I was just told by a rep that apple doesn't list replacement batteries on the site anymore and you have to call them to order. I am looking to replace a classic 17" mbp battery. How long has this been going on?
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Apple store no longer selling replacement batteries online
- Thread starter Theclamshell
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If your 17" MBP is old enough to have a replaceable battery, it's going to be listed here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201624. Can't say exactly how long it's been going on, but I encountered it four years ago, when I last brought an "older" Mac in for service. It's safe to say that most manufacturers follow similar policies. They produce enough spare parts to last a certain number of years. If there are any left at the end of that period, they generally sell them off to independent parts dealers.
Thanks very much for the info. It's the first 17" so definitely not going to be supported. In this case, can anyone recommend a good place to get replacement batteries, I have fears about the fire hazards of aftermarket batteries so it worries me to buy a non OEM one. Any good suggestions, I'd rather pay more for a quality one.
Try OWC. http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/apple_laptop/batteries/MacBook_Pro_17
I had one of their NuPower batteries on my Late 2008 MacBook Pro before I sold it to a friend when I got the Early 2011 MacBook Pro in 2012. You can also try to look for a "Genuine Apple" battery on eBay from a seller in the US, but you'd have to study the pictures closely to make sure that it is a true Apple battery. Since your Mac is on the older side, I'm not sure how easy it will be to buy the real Apple battery on eBay.
I had one of their NuPower batteries on my Late 2008 MacBook Pro before I sold it to a friend when I got the Early 2011 MacBook Pro in 2012. You can also try to look for a "Genuine Apple" battery on eBay from a seller in the US, but you'd have to study the pictures closely to make sure that it is a true Apple battery. Since your Mac is on the older side, I'm not sure how easy it will be to buy the real Apple battery on eBay.
Thanks for the info, I ended up buying one form ifixit, hopefully it is good. I thought about the ebay route but was too scared tor receive a "replica".
I have an old 2008 black MB that I was thinking of getting a new battery for. They had them listed in the online store up until about six months ago. When I last checked a few months ago, they were gone so it's been sometime in the last six months.
I doubt that I will get a new battery for it after all these years now. I've been using it without a battery for at least two years now.
I doubt that I will get a new battery for it after all these years now. I've been using it without a battery for at least two years now.
I enjoy tinkering around with older Powerbooks(and iBooks to a lesser extent) and have bought my fair share of aftermarket batteries. OEM batteries-save for the occasional one that turns up on Ebay-are long gone and even when they do show up are often unusable.
I've bought several "lowest bidder" Ebay batteries(usually $20-30 depending on the model) and have had mixed luck with them. I've never had one that lived up to its rated/advertised capacity, nor even to the Apple specified capacity. My most recent one-bought for a non-Unibody 15" MBP-registered at 95% health per iStat right out of the box.
I've also had my fair share of simply bad batteries. A while back, I bought one for an iBook G3(white) that I ran down once and it never would recharge. The seller sent me a replacement that worked okay. More recently, I bought one for a Clamshell iBook that would only charge to 40%. Since it wasn't completely dead, the seller agree to a replacement for the cost of shipping. The second one did charge all the way up and lasts 2-2.5h. I have one for a Titanium Powerbook that will power the computer for 1-2 hours(depending on what I'm doing), but the fit is so poor that I have to use cardboard shims to keep electrical contact. I have four TiBooks and it does the same in all of them. My White Macbook came with an aftermarket battery, and the computer would randomly shut off. Finally, it got to the point(after about 20 or 30 cycles) where it wouldn't charge. I replaced that one with an OEM battery from Ebay that was show as having 6 cycles at about 1/3 the price Apple was charging at the time. That battery works perfectly and lasts for the rated battery life.
In general, though, for "play" laptops I'm happy with a battery that will let me unplug the computer for a few minutes. The original battery in my Pismo Powerbook, for example, will give about 10-15 minutes of use unplugged, but it's fine for that computer and how I use it(plus even aftermarket batteries cost more than what I paid for the computer)
By far and away, Newertech NuPower batteries are the best I've used, although they do carry a significant premium. If I can't get an OEM battery and want to actually depend on the computer, they are what I buy. Many of them have higher capacity than OEM batteries(and actually hold their advertised capacity). The finish is a good as an OEM battery, although I've noticed that they don't fit quite as well(although better than the lowest bidder Ebay batteries). I bought a 12" Powerbook not too long ago for a good price primarily because it came with two relatively new NuPower batteries(a battery that they no longer even make). I have one for my 15" DLSD Powerbook also, as I do use that for work purposes. I need to break down and buy a Newertech for my 15" Macbook Pro
I've bought several "lowest bidder" Ebay batteries(usually $20-30 depending on the model) and have had mixed luck with them. I've never had one that lived up to its rated/advertised capacity, nor even to the Apple specified capacity. My most recent one-bought for a non-Unibody 15" MBP-registered at 95% health per iStat right out of the box.
I've also had my fair share of simply bad batteries. A while back, I bought one for an iBook G3(white) that I ran down once and it never would recharge. The seller sent me a replacement that worked okay. More recently, I bought one for a Clamshell iBook that would only charge to 40%. Since it wasn't completely dead, the seller agree to a replacement for the cost of shipping. The second one did charge all the way up and lasts 2-2.5h. I have one for a Titanium Powerbook that will power the computer for 1-2 hours(depending on what I'm doing), but the fit is so poor that I have to use cardboard shims to keep electrical contact. I have four TiBooks and it does the same in all of them. My White Macbook came with an aftermarket battery, and the computer would randomly shut off. Finally, it got to the point(after about 20 or 30 cycles) where it wouldn't charge. I replaced that one with an OEM battery from Ebay that was show as having 6 cycles at about 1/3 the price Apple was charging at the time. That battery works perfectly and lasts for the rated battery life.
In general, though, for "play" laptops I'm happy with a battery that will let me unplug the computer for a few minutes. The original battery in my Pismo Powerbook, for example, will give about 10-15 minutes of use unplugged, but it's fine for that computer and how I use it(plus even aftermarket batteries cost more than what I paid for the computer)
By far and away, Newertech NuPower batteries are the best I've used, although they do carry a significant premium. If I can't get an OEM battery and want to actually depend on the computer, they are what I buy. Many of them have higher capacity than OEM batteries(and actually hold their advertised capacity). The finish is a good as an OEM battery, although I've noticed that they don't fit quite as well(although better than the lowest bidder Ebay batteries). I bought a 12" Powerbook not too long ago for a good price primarily because it came with two relatively new NuPower batteries(a battery that they no longer even make). I have one for my 15" DLSD Powerbook also, as I do use that for work purposes. I need to break down and buy a Newertech for my 15" Macbook Pro
Well, he couldn't have responded 2 years ago, as he's only been around a couple months. I assume he's been looking for this thread the whole time. Give the man some slack!... said the guy responding to a 2 year old post.
Fair enough.Well, he couldn't have responded 2 years ago, as he's only been around a couple months. I assume he's been looking for this thread the whole time. Give the man some slack!