Would You Buy a Netbook With a Non-Removable Battery?
The ASUS Eee PC 1008HA netbook is hitting local shores this summer for $429, according to Engadget. I like the slim-looking device, and it offers just about everything a solid netbook should: 1.66GHz Intel Atom, 160GB hard drive, webcam, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 +EDR, and a nice keyboard with a properly sized and placed right-Shift key. I’m not sold on the battery scenario, though.
ASUS opted for an integrated, non-user replaceable power pack, much like Apple did with the MacBook Air. The difference between the two, however, is vast: The Air runs for around three hours on a single charge, while ASUS claims their Super Hybrid Engine should net you double that with the 1008HA. Six hours ought to be enough for a netbook used as a companion device. But I personally can’t get past this from a mobility standpoint. There are times when I do work on the run all day long, sometimes for more than six hours. For that reason, I nearly always purchase a spare battery for my devices. I can’t do that with the 1008HA, so as much as I like the design and specifications, I simply can’t pull the trigger. For folks that do indeed use a netbook as a companion and/or don’t rely on for more than five or six hours at a time, the newest ASUS netbook is well worth the look. How about it? Does the battery situation have any impact on your potential purchase?
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I haven’t owned a second laptop battery since 1999. I would much prefer a bit less weight or girth than a removable battery. For long trips, you can always bring along a “juice pack” type battery.
This quote is from a recent article on Tom’s Guide:
“Some Li-poly batteries are not removable. I would hesitate buying a notebook with a built-in Li-poly battery (compared to a removable Li-poly or Li-ion battery), simply because you are left with a useless notebook when the battery dies. The ability to swap batteries midway through your workday and maintain your productivity without being near AC power is an important consideration to keep in mind. It also underscores the ultimate reason to purchase an additional battery: extra power, on hand, anytime.”
http://www.tomsguide.com/us/notebook-extended-battery,review-1310.html
I agree with Greg above. Would it be more prudent to use a universal battery pack? For those with multiple devices it makes sense I think.
No, and I’ll tell you why. I had to dig my Toshiba m200 Tablet PC out of the closet when my OQO finally bit the dust. The battery is old and only lasts about 20 minutes. The problem is, the underside of the PC gets hot enough to fry eggs on when it’s plugged in and the battery is trying to charge. Can you image what it would be like if you couldn’t remove the battery? I keep the battery in because the mains input is loose and often falls out when I move around in my seat.
One of my strongest arguments for having the removable battery is what happened recently with my Fujitsu P1610. I had the extended battery fully charged and put it away in my briefcase and for some reason the machine woke itself up out of sleep (I think it was a Windows 7 Beta glitch). Before I realized that it had turned on, it had managed to completely drain the battery, with the resultant heat also decimating the high-capacity of the (fairly new) extended battery. Now I only get ~2 hours or so out of a battery that previously gave me ~4.5-5 hours. If I didn’t have a removable battery, I’d have to pay more and give up precious time with my machine to have the battery replaced, but instead I’m able to replace it at my convenience and keep the compromised battery as a backup for long flights.
I don’t understand this devotion to removable batteries. Isn’t the point of a netbook is that it’s significantly smaller and lighter than regular notebooks? And here we are, ridding ourselves of the weight advantage with extra batteries. Do you also carry the power adapter, too? So what’s the point of using small and light netbooks with tiny screens and cramped keyboards anymore if you’re always carrying extra weight “just in case?”
If I’m going to carry all that extra weight anyway (not to mention the hassle of making sure the extra one is fully charged at any time), I’d rather just get a lightweight notebook and have the power adapter with me.
The main reason for their existence is having something you can just grab and go (not grab, make sure you pack all the extras, go, then come home and spend time swapping and charging batteries for the next time you have to go). If netbooks necessitate carrying an extra battery around, that simply means they’re not good enough.
Power adapter = extra weight + needs an outlet.
Extra battery = extra weight
Lesser of two evils.
I always bring my Eee 901, a slim external drive, and a bluetooth headset to dinner outings with the wife and my 2-year old. Anyone with young jittery kids knows how hard it is to eat in peace unless you can occupy them. For us, Elmo and Dora videos work great. One time, my 901′s battery died mid-way through my daughter’s favorite Elmo DVD and as you can imagine, it was melt-down city for the rest of the dinner. I now add a fully charged extra battery to my gear for those netbook “emergencies”. Non-removables definitely wouldn’t work for me.
I may jump on this one, as I am willing to sacrifice the external battery for the even further portability the thinness on this already small netbook provides. But what about the rumor of the 1005ha, the one that is basically this model but with a removable battery? I lost track long ago of the various Asus models.
Interesting timing of this question. I just spent 3 hours in a busy Starbucks and saw at least 15 notebooks in use, every single one of them plugged in. I was the only one working on battery power. That is the norm and it blows me away that notebooks are almost always used tethered to the wall.
James, if one has a power outlet and a power adapter for the laptop, why use a battery?
Because you can? :)
I think a majority of users break into the laptop market through big box retailers such as Best Buy and the now defunct Circuit City. I bought a jack of all trades, master of none Toshiba from Circuit City. It is semi-portable at 14 inches, but it’s battery life is uninspiring. Most consumers have accepted the definition of portability as from wall plug to wall plug because of financial technologic compromise.
I would never buy any kind of Notebook or Netbook with a built in battery. The same goes for a mobile phone. It only makes sense in a disposable device which you through it way after a while. I think it is sad that most of the mp3 players don’t have removable battery. It does not seem very eco friendly to have a built in battery.