SB2 15" battery life

[wynand32]

So, the eternal question: what's everyone's battery life with their SB2 15" I've had mine for a couple of days, and I'm finding it to be a little less than I expected. I'm getting between 7 - 8 hours doing the usual web browsing, email, RSS reading, with brightness on 35%. I'm not saying this is a bad result, exactly, rather it's just not necessarily in line with what I've been seeing in reviews.

 

[jnjroach]

I'm running Insider Fast Builds so my battery life is always lower, but if I use both sections I can get 14+ hours under normal use.

 

[wynand32]

I'm running Insider Fast Builds so my battery life is always lower, but if I use both sections I can get 14+ hours under normal use.

Huh, interesting. I swear, I've had Surface Pro 3, a Surface Pro 4, and now an SB2, and I've never gotten close to what some people give as normal usage time. I use Chrome, Outlook, and OneNote 2016, and I have Slack open in the background, and I'm getting 7-8 hours. So far, I just can't imagine getting 14+ hours of usage.

Can you describe how your SB2 is configured and what kind of tasks you're running that you're getting this kind of battery life?

 

[jnjroach]

Huh, interesting. I swear, I've had Surface Pro 3, a Surface Pro 4, and now an SB2, and I've never gotten close to what some people give as normal usage time. I use Chrome, Outlook, and OneNote 2016, and I have Slack open in the background, and I'm getting 7-8 hours. So far, I just can't imagine getting 14+ hours of usage.

Can you describe how your SB2 is configured and what kind of tasks you're running that you're getting this kind of battery life?

Your battery killers are Slack and Chrome....

I use Outlook, Edge, and Skype for Business and OneNote UWP (which uses less resources then the Win32 version). I've been using my SB2 since 7 AM and its now almost 3 PM and I'm at 49% left on my battery.

 

[wynand32]

Your battery killers are Slack and Chrome....

I use Outlook, Edge, and Skype for Business and OneNote UWP (which uses less resources then the Win32 version). I've been using my SB2 since 7 AM and its now almost 3 PM and I'm at 49% left on my battery.

Using Edge would be an interesting experiment. I could mostly get away with it versus Chrome, I think. I have to use Slack, but I could turn it off when I'm not actively working as a test. And then I really do prefer OneNote 2016 vs. OneNote UWP for a variety of reasons, but I could try that as a test as well.

What is your display set at, and your battery slider setting? Not sure what else there is that can be adjusted.

 

[jnjroach]

Using Edge would be an interesting experiment. I could mostly get away with it versus Chrome, I think. I have to use Slack, but I could turn it off when I'm not actively working as a test. And then I really do prefer OneNote 2016 vs. OneNote UWP for a variety of reasons, but I could try that as a test as well.

What is your display set at, and your battery slider setting? Not sure what else there is that can be adjusted.

I'm using battery saver currently...but it is Sunday - I use the click under middle normally at work unless I'm going to away from mains all day then I use battery saver.

 

[wynand32]

I'm using battery saver currently...but it is Sunday - I use the click under middle normally at work unless I'm going to away from mains all day then I use battery saver.

Aha, okay, that's interesting then. So if I'm reading you correctly, you're always using battery saver during the times you're getting 14+ hours? That's certainly something to test, if so.

 

[jnjroach]

Aha, okay, that's interesting then. So if I'm reading you correctly, you're always using battery saver during the times you're getting 14+ hours? That's certainly something to test, if so.

Yep...

 

[jnjroach]

It's now after 5:30 PM and I'm at 38% battery so over 10.5 Hours...

 

[wynand32]

It's now after 5:30 PM and I'm at 38% battery so over 10.5 Hours...

Just to confirm, that's non-stop screen-on time and use, right?

 

[jnjroach]

Just to confirm, that's non-stop screen-on time and use, right?

Well...I've gotten up to take care of stuff - bodily functions, eating some chores, so it has been idle for a few minutes here and there, it is real world. Don't try to replicate 17 hours of video playback...that is a benchmark. It has been 12 hours now and I'm at 30% battery.

 

[sharpuser]

I've had a Surface, Surface 2, Surface 2 Pro, Surface 3 Pro, Surface Book 512, Surface Book 1TB, and now Surface Book 2 15" 1TB. I have been surprised at how long this battery lasts. Today, for example, I stepped away for 6 hours from an important project, and remember closing the lid on the Surface Book 2. Battery life then was about 45%. When I returned, it had dropped to 39%. Hours later, I'm still using it without plugging in.

I suspect having a strong WiFi signal is also important. Battery life is poorer when I am on a hotel WiFi, for example, with a weaker broadcast.