Record Breaker: Lenovo ThinkPad X220 Lasts Over 20 Hours

We have a new endurance king. The Lenovo ThinkPad X220 is the longest lasting notebook we've ever tested, enduring for 20 hours and 18 minutes on the LAPTOP Battery Test, which involves continuous surfing over Wi-Fi at 40-percent brightness. The X220's 1,218-minute time left our previous record holder, 2009's HP EliteBook 6390p and its 854-minute (14:05) mark in the dust.

The ThinkPad X220's battery life is even more impressive when compared to the 5.5-hour ultraportable notebook average. Better still, Lenovo accomplished this feat without compromising performance as the notebook's Intel 2nd generation Core i5-2520M packs a heavy performance punch.

To get over 20-hours of battery life, we had to combine Lenovo's extended 9-cell battery, which adds .2 pounds of weight and an inch of length, with a 1.6-pound battery slice. With those batteries, the 3.4-pound ThinkPad X220 rose up to a still-portable 5.2 pounds. But even with the notebook's default 6-cell battery, the system lasted a strong 7 hours and 51-minutes. With the 9-cell battery alone, that time crept up to 12 hours and 39 minutes, long enough to work late at the office and use the X220 on both ends of your commute. 

While our test operates at typical low power settings, you can be sure the ThinkPad X220 will last even longer on an international flight where you'll have to power down the Wi-Fi and use the notebook offline. Of course, a higher brightness or more processor intensive workload (gaming, video) will have a negative effect on endurance. So, as with all battery tests, your mileage may vary.

Of course, battery life is only one thing the ThinkPad X220 has going for it. We awarded the notebook four stars and a LAPTOP Editor's Choice Award for its strong performance, business-friendly features, and responsive keyboard, as well as its battery life. Check out our full review of the Lenovo ThinkPad X220 to learn more about this record-breaking notebook.