Thinkpads Forum

Question: How long does a battery usually last in a 600 (2645-45u)? I'm getting around an hour on this one, and I was hoping for a little longer....

The batteries will start out with a good life and depending on quality and use, it'll deteriorate at a certain rate from there.

For a laptop more than 2 or 3 years old, about 1 or 2 hours is about average.

Lenovo STILL has some *brand new* 600-series batteries for sale at $59 each. They should run 2.5 hours or so. I just bought four and they were marked as being made July 1, 2005.

where is the manufacturing date on the battery? I looked, and didn't see it.

I originally got this to be able to do the upgrade, so I guess it's served its purpose, but still---I got 45 minutes out of it this morning. NOT fabulous.

How about those hi-capacity batteries touted on eBay? Are they really any better?

Manufacture date is on the box. IIRC, the standard battery has 3200mAH and the others are often 3600mAH, or 12.5% longer. So if 3200 lets you run for 3 hours, 3600 will get you another 22.5 minutes or so. What that's worth is up to you.

I picked up a remanufactured battery off e-bay myself. It's the same capacity as the original, will last about two hours depending on how much CD access you have.

One hint -- take the battery out when using the computer plugged in. Heat kills the battery, and the battery charging while the CPU is producing heat (well, running) will shorten the life noticeably. Externzl chargers recharge the battery faster and can be found for $10-$20 on e-bay and other on-line sources. They require use of the power supply to charge the battery, so if you only have one you can't charge the battery while using the computer. If there is a need for that extra power supplies can be found under $25. I disassembled an old battery pack then put it back together as a cover for the battery compartment. Not necessary, but makes me feel better knowing the hole is covered.