takeaway
If you are shopping for a laptop that doesn’t require being near a charging plug all the time, this is truly an excellent time to pick one up.
All the laptops I’ve recommended here, provide excellent battery life and a premium experience for the end user.
Have a look at your budget and get a laptop accordingly from either the Mac or the Windows ecosystem. Take advantage of the available discounts and you’ll get a product that you can truly adore while saving some extra cash.
I hope this article was able to help you find the best battery life laptop according to your specific needs. If you have any queries or questions, please let me know in the comments section below. Wanna read more? Check out the articles below!
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