Optimizing Sony VAIO Battery Life

To Optimize Battery Use

(Below is simply copied from the VAIO Control Center on my machine.)

The battery pack has a finite lifetime and gradually loses its capacity to store energy by repeated charging/discharging and battery aging.
For this reason, battery pack rapidly runs out of power even after fully charged and will eventually stop working.
The followings are tips on making the battery life last longer and maintaining the battery health.

• To make the battery life longer
• To maintain the battery health

To make the battery life longer

Read the following tips to make the battery life longer.

• Use the power saving function.
  Your computer has two distinct power saving modes which apply to the computer not in use: Sleep mode and Hibernate mode.
  To place the computer into Sleep mode, press the power button (with the default setting). To place the computer into Hibernate mode, press and hold the Fn key and press the F12 key.
  Place the computer into Sleep mode as often as possible and into Hibernate mode when you do not use it for a while, and turn it off when you do not intend to use for an extended period of time.
  The computer goes back to the previous work state from Hibernate mode in a shorter time than it takes for the computer to run after you press the power button, and the computer comes out of Sleep mode in a shorter time than Hibernate mode.
• Adjust the LCD brightness of your computer screen.
• Decrease the volume of the speakers or headphones.
• Disconnect any peripheral devices not in use.

About battery life and the remaining battery level icon in the pop-up window

While your computer is running on battery power, the window containing battery life information (battery life and the remaining battery level icon) is displayed when you click the power status icon in the Windows desktop notification area.

This information may significantly change right after you disconnect the AC adapter or depending on the computer status just before you check the information, because it is calculated based on the computer status. In such a case, wait for a while, and then check it again.
Battery life, described in specifications, is measured with the designated power saving mode.
Battery life in the Windows desktop notification area is displayed shorter than the one in the specifications, because the computer is delivered with the default settings that enable you to use it with the optimal performance.

To maintain the battery health

Your computer has the battery care function. By setting the maximum charge level lower with the function, you can slow battery degradation and maintain the battery health.

Effects on battery capacity at the different maximum charge levels

Vertical axis: battery capacity, horizontal axis: duration of use

: Battery care function disabled
: Battery care function enabled

Note

The above figure is based on the results of the experiments conducted under specific conditions. This does not guarantee the described battery characteristics and battery lifetime.

To display the settings window for the battery care function, follow these steps:

1. Click Start , All Programs, and VAIO Control Center.
   The VAIO Control Center window appears.
2. Click Power Management and Battery Charge Functions.
   The settings window appears.