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Should I replace my battery?

calvincty

calvincty

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 11, 2012
34
6
Malaysia
I have a cMBP 13" mid 2012, 470 cycles count and max capacity drop to 65% from design capacity.

On battery power can only last from 1.5 to 2 hours on normal usage, Safari with about 6 tabs (no flash) and spotify streaming, the battery drain quite fast.

Battery status shown Service battery but try few times of deplete battery it's the same still.

If now is the time to replace I would just order from eBay or local seller, could be OEM. Order from ifixit or OWC the shipping can cost me a bomb to my country.

I'm in the urge of upgrading existing 120GB OWC Ssd to 250Gb Samsung Evo 850. But not sure should I go first, battery or SSD?
 
Battery or can you afford a whole new machine if the battery swells?

As for where to buy that's up to you but I would always say oem
 
Try to get a genuine Apple battery if you can.
Worth paying more for.

To save money, do the replacement yourself.
Easy with the RIGHT TOOLS.
 
Fishrrman said:
Try to get a genuine Apple battery if you can.
Worth paying more for.

To save money, do the replacement yourself.
Easy with the RIGHT TOOLS.
Click to expand...

Question for you please. If you replace it yourself does it rattle around because it's not glued down?
 
friedkimchi said:
Battery. Without sufficient juice, no matter your SSD, you won't be able to use it.
Click to expand...
Is the battery from ifixit or OWC reliable? I have few cheaper option (half price) from local sellers (which I'm not sure where they source the battery form). Just want to make sure if I make order from ifixit or OWC the battery can last me for at least 2 years more (with battery usage 3 hours or more per full charge)
 
Is the current battery Apple? That sounds like some pretty terrible performance from an Apple battery with that cycle count.
 
Jozone said:
Is the current battery Apple? That sounds like some pretty terrible performance from an Apple battery with that cycle count.
Click to expand...
Yeah it's ori, I just awared that the design capacity drop to below 80% after my ACPP expired for about 1 month so I can't manage to claim it. Now I have to struggling for the battery life and thinking where to source a reliable battery from third party.
 
calvincty said:
Yeah it's ori, I just awared that the design capacity drop to below 80% after my ACPP expired for about 1 month so I can't manage to claim it. Now I have to struggling for the battery life and thinking where to source a reliable battery from third party.
Click to expand...
I gotcha. Speaking from a recent experience replacing a Mid 2010 battery recently (which as a non-OEM replacement expanded in the middle of a flight), I would highly encourage you to source from a real AASP, and not buy a generic. Buy cheap, buy twice.
 
I don't like to jump in a thread with my own question but since its in line with this one I will ask. I have inherited a 13" 2009 Macbook Pro that I feel uses battery a bit fast. Maybe I'm just not familiar with the normal battery life. System info says battery cycle is only 8 and power is 5145. I assume based on the numbers I have a good battery. Thing is I didn't know to check first and already ordered a replacement battery.

Would you guys run the installed 7 year old battery until it says swap it or just go ahead and swap it out? The battery I ordered is genuine Apple. If I wasted my time ordering a replacement maybe I could sell the new battery on. You guys tell me.

OP, hope its OK I ask here.
 
Jozone said:
I gotcha. Speaking from a recent experience replacing a Mid 2010 battery recently (which as a non-OEM replacement expanded in the middle of a flight), I would highly encourage you to source from a real AASP, and not buy a generic. Buy cheap, buy twice.
Click to expand...
Just get reply from local apple reseller store, battery itself cost $155 excluded Labour charge. Blood sucking.....
 
calvincty said:
Just get reply from local apple reseller store, battery itself cost $155 excluded Labour charge. Blood sucking.....
Click to expand...
Thats honestly not as bad as it could be (the battery is $129USD) -- although in the US, the labor would be free.. visiting anytime soon? ;)
 
calvincty said:
Just get reply from local apple reseller store, battery itself cost $155 excluded Labour charge. Blood sucking.....
Click to expand...
Ouch, that is rough. It's $129 installed here in the US.
I still think you should go with a genuine Apple battery.
 
Fancuku said:
Ouch, that is rough. It's $129 installed here in the US.
I still think you should go with a genuine Apple battery.
Click to expand...
They don't allow to purchase the battery individually, the cost now is $180. Really rough for a 4 years old machine.
 
gsmornot said:
I don't like to jump in a thread with my own question but since its in line with this one I will ask. I have inherited a 13" 2009 Macbook Pro that I feel uses battery a bit fast. Maybe I'm just not familiar with the normal battery life. System info says battery cycle is only 8 and power is 5145. I assume based on the numbers I have a good battery. Thing is I didn't know to check first and already ordered a replacement battery.

Would you guys run the installed 7 year old battery until it says swap it or just go ahead and swap it out? The battery I ordered is genuine Apple. If I wasted my time ordering a replacement maybe I could sell the new battery on. You guys tell me.

OP, hope its OK I ask here.
Click to expand...
I had a 2008 with about 500 cycles on it and it still have 80% battery health. I didn't really need to run it on battery power and it wasn't causing issues so I didn't bother replacing it. They should be good for 1000 cycles.

The reason your battery is 8 cycles is that the previous owner may have kept it plugged in constantly or they replaced the battery.

Download Coconut Battery and see what it says.
 
MacInTO said:
I had a 2008 with about 500 cycles on it and it still have 80% battery health. I didn't really need to run it on battery power and it wasn't causing issues so I didn't bother replacing it. They should be good for 1000 cycles.

The reason your battery is 8 cycles is that the previous owner may have kept it plugged in constantly or they replaced the battery.

Download Coconut Battery and see what it says.
Click to expand...
Thanks. They did keep it on power all the time. Wish I would have read this prior to placing an order for a battery. Assumed it would need to be replaced based on age but now I know.
 
calvincty said:
They don't allow to purchase the battery individually, the cost now is $180. Really rough for a 4 years old machine.
Click to expand...

Problem is Malaysia only has authorised resellers, no actual Apple Store, you may be able to send the MacBook to Apple, equally the post and hassle factor will likely be more. Best way to look at it, is that you will get another 4 years use out of the notebook. One other option is to remove the battery, equally performance will suffer and most obviously use on the go.

If you buy a battery from a third party it will be cheaper, equally chances are the batteries longevity will not be the same as Apple`s own, which may not matter depending nohow long you plan to keep the notebook. Another aspect is the MacBook will retain more value if the battery is serviced by Apple, the DIY approach may devalue it.

Q-6
 
Last edited:
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