Google Chrome Sucks Battery Life Out Of Windows Laptops; Bug Set to Be Fixed

Tags: Google; Google Chrome; Mozilla Firefox; Internet Explorer; windows; microsoft

BY Akie Fronda Jul 21, 2014 08:28 PM EDT

Google Chrome browser is the main culprit why battery life on many Windows laptops drain easily. However, the developers have promised to fix the bug immediately, according to a report by Forbes' Ian Morris.

Google Chrome, the browser choice of many, will drain Windows-based laptops because of the bug it carries that consumes more of the battery life compared to browsers Mozilla or Internet Explorer.

Ian Morris, a contributor at Forbes explained how this is possible: "The problem is down to something called the 'system clock tick rate.' This is something that Windows uses internally that you won't hear about unless you go looking. What Chrome does, as soon as it is opened, is set the rate to 1.000ms. The idle, under Windows, should be 15.625ms. The numbers are a bit confusing, but it's what's happening that matters here rather than the figures themselves."

"In an OS like Windows, events are often set to run at intervals. To save power, the processor sleeps when nothing needs attention, and wakes at predefined intervals. This interval is what Chrome adjusts in Windows, so reducing it to 1.000ms means that the system is waking far more often than at 15.625ms. In fact, at 1.000ms the processor is waking 1000 times per second. The default, of 15.625ms means the processor wakes just 64 times per second to check on events that need attention," Morris added on the report.

Once Google Chrome browser is opened, it clocks its usage at 1.000ms which, according Microsoft will increase power consumption by "as much as 25 per cent."

The issue is purportedly known by Google since 2010, but has not made any move to fix the bug. Ian Morris, however, updated his report and said that Google is looking into the issue now after the issue was raised through the Forbes article, and is now a top priority.

In the meantime, though, users are urged to refrain from using Google Chrome browser to avoid draining their Windows laptop and conserve laptop battery, or shut down the Chrome browser when not being used.