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Read more: laptops with the best battery life (slideshow)

If you think time away from a wall outlet is the most important consideration for your laptop, here are our winners thus far for longest battery life this year.

Scott Stein
I started with CNET reviewing laptops in 2009. Now I explore wearable tech, VR/AR, tablets, gaming and future/emerging trends in our changing world. Other obsessions include magic, immersive theater, puzzles, board games, cooking, improv and the New York Jets. My background includes an MFA in theater which I apply to thinking about immersive experiences of the future.
Dan Ackerman Editorial Director / Computers and Gaming
Dan Ackerman leads CNET's coverage of computers and gaming hardware. A New York native and former radio DJ, he's also a regular TV talking head and the author of "The Tetris Effect" (Hachette/PublicAffairs), a non-fiction gaming and business history book that has earned rave reviews from the New York Times, Fortune, LA Review of Books, and many other publications. "Upends the standard Silicon Valley, Steve Jobs/Mark Zuckerberg technology-creation myth... the story shines." -- The New York Times
Expertise I've been testing and reviewing computer and gaming hardware for over 20 years, covering every console launch since the Dreamcast and every MacBook...ever. Credentials
  • Author of the award-winning, NY Times-reviewed nonfiction book The Tetris Effect; Longtime consumer technology expert for CBS Mornings
Scott Stein
Dan Ackerman
1 of 13 Sarah Tew/CNET

#1 Netbook: Dell Inspiron Mini 1012 (SD)

This retail version of Dell's Mini 10 Netbook, called the iM1012-687OBK, has a great battery, but chances are it's sitting on a shelf right next to a less expensive Netbook with a bigger hard drive.

Battery life: 459 minutes

Read our review.

2 of 13 Sarah Tew/CNET

#2 Netbook: MSI Wind U160

The basic-as-it-gets MSI Wind U160-007US is a leader in battery life, but shouldn't cost $80 more than comparable systems.

Battery life: 438 minutes

Read our review.

3 of 13 Sarah Tew/CNET

#3 Netbook: Acer Aspire One 532h-2326

The Acer Aspire One 532h-2326 is just as good for basic tasks as Netbooks costing $100 more, making it a solid sub-$300 option.

Battery life: 429 minutes

Read our review.

4 of 13 Sarah Tew/CNET

Notable Ultraportable: Lenovo ThinkPad X201

Anyone looking for the power of a midsize laptop in a compact 12-inch body has only a few choices, and none to date tops Lenovo's excellent ThinkPad X201.

Battery life: 412 minutes

Read our review.

5 of 13 Sarah Tew/CNET

#1 13-incher: Apple MacBook, Spring 2010

Apple slightly revamps its basic MacBook with improvements under the hood, but keeps the design and price the same, which makes the new MacBook tough to beat as a back-to-school laptop.

Battery life: 387 minutes

Read our review.

6 of 13 Sarah Tew/CNET

#2 13-incher: Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch, Spring 2010

The new 13-inch MacBook Pro uses a faster version of last year's processor, but a graphics chip upgrade and better battery life give it more value for the same price.

Battery life: 360 minutes

Read our review.

7 of 13 Sarah Tew/CNET

#3 13-incher: Toshiba Satellite T135D-S1324

Toshiba's lightweight and affordable thin-and-light T135 series shaves another hundred off its price by switching to an AMD Neo processor in the T135D-S1324, while offering only slightly diminished performance.

Battery life: 359 minutes

Read our review.

8 of 13 Sarah Tew/CNET

#1 midsize: Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch, Spring 2010

Apple's 15-inch MacBook Pro keeps the same look and feel, but offers major internal changes, including an optional Intel Core i7 CPU, making it a very serious portable powerhouse.

Battery life: 356 minutes

Read our review.

9 of 13 Sarah Tew/CNET

#2 midsize: Gateway EC5809u

As a thin 15-inch laptop packing a lower-voltage Core 2 Duo processor, the Gateway EC5809u sacrifices performance for battery life at a decent price--but you could do even better.

Battery life: 343 minutes

Read our review.

10 of 13 Sarah Tew/CNET

#3 midsize: HP Pavilion dv4-2165dx

The excellent-performing HP Pavilion dv4-2165dx has a long battery life for the money, but it'll cost you some portability.

Battery life: 334 minutes

Read our review.

11 of 13 Sarah Tew/CNET

#1 desktop replacement: Toshiba Satellite A505-S6025

While the Toshiba Satellite A505-6025 has a rock-solid combination of computing power, graphics, and battery life, its price and bulk may be hard to swallow.

Battery life: 268 minutes

Read our review.

12 of 13 Sarah Tew/CNET

#2 desktop replacement: Asus K60IJ-RBLX05

Although the Asus K60IJ-RBLX05 is an affordable 16-inch budget laptop, it's missing the processing punch and features that can be had for just a little more money.

Battery life: 205 minutes

Read our review.

13 of 13 Sarah Tew/CNET

#3 desktop replacement: HP Pavilion dv7-3165dx

People who would rather have a big screen instead of great battery life will be happy with the HP dv7-3165dx.

Battery life: 178 minutes

Read our review.

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