Tell me more ×
Super User is a question and answer site for computer enthusiasts and power users. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 4 down vote favorite

I want to purchase a laptop, will be using it mostly for general study work, word, excel, web surfing, movies etc.

I finally came down with two dell laptops, only difference with the processor, one is with i5-3337U and other one is with i7-3537U. Both of them are in my price range, now I am confused about the battery life. I read it somewhere that i7 processors consume more battery than i5 processor.

I want good battery life so my question is, should I be concerned about the additional power drain from the i7?

share|improve this question
Shopping questions are off topic, since specifications change all the time . Best thing to do in this case is to compare specifications for the models you want. Battery life is affected by more than the CPU – Journeyman Geek Jan 24 at 10:23
I have updated the post, I don't think it was intended to be a shopping question, I hope my edit has clarified this (if not, feel free to roll it back to an off topic shopping question :) ) – Dave Rook Jan 24 at 10:25
3  
I'm still not convinced its practically answerable. Too many variables - graphics cards, number of cells in the battery... heck with my SB system, whether sound is turned on affects the battery life significantly. – Journeyman Geek Jan 24 at 10:37
1  
hmmmm. Ok, I agree, I guess you're only going to get speculation / opinion as answers. Yes, we can be sure that it will have an impact bit I don't think we can reasonably suggest how much... – Dave Rook Jan 24 at 10:41

closed as not constructive by Journeyman Geek, Dave Rook, Tog, Diago, Dennis Jan 24 at 11:10

As it currently stands, this question is not a good fit for our Q&A format. We expect answers to be supported by facts, references, or specific expertise, but this question will likely solicit debate, arguments, polling, or extended discussion. If you feel that this question can be improved and possibly reopened, see the FAQ for guidance.

2 Answers

up vote 3 down vote accepted

These are both hyper threaded dual cores, but it is to be expected that the i7 will consume a little bit more battery power because it runs at a slightly higher frequency. That should affect battery life but its questionable if it is noticeable, we are not talking about an hour less or something, more along the lines of minutes.

If you can afford the i7, I would definitely go for it, provided the rest of the laptop is exactly the same.

share|improve this answer
1  
The i7 will also complete actions a lot faster then the i5 and therefore use less power for single actions. In my experience there will not be much of a difference. Even if the i7 needs a little more, you can balance that out by dimming the display about 1 level. – Michael K Jan 24 at 10:39
I didn't think though, based upon the software the OP mentioned, that there would be any point as it can't utilize 8 threads? Or have I got this wrong? – Dave Rook Jan 24 at 10:40
1  
I disagree saying that the i7 will be faster then the i5. Based on what the author will be running, Word and his internet browser won't run "faster" on either, the only difference might be the fact he can run both at the same time. – Ramhound Jan 24 at 12:18
up vote -1 down vote

The i7 processor runs at higher frequencies than the i5. This requires higher voltages and drains more power. So this affects battery life. The impact should be negligible, but if you are more concerned about battery life than performance, go for the i5, which should also be cheaper. The applications that you intend to use will work well with an i5.

Of course you also need to compare the other components of the two laptops, for example the dedicated graphics card.

share|improve this answer
Both products have the same max TPD which means when they are running at their highest frequency they use EXACTLY the same amount of power 17 Watts. I have to downvote this answer for the simple fact it contains incorrect information. – Ramhound Jan 24 at 12:21
Please read here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_design_power last sentence in particular. – Pincopallino Jan 24 at 15:34

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.