Laptop Batteries

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Does anybody know whether a 6 cell or 9 cell is better? What's the difference? Also, I have a pre-owned HP Probook 6465 b. What battery should I get? Please help.

My experience is confined to older laptops (8-15 years old, mainly IBM/Lenovo Thinkpads and Dell Latitudes), but hopefully it's still relevant. The 9 cell batteries have 50% more capacity, and thus should give 50% more running time than the 6 cell ones. They often work out cheaper as well: I've just been looking at prices on Ebay for 6-cell Dell Latitude E6430 batteries, typically around £18, whereas the 9-cell ones are in the £20-£25 range, which is obviously a discount as they would be priced at £27 on a pro rata basis. A disadvantage (for some people) of 9-cell batteries is that they stick out of the laptop at the back, which can look 'ugly'.

Comments above refer to the cheapest Chinese-made third-party batteries. These generally don't last as long (either in running time or life expectancy) as their 'official' counterparts, which can be three times as expensive or more. Another thing about the third party batteries is that they sometimes don't fit properly into their compartments, being either excessively tight or a bit loose. I've got a pretty decent 9-cell third party battery in a Dell Latitude E5400, but I'm not sure I'll ever be able to remove it if I need to.

There's a 6-cell 3rd party battery for that HP laptop on UK Ebay for £12.47, whereas official HP ones go for £50-£60 (6-cell) and £80-90 (9-cell). I might be inclined to take a punt on the £12.47 one at that price, but wouldn't be expecting miracles...

Read some of the negative feedback comments for the suppliers of cheap laptop batteries on Ebay - they can be quite revealing.

Hmmm.....on second thoughts it probably wouldn't be such a good idea to opt for a very cheap unbranded battery (often described as 'generic'), unless you are prepared for the possibility that you will have to completely write off the 'investment'. I've been doing a bit more research on Ebay, and a 6-cell VHBW battery is available for £24, and an extended one from Green Cell for £36. These are among the better 3rd party manufacturers, and could represent a decent compromise option. They may or may not be available in your part of the world.