Battery and power cord questions

[Nomad-Man]

Concerning the battery deal going on at IBM when you purchase a laptop the two options
are
6cell 59.00 reg price i think is 135.00
9cell 99.00 reg price i think is 152.00

I know that batteries start to lose power after a while, but since my laptop will probably be run 90% of the time by
power and 10% of the time by battery.
Im wondering if i should get the battery deal or not? Would getting the extra battery be a waste in this instance as I dont want the extra battery deteriorating by just sitting around. On the other hand if it will hold up without use until I needed it, say in a year, when the other started to deteriorate then it would be worth it..

Also Im thinking of getting a extra AC cord for my laptop as I will be hauling it back and forth from work and home. That way I can leave the cord and not have to haul it around with it.
Ibm has 3 options from what I can tell

1. AC/DC 72w combo adapter $89.10
2. AC 72w adapter $41.65
3. AC 56w ultraportable adapter $46.75

Correct Me if im wrong but The 56w one I think is the same as the 72w. Just a smaller version. However being only 56w does that mean more time charging if I needed to charge a battery.

and of course the Combo unit allows me to use at home or in the car.

Thanks..

[jdhurst]

If you operate on battery, and only use the 56 watt unit to charge, it can work. But if you use the adapter to power the laptop running, you risk damage. Ohm's Law is much less forgiving than users would like, but them's the breaks. Don't do it. .... JD Hurst

[JonathanGennick]

The adapter needs to be able to serve at least as many watts as the laptop requires. The 72 watt adapter will power a laptop drawing only 56 watts, but the reverse is not true.

[Nomad-Man]

If you operate on battery, and only use the 56 watt unit to charge, it can work. But if you use the adapter to power the laptop running, you risk damage.

Ok thanks guys,

then its between the #1 and #2 as the adapter will be used to not only power it but to also charge it.

What can you tell me about the battery question that I had!
[/quote]

[skuehne]

What can you tell me about the battery question that I had!

If you rarely use the battery, then you'll be happy with the one that comes with the machine and spending money on a spare battery would be a waste.

Just my opinion. It's your decision, based on your usage and travel patterns. The 9 cell is a good option, though.

Sven