What is your average battery life on your SP3?
- Thread starter TommyTuna
- Start date
kristalsoldier
Well-Known Member
OK. Here is today's numbers for me. This is based on actual usage:
I have been using the SP3 for the past 9 hours 50 minutes. Of this, 50 minutes (I am sure it was less, but let's say 50 minutes) was spent in commuting and moving from one location at work to another. So, 9 hours of straight work. The battery meter on my SP3 reports - as of now - 25%.
How do I know the time in terms of number of hours and minutes? Because I took the SP3 and my phone (Lumia 830) off their respective chargers at the same time and the start percentage was 100% as per the battery meter on the SP3. I am reading the number of hours/ minutes the 830 has been off the charger from the Battery Saver app on the phone since both devices have been off the mains for exactly the same amount of time.
The workload:
MUI IE with four tabs. Two tabs very actively being used.
OneDrive MUI app open. Constantly used in terms of files being moved around and files being sync'd.
Word - two documents open and being actively used all the time.
Drawboard PDF open with two PDF open and used all the time.
Mail app open. Receiving and sending a total of about 40 emails. Two accounts (one Outlook and the other my work mail account). Both accounts set for displaying notifications and for receiving mails as they arrive.
Brightness at 38% (auto-adjust off)
BT on (though I have used no BT device including the Pen)
WIFI on all the time (signal strength going by the bars was and is strong)
Used CCleaner twice.
Updated Store Apps once (2 apps updated)
I'd say that based on the above, I would settle for 9 hours of work. I estimate that I would probably be able to use the SP3 for at least another 30 minutes or so. But let's settle for 9 hours. Not bad, I'd say.
I have been using the SP3 for the past 9 hours 50 minutes. Of this, 50 minutes (I am sure it was less, but let's say 50 minutes) was spent in commuting and moving from one location at work to another. So, 9 hours of straight work. The battery meter on my SP3 reports - as of now - 25%.
How do I know the time in terms of number of hours and minutes? Because I took the SP3 and my phone (Lumia 830) off their respective chargers at the same time and the start percentage was 100% as per the battery meter on the SP3. I am reading the number of hours/ minutes the 830 has been off the charger from the Battery Saver app on the phone since both devices have been off the mains for exactly the same amount of time.
The workload:
MUI IE with four tabs. Two tabs very actively being used.
OneDrive MUI app open. Constantly used in terms of files being moved around and files being sync'd.
Word - two documents open and being actively used all the time.
Drawboard PDF open with two PDF open and used all the time.
Mail app open. Receiving and sending a total of about 40 emails. Two accounts (one Outlook and the other my work mail account). Both accounts set for displaying notifications and for receiving mails as they arrive.
Brightness at 38% (auto-adjust off)
BT on (though I have used no BT device including the Pen)
WIFI on all the time (signal strength going by the bars was and is strong)
Used CCleaner twice.
Updated Store Apps once (2 apps updated)
I'd say that based on the above, I would settle for 9 hours of work. I estimate that I would probably be able to use the SP3 for at least another 30 minutes or so. But let's settle for 9 hours. Not bad, I'd say.
That's insane, i only get ~6-6,5h only with OneNote and a PDF open and screen brightness at ~33%.
Clean Windows installation, fully updated, only Office365 and Adobe Reader installed.
I can't go down to 38% brightness, just a bit low for my eyes.
Have settled for around 45% and get somewhere in the region of 8 hours.
I find the brightness has a massive impact on battery life.
I usually have several Office 2013 apps open, Outlook, Powerpoint, OneNote, Nextgen reader, IE11 MUI, IE11 Desktop and drawboard.
So far very impressed - I can get through a full day's work with ease.
It can only get better with future generations.
You did a clean install with retail or VL media? Did you follow the steps to make it a Surface Install again? Or are you reference Drivers?
I used the built in function to reset the system, updated windows, installed and updated O365 and Adobe Reader. Thats it.
My OneNote needs 30%+ CPU load sometimes, especially when I use the eraser button frequently while writing. Even the fan kicks in periodically with these light tasks. (i5, 128gb, 1week old)
kristalsoldier
Well-Known Member
One thing i have noticed is that new devices and newly reset devices do indexing and when that is going on the fan kicks in and battery expenditure rises. I experienced this after the most recent Tuesday patch. In fact i was complaining to Jeff about the fan. I'd say let your device settle down and more importantly given that your device is new let the battery settle down too. One other thing. I believe using OneNote with the pen also impacts battery. And Chrome has a terrible impact on battery life. I will be looking into the OneNote thing soon. Never really paid attention to this.
One week eh? You're still in the conditioning and indexing phase. Let it do its thing and you should see better battery life....
I've used OneNote with the pen all day and got 9.5 hours.
VickiFL
Active Member
I've been using it plugged into A/C the majority of the time. The tech at the Microsoft Store said it doesn't hurt it to be plugged in all the time, and that the battery has a limited number of re-charges. I haven't had the opportunity to drain the battery and get a time yet.
kristalsoldier
Well-Known Member
Hey...I have no personal experience of this. Only stuff that I have heard and read in, among other places, this forum.
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