The more cells there are in a battery, the longer it will last. A nine-cell laptop battery will last longer than a six-cell laptop battery and may be slightly heavier. Both six-cell and nine-cell batteries are commonly used in ultra-portable computers, such as netbooks, which are frequently carried around all day and require a lot of power.
Function
A cell is the basic building block of a battery. The Green Batteries website notes that a battery cell is an electrochemical device that is capable of storing electrical energy. Thus, nine-cell batteries store more energy than six-cell batteries and are more expensive, and the energy that is stored is used slowly to power an electrical device.
Features
The charge of six-cell and 11-cell batteries also depends on how power hungry the laptop processor is. For example, the power-conserving attributes of netbooks allow for a longer battery life. A six-cell netbook battery will typically last for six hours and an 11-cell battery for 11 hours. A six-cell battery on a heavier, more power-hungry laptop will typically last for up to three hours.
Considerations
The choice between a six-cell and nine-cell battery depends on individual’s needs. For example, people who carry their laptops around all day may prefer longer battery life. A nine-cell battery may be unnecessary if a laptop is rarely far from a main power supply.
