The battery that came with my X220 when I bought it is a worn-out 6-cell type, which lasts roughly 30 minutes under light usage (web browsing, text editing, etc.).
I don't want my laptop to function more like a desktop, so I decided to replace it with a new one. I went for the 9-cell type - the highest capacity that you can get for the X220. It's bulkier than the 6-cell one and also costs more.
Since I want to invest in a good battery, I tried looking for stores that sell high-quality OEM batteries, if not genuine. However, most of the stores I've found are in the US, and shipping fees to the Philippines are too damn high; you'll end up paying more or less the same amount that you paid for the battery itself, which I think isn't very worth it.
I also looked for replacements in the local online stores like Lazada and Shopee. Although cheap, I felt that all of it are of low quality and won't last long.
After some Google DuckDuckGo and Reddit /r/thinkpad searches, I found that there are batteries available in AliExpress and discovered this listing of an "original" Lenovo battery. It has some 5-star ratings and positive reviews, which convinced me to order one even though the shipping will take about 90 days.
The order cost me USD 95.32 - $69.00 for the product and $26.32 for the shipping, which is still cheaper than ordering from the US.
My order was to arrive by April 14, 2020. But due to the COVID-19 situation, the Philippines locked down on March 15, which halted or delayed operations of most businesses, including parcel deliveries. It also forced me to work from home.
I was able to receive the battery on April 25. The shipping address on the parcel is my office address, but I'm glad the carrier agreed to deliver it to my apartment, which is just a few kilometers away from my office.
So far, so good. The new battery lasted for about six hours on a full charge under the following setup:
- Firefox with five open tabs
- Drawing in Krita with a Wacom Intuos
- Chatting in Keybase
- Internet via Wi-Fi
On the other hand, it lasted for only about three hours when I was setting up a 3D model pose in JustSketchMe using Firefox.