Dell Studio XPS 1647 Battery

However, numerous online complaints say otherwise. A Google search reveals dozens of forum and Reddit posts from frustrated users asking about how to fix the Dell XPS 15's power management issues that arise when the laptop is asleep. In one Reddit post, an XPS 15 owner says their laptop's battery drains at 1.5% to 2% per hour, and claimed that a Dell representative said the rate was acceptable. The problems also apply to the Precision 15 5530, not just the XPS 15.
Many users are pleading with Dell to revert back to the S3 power mode as Lenovo did with the X1 Carbon following customer complaints. However, Dell has been accused of being dismissive of these issues, particularly by Notebookcheck, a tech review site that blamed Dell of being "intransigence" and diverting accountability onto users.
Dell appears to be aware of these complaints, and listed ways in which to improve battery life for those who "have a concern about battery capacity or the power consumption issue." Those suggestions include updating the latest drivers and disabling Wake on Wireless LAN, among other things.
However, if you want to squeeze out as much gaming as you possibly can, what are the consequences of putting your laptop in a battery-saving mode? One Tom's Guide forum user asked us to help them out.To test this, we took MSI's GT63 Titan 8RG (Core i7-8750H, 32GB of RAM, GTX 1080) and ran three gaming benchmarks on battery settings such as Best Performance (plugged and unplugged), Windows 10 Battery Saver, Nvidia's Battery Boost and MSI's Eco Mode.
Running Rise of the Tomb Raider on Very High 1080p settings yielded some interesting results. The Titan averaged 68 frames per second when it was plugged in, compared with about 40 fps when it was unplugged. We then ran separate tests for the Windows 10 Battery Saver and GeForce Battery Boost, and both averaged 19 fps. Meanwhile, the Dragon Center’s Eco Mode pulled a mere 15 fps.
The Titan ripped apart the Hitman benchmark (Ultra, 1080p) while plugged in, at 120 fps, but severely downgraded to 38 fps when we unplugged it. Battery Saver didn't affect the performance much from there, as the benchmark hit 37 fps. However, Eco Mode and Battery Boost were playing with fire, at 30 fps.On the Grand Theft Auto V benchmark (Very High, 1080p), the Titan nailed 85 fps while plugged in. What was interesting was that both the unplugged Best Performance settings and Battery Boost hit 16 fps. On top of that, Eco Mode actually did better by one measly frame, for 17 fps. However, the Battery Saver mode sunk hard to 7 fps.
A lot. And ultimately, the numbers we got when the machine was unplugged were unreliable as well. If you're playing with a gaming laptop, there's no guarantee it'll meet 30 fps to be playable, whether you're on the best performance settings or using a battery-saving app. Generally, laptops with powerful GPUs like the Titan are best used with a direct power source to be fully functional. Moral of the story: Leave that sucker plugged in at all times.
Microsoft's Surface lineup is getting crowded, but the 13.5-inch Surface Laptop 3 (starting at $799, reviewed at $1,299) remains an excellent option for anyone who wants a high-performing portable system that doesn't flip, twist or detach.
The few changes made to this latest model are enough to elevate it above the previous versions. First, the clamshell device was updated with 10th Gen Intel CPUs, which provide faster computing and graphics performance. The Surface Laptop 3 also comes in an all-metal chassis with fresh color options (similar to what the 15-inch Surface Laptop 3 offers), and the new USB-C port is a feature we've long awaited.
We're still hoping for a Thunderbolt 3 port and thinner display bezels, and Microsoft's egregious pricing structure puts the Surface Laptop 3's value into question. Still, the 13.5-inch clamshell is one of the best laptops for students, business users or anyone who wants a sleek, premium system.

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