Longer running laptops will facilitate the usage of computing software by the construction industry on building sites.

The development of new laptop models that are capable of running continuously for almost a full day without recharging promises to dramatically boost the usage of computers and construction-related software on building sites.

The latest generation of laptop batteries coming onto the market are capable of independent operation for periods of time far greater than their predecessors as a result of new efficiency gains.

An independent study by the Wall Street Journal of the latest round of 13-inch laptops released this summer found that their battery lives have been radically extended, with some of them capable of running for up to 22 hours on just a single charge.

For practical purposes, this means that a laptop could run for two full work days independently off-site following full charging – a capability that undoubtedly serve as major boost for the adoption of computing and software solutions by the construction industry.

The on-site usage of computers by the construction sector has spread rapidly in recent years, due the ability of the latest software package to expedite and enhance building-related work processes.

Computers are being used for construction professionals for a broad range of purposes, including costing estimates, in-field quality inspections, coordination and scheduling of work and materials delivery; recording and documenting of project progress and the monitoring of job site conditions.

At the cutting edge of software applications in the construction sector, industry professionals are making use of computers on work sites to increase the benefits and advantages conferred by Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Augmented Reality (AR) to the overall process.

According to the Wall Street Journal the US$1,150 Lenovo ThinkPad is currently the 13-inch laptop with greater level of stamina, capable of functioning for in excess of 21.5 hours with the assistance of an extra-large removable battery.

The Dell XPS 13 came in second with an impressive 18.5 hours of operation, at the most modest total cost of just over US$900 for the laptop itself and additional power booster.

The key to the increased operating life of these new laptops lies not so much in improvements to energy storage technology, but in gains in the energy efficiency of the Intel microprocessors they use to operate.

The latest Acer, Dell and Lenovo laptops all make use of a 5th Generation Core processors developed by Intel that add a further 90 minutes of battery life to last year’s models, which in turn achieved an immense 50 per cent gain compared to anything dating from before 2013.