Sometimes, you read something on one of the major websites that just about makes you weep.

A story on today’s smh.com.au entitled “The big fat lie about battery life” makes some extraordinary claims about notebook computers that bears little if any resemblance to real life.

Here’s the basic quote that started me off:

If we had to buy batteries for our laptops, we would be broke faster than you can say “Lehman Brothers”. So manufacturers are virtually obliged to supply some kind of rechargeable battery and the type of battery you end up with depends on the retail price of your computer.

A very high-end model may come with a lithium-ion (Li-ion) or lithium-ion polymer (Lipo) battery while your average model will ship with a lowly NiCad.

smhAre you serious? Nickel-Cadmium batteries haven’t been used in notebook computers since before the turn of the century.

To say high-end models “may come with a Lithium-ion battery” while “your average model will ship with a lowly Nicad” is just wrong and beggars belief.

Any notebook sold in Australia today comes with a Lithium-ion battery. If you go and buy the cheapest netbook computer, you’ll find a Lithium-ion battery inside it.

Unfortunately, scaremongering like this may just lure unsuspecting consumers into buying a “high-end” notebook just to get that Lithium-ion battery and spending far more than they need to.

While there is a potential story lurking in there somewhere about notebook manufacturers and possibly false battery life ratings and unfortunately not followed through, the SMH story spends most of its time ranting about battery technology that is used in little more than solar garden lights.

So don’t be scared off buying a budget notebook.

You won’t be seeing a NiCd battery any time soon.

Similar Posts: