Recently, Apple debuted their new Macbook Air that is capable of up to 7 plus hours of battery life in one of the thinnest and lightest laptops every designed. How did they accomplish such a feat? Read on to find out.

Those who understand laptop engineering know that the battery is a very important component. Obviously, it provides portable power for the laptop, but it is also an important concern in the design of the machine. Generally, the larger the laptop battery is physically, the longer its battery life will be. If a manufacturer puts too small of a battery in a machine, its battery life will suffer, but if the battery is too large, the laptop design will generally have to be larger and heavier, reducing its portability.

The fact that the Macbook Air is less than an inch thick at its thickest point yet still has up to 7 hours of battery life almost seems to defy the laws of physics, but it all comes down to creative engineering.

One important aspect of the Macbook Air’s laptop battery is the lithium polymer material that Apple uses in all of its modern batteries. Lithium polymer is able to be shaped into thinner or irregular shapes, allowing it to occupy more of the empty space in a laptop design. This allows Apple to make thinner batteries without sacrificing capacity. Apple has also managed to shrink the components of the laptop to an impressively small size, allowing more room for the battery. Also, since the Macbook Air has flash memory instead of a traditional hard drive, and has no optical drive, there are fewer moving parts to drain the battery and a lot less weight in general.

Lastly, Apple has included not just one but four ultra-slim battery units in one laptop. In fact, the batteries take up more space than the other components combined.

With such a focus on increased battery life and efficient use of space, Apple has created one of the thinnest and lightest notebooks available without sacrificing the all-important battery life. Consumers can now have the best of both worlds at a fairly affordable price.