I purchased this laptop new in Oct 2010 and it has not put a foot wrong. I can't tell you much about the battery because I use it as a desktop with power connected all the time. I previously used a Dell which even though it worked OK (except for over heating probs), it was cumbersome and heavy compared to this sleek nifty Gigabyte. Usually I get a new computer every couple of years but feel I would only be wasting my money if I chose to let this one go, so I will probably just upgrade from 4gb ram to 8gb (not that it needs to) and keep it for another couple of years or until it kicks the bucket. It handles pretty big loads I put on it while still maintaining speed. Out of about 10 computers I have owned since 1990,this is by far my favorite... and believe it or not it was the cheapest at only $450 back in 2010 when quality equivalent laptops were selling for $1600. I will definitely be buying a Gigabyte again when that time arrives. Well done Gigabyte. Cheers... Mikey