Apple’s line of MacBooks came on the scene in 2008 with a new unibody design that shocked writers across the tech blogosphere. These laptops were built in a single-piece case, meaning that everything including the battery was sealed inside. However, rather than being seen as a blunder and ruining the line, the trend actually caught on, and spread to other MacBook models, and eventually into other company systems, such as the Dell Adamo.

So, is this the new revolution in battery technology? Not necessarily. User replaceable batteries are still by and large the gold standard in notebook computers. Users tend to enjoy the ability to swap in a spare battery for longer computing on the road, or the ability to replace a dead or damaged battery by themselves at home. Many users don’t like the concept of having to send their computer back to the manufacturer or taking it to a designated repair shop to have their battery part replaced. It’s just plain more convenient to be able to swap your batteries out and in at your leisure.

However, built-in batteries do boast their own sizeable advantages. For one, it alleviates a lot of pressure on your machine’s hardware design. Your laptop doesn’t have to be built around making the case and hardware suitable for swapping batteries constantly, and consequently you can fit more battery into your machine for the same weight and space as another notebook with a removable battery. For instance, the MacBook Pro is listed at having a 10 hour battery life on a single charge, whereas typical removable battery machines advertise at around 6 hours.

So really the question comes down to, how often do you expect to remove your battery? If you think a 10 hour charge can suit your needs without requiring a spare battery, and you’re comfortable with the admittedly uncommon possibility of needing to send your entire machine in for a battery replacement, then a built-in battery will definitely give you more power than a removable one. If however, you are away from outlets consistently and need all the battery life you can get, or if you aren’t comfortable with sending your machine in for battery repair, then you may want to stick with a user removable battery. In the end, it’s really just a matter of personal preference.