The first step is to look for a model with a good battery life. Many manufacturers will make extravagant claims, but these are often based on ‘perfect’ conditions which are difficult to replicate in real-world use. Before choosing a model look for reviews such as those on BrightHub and in computer magazines, as these will often give a much more realistic view of how much battery life you can expect.
A model with solid-state drive may consume considerably less power. This is because these drives don’t have any moving parts: unlike a traditional hard drive, there’s no need for the drives to spin, or for a read/write head to move across the disk. However, at the moment, these drives are more expensive and so you’ll usually only find them in high-end models.
Laptop screens usually work with a light-source shining through the screen. Some modern laptops use a light-emitting diode (LED) to provide this light rather than the traditional fluorescent lamp. These LED models are much less power-hungry.
Models with a silver-zinc battery can run up to 50% longer than the normal lithium-ion batteries. They should also work for longer periods of time before the battery life starts to degrade. However, as with solid-state drives, these models tend to be more expensive so you may have to consider the trade-off in price.
If you want to be really green, it’s worth looking at the Voltaic range of laptop bags and backpacks, which not only carries your laptop, but charges a special battery through solar power! The company claims a day of direct sunlight will be enough to give one full charge to your battery. You can also buy a solar laptop battery charger.
