Microsoft is investigating reports that
Windows 7 is having an adverse affect on the battery life of some
laptops and
netbooks . Users of both Windows 7 beta and the final product have complained of receiving warnings to replace the battery, as well as premature warnings that the battery needs recharging. Although
Microsoft claim Windows 7 improves battery endurance, some of the first reviewers of the
operating system did suggest that Windows 7 cuts
laptop battery life by upto a third.
The thread first appeared on Microsoft’s support site at the start of June 2009, and continues to receive considerable attention. Users are divided as to whether the warnings are false, or whether Windows 7 has damaged the battery of their
laptop or
notebook PC. Some users have claimed that their battery life remains considerably shorter, despite ditching Windows 7 and returning to earlier versions of Windows, or even switching to
Linux .
Microsoft believes the issue related to its system firmware (BIOS), and is in dialogue with its hardware partners to try to resolve the issue. It is believed that the issue affects a range of notebooks, including
PCs manufactured by
Acer,
Dell,
Hewlett-Packard,
Samsung,
Sony and
Toshiba .