Battery and track pad issues

So I’ve had my i5-equipped framework laptop since September. I believe it was under batch number 4. I love this laptop, the keyboard is way better than most, the display is sharp, and I love being able to perform any maintenance just as I would on my desktop. However, the battery performance is awful. I don’t know if anyone else has had significant issues with battery life but I cannot go 2 hours without plugging it in. If I leave it in my bag for a day or more, I’ll come back to it being completely dead from sleep mode. Also, the trackpad stops taking input from clicks for minutes at a time, causing me not to be able to perform simple tasks, and if I’m holding it a certain way it will click itself.

Are you on the Linux side of things?

Just an FYI: There seems to be a community-known issue/behaviour that “Unplugging USB-PD while laptop is already suspended would actually cause the laptop to wake up…even when the lid is still closed”.

Not sure if this is part of the issue that may / may not apply to you.

That would indicate the CPU seems to be sucking up close to full 28w for two hours… also could mean you have a noisy fan as a result… this may point to your installation is using software rendering for your DE? (a lot of guessing here…but just saying) Or, if you’re using Firefox / Youtubing…seems like it’s not using hardware acceleration? Assuming you’re not doing heavy work for 2 hours straight.

In addition to the firmware update to 3.07, you might want to check the touchpad cable to make sure it is fully seated. Also check the screws on the underside of the trackpad. If they are not fully screwed in (though you shouldn’t over tighten them) they might not register clicks properly.

I was thinking of this…fuzzy details on my part.

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Hi @emarcum,

I would recommend submitting a ticket to our support team here: Framework | Support so they can ensure your laptop is performing as intended!

Thank you and have a great day!

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Welcome to the Framework community! First I want to know the BIOS version and OS that you use. If you use Linux, you need some settings to improve your battery life. To find your BIOS version, you can see BIOS guide - #118 by Simon_Brand .

It was reported that average battery life was 5~6 hours here, while some people achieved 10 hours by turning their battery life.

Battery: I am not sure if your issue is hardware issue or not. But I think one of the best ways to improve the battery life is to upgrade BIOS to the unofficial version 3.08. You can see BIOS 3.09 to replace Incomplete BIOS 3.08 for details. You can also see BIOS release notes.

Trackpad: You may solve the issue by disabling the mouse emulation setting on the BIOS menu, if you haven’t done it yet. You can see My touchpad isn't working and (SOLVED, sort of)Touchpad Not Working Fully - #9 by Kieran_Levin for details.

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