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Undervolting a Laptop

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the too-late-for-my-laptop-graveyard dept.

Delph1 writes "Laptops often comes with two Achilles heels, heat and limited battery time. There are, if not cures, at least remedies to make them less obvious. By lowering the voltage to the processor you can not only drastically lower the heat dissipation, but also increase the battery time significantly. NordicHardware gives a nice walk through on the process and was able to boast 18% lower temperature and a 20% reduced power consumption."

9 of 262 comments (clear)

  1. I modded my Dual-Heel Processor by digitaldc · · Score: 5, Funny

    Laptops often comes with two Achilles heels, heat and limited battery time.

    You know, I just found about this and I have modded my Laptop to the EXTREME!
    I just went on a website and then tinkered with my new Dual-Heel Processor.
    It's so EXTREME the battery catches fire 10 seconds after it finishes booting up.

    --
    He who knows best knows how little he knows. - Thomas Jefferson
  2. I do this too. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I find that if you disconnect the battery entirely, you end with 0 voltage draw on the battery. 0 amps are drawn, too. You can then go for many days without having to recharge the battery! This greatly increases overall battery life as well because of less wear and tear. With my Windows desktop environment being riddled with spyware and viruses, my productivity is only reduced slightly when I do this.

  3. Re:It's 18% cooler only in Celsius by pierreTheBear · · Score: 3, Funny

    Ok, so my iMac G5 is running at about 50 deg C. That's 323 degrees Kelvin (ie, total thermal energy above absolute zero).

    An 18% reduction in absolute temperature would reduce my processor to 264 deg K... that's equal to -9.15 degrees Celsius.

    My kitchen freezer can't even get that cold! If I undervolted my iMac, I could be chillin' my b33r right now as well!

  4. PowerDemandign components by pscottdv · · Score: 3, Funny

    No. He's talking about the new PowerDemanding (TM) components
    They're designed to increase current to meet their power demands.
    If they can't get their power that way, they're designed to lobby
    Congress.

    --

    this signature has been removed due to a DMCA takedown notice

  5. Re:18% -- that's really funny by homesandgardens · · Score: 2, Funny

    Actually, the difference is that Celcius is a linear scale and Fahrenheit isn't. 64 F is not half the actual temperature of 128 F. With pounds and kilos you can divide or multiply either by one number to get the other, not so with F and C.

    --
    To be shpongled is to be kippered, mashed, smashed, destroyed, COMPLETELY GESCHTONKENFLAPPED.
  6. Similar human procedure by No2Gates · · Score: 2, Funny

    George W. Bush was the first recipient of this in human form. The synapses were reduced by 80% to save energy.

    --
    Every time you call tech support, a little kitten dies.
  7. Re:18% -- that's really funny by Odin's+Raven · · Score: 5, Funny
    Also, "undervolting" is not a word.

    I'm sorry, but "undervolting" is a perfectly cromulent word. I'd agree that percentage was a poor choice for expressing temperature differences, but the primary point remains - undervolting can embiggen battery life.

    --
    A marriage is always made up of two people who are prepared to swear that only the other one snores.
  8. Easier Solution: by thepotoo · · Score: 3, Funny
    All you do is drop voltage to 0. Once you've done this, you'll see a drastic increase in battery life, and virtually no heat output.

    The downside is that it takes like forever to load Word...

    --
    Obligatory Soundbite Catchphrase
  9. Re:18% -- that's really funny by ian_mackereth · · Score: 2, Funny

    Verbing weirds nouns.