why doesn't the perfect laptop external battery bank exist?

[Big Chudungus]

Should be fairly thin and same outline as the most common 15" laptop, probably with rubber bumpers on the corners so when strapped to the laptop will provide a bit more armor and together they wont shift in backpack or on lap.

One side of the batt would have ridges for airflow to help laptop stay cool, the other side would be a clipboard for A4 paper with recessed clip.

Since it seems trival to make diff size batt-banks I guess you could have them for 14" and 17" models, and maybe some would have less battery but a compartment for charging cables or a cordless cell charger panel.

I guess a 15" big flat batt would be possible place for solar cells but operationally those tend to be overrated and never used. Better would be some mounting points on the battery for an optional sun/rain shade, which would also serve as a mini-tote bag (with pouch for mouse of course) for batt and laptop with handle or even cord shoulder straps.

[Dirtlaw]

In earlier days you used to be able to replace laptop batteries. Today laptops are disposable and you cannot. In earlier days you could upgrade software even though the old stuff would still operate. Today you license software which stops working when your license expires. Both changes are simply a new profit model.

[DaveInOroValley]

The new MacBooks have an unbelievable run time. I think one was 27 hours if I remember.

[SactoDoug]

Most laptop batteries are replaceable. You just have to know how to take them apart. Lenovo is pretty good in this area in that they provide manuals on how to take apart and replace components on their laptops. I replace the M.2 SSD on my laptop and if I wanted to, I could have easily replace the battery too.

OP, I have read your description twice and can't make heads or tails out of it. You want a battery pack inside of a clipboard that has cooling fins in it which will somehow cool the laptop?

I have a Krisdonia 50,000 mAh battery pack. Trust me, you do not want to walk around with it inside of a clipboard. It weighs 5 pounds. If you do want to do so, the battery pack is compact enough to fit inside of some clipboards that have a storage compartment.

[hermosabeach]

So an external battery can't run the cpu.

The external can recharge the internal battery.

Most people simply have a spare battery for trips. Most laptops will run for a full day work on a charge.

[Dan_Eastvale]

How many hours per day out of the office do most professionals need?

In the office and airports, coffee houses, etc, they can plug them in.

[Big Chudungus]

Most laptop batteries are replaceable. You just have to know how to take them apart. Lenovo is pretty good in this area in that they provide manuals on how to take apart and replace components on their laptops. I replace the M.2 SSD on my laptop and if I wanted to, I could have easily replace the battery too.

OP, I have read your description twice and can't make heads or tails out of it. You want a battery pack inside of a clipboard that has cooling fins in it which will somehow cool the laptop?

I have a Krisdonia 50,000 mAh battery pack. Trust me, you do not want to walk around with it inside of a clipboard. It weighs 5 pounds. If you do want to do so, the battery pack is compact enough to fit inside of some clipboards that have a storage compartment.

I'm talking about a Battery Pack that is maybe 2lbs that is in shape of clipboard and/or outline of 15" laptop. One side would be smooth writing surface and the other side would have contours that would help it mate with laptop and also have enough gap to allow laptop's cooling to work. They used to have USB "cooling pads" to set laptops on (normally when laptop was plugged in) but that is no longer much of an issue and any laptop less than 5yrs old seems to run cool no matter what.

XL (bigger than needed for just one phone or couple phone) power bricks for laptops etc seem to be a thing, and they seem to come in wide verity of shapes and sizes, but to me the most obvious would be to mimic laptop. This would also fit in backpack or brief case or under car seat or in back of car seat pouch better than more square "brick". Making flat power banks doesn't seem to be hard or even a cost factor for banks that mimic cell phone shape.
Flat power bank and phone works good in one of these, cut hole in divider sheet to run 90deg 6" cord from phone to batt.https://www.ebay.com/itm/30484557372...3ABFBMnJLynuVh

Yeah, newer laptops will run quite a while, but cords are PIA in semi-public with idiots or dogs or kids tripping and yank your stuff off the table and cord is on dirty floor, etc, but I also tend to want to leave my laptop screen on max bright for extended times AND plug in phone AND tablet all on max bright and it takes a toll, AND I'd rather not put wear and tear on laptop battery unless I have to.

I might just put some flat cell phone power banks in a clam-clip board for DIY but my current laptop doesn't have C-usb charging.

[BillSmith]

Economy of scale.

Tech exists to do what you are proposing. At a price. If enough people desire the same, it becomes cheaper. As some have mentioned here already, most are satisfied with the current state of internal batteries and the ease of conventional recharge.

Obviously, YMMV.

Signed,

Capt. Obvious

[Dan_Eastvale]

Just replaced the old three cell 53 W battery on my Dell-Latitude 7490 with a Dell OEM 7490 four cell 60 W battery
Like new now
Has a cornucopia of ports

These days a 2-3 thousand dollar laptop where you can’t change anything?
Ridiculous!

So what if mine’s a pound heavier and thicker

[billofrights]

Most people don't even carry the charger for their laptop, there's no way they're selling batteries 1/2 the thickness and all of the size of a laptop to make it worthwile.

[Oxnard_Montalvo]

There used to be some laptops that had an extra battery pack that would also act as a 'lift' in the back to tilt it up a little bit for easier typing but it didnt catch on.

The overall trend is toward thinner and lighter [but not a smaller 'footprint' screen size wise] so an additional battery might be helpful in certain circumstances but given that there are outlets even on commercial aircraft now it seems unlikely the manufacturers will devote any resources into something that will likely be a small part of the accessory market...

[sonofeugene]

So an external battery can't run the cpu.

The external can recharge the internal battery.

Most people simply have a spare battery for trips. Most laptops will run for a full day work on a charge.

If an external AC supply can run the CPU, so can an external battery.

[Scotty]

If you have a newer laptop that uses USB-C as the charger plug, you can plug in and charge using a power bank that has a USB-C plug.

[ldsnet]

As more laptops move to USB-C charging, we may see form factor batteries as you describe become available. The newer external battery packs can deliver the power required at USB-C to external charge a laptop, but currently not in the form size and factor you are describing .... Maybe start a kickstarter and see if there is demand for such a thing? You just might see the funding to make it a reality.

[Big Chudungus]

Economy of scale.

Tech exists to do what you are proposing. At a price. If enough people desire the same, it becomes cheaper. As some have mentioned here already, most are satisfied with the current state of internal batteries and the ease of conventional recharge.

Obviously, YMMV.

Signed,

Capt. Obvious

I'm thinking SOP for decent laptop would be free custom fit semi-hard plastic case, with pouch for charging cable as soft handle. You could also put an industry standard 14, 15, or 17" sized external batt in the case and/or order an additional case. Only hard cases I'm seeing are Pelicans for like $100. I'm talking about something off Ebay from China for about $10 for a "good one" out of same stuff as clamshell clipboard. Oh, and with provision for at least attaching anti-glare side shields made from A4 paper and a couple folds and paper clips.