Battery cycle Counts...

[Faded1984]

Can anyone tell me what would be an acceptable cycle count for an early 2015 MBP?

I’m currently looking at a pre-owned one and the count is just over 450.
That seemed a bit high to me?

 

[QueenTyrone]

Can anyone tell me what would be an acceptable cycle count for an early 2015 MBP?

I’m currently looking at a pre-owned one and the count is just over 450.
That seemed a bit high to me?

It wouldn't be If he let it get to 10-5% daily then charged it, that would be right on par. But many will say that's high

 

[Toutou]

Well, it's a laptop. I have 308 cycles on my machine after 3 years, but I often take the power brick with me.

 

[Audit13]

It's not just cycles that counts but also the maximum charge that can be held by the battery.

Laptop batteries degrade over time, not just from use and charging.

 

[ZapNZs]

Unfortunately, cycle count only tells a small portion of the story. That battery with 400-some cycles could be 'healthier' than a battery of the same age with 10 cycles. Part of this relies on the end User to understand the difference between lithium cells and NiCad/NiMH cells (treat a LiCo like a NiMH and chances are the service life will be short.) Part of it is luck (i.e., the quality control exercised by the Maker, and how the battery was handled by the Maker, Apple, and the distribution channels). Part of it is time. Part of it is usage.




From another post of mine...

The point of which is, realistically, you probably cannot gauge the battery health without either, A) physically using the battery to determine the real-world runtime, or B) going to an Apple Store or Auth Provider and having them perform one of their battery diagnostics.
---------
I'm far from an expert here, but here are some things to keep in mind that applies to LITHIUM cells...

• Many of the basic handling/usage/charging/care/safety guidelines that apply to NiMH and NiCad rechargeables are NOT the same with lithium rechargeables.
• If convenient, recharge your battery once it hits around 75% - Light discharges place less wear on the battery than deep discharges, and lithiums cells do not have a memory effect. If you use the battery frequently and only run it down say from full capacity to three-quarter capacity and then recharge, this places little wear on the battery and in some cases may prolong life more than simply leaving it in a constant fully-charged state. Apple cycle counts DO NOT REFLECT THE DEPTH OF DISCHARGE!
• Frequently running your battery down to the point of being near empty will shorten the service life significantly - Deep discharges place a huge amount of wear on lithium cells. For example, running the battery down to only 5% remaining capacity and recharging it just one time could place more wear on the battery than running it down to 75% capacity and recharging it 10, 20, or 30+ times.
• If your computer is usually plugged in, occasionally running it down to 75% capacity and recharging may extend its service life - Long periods at fully charged capacity causes wear because at 100% capacity, the battery is at its maximum voltage, which is higher than the nominal voltage, and this places stress on the battery. A battery that is never used and always fully charged will still wear even without usage.
• Leaving your battery at extremely low or empty capacity is one of the worst things you can do, and doing this often will rapidly reduce the battery's service life - Long periods at very low capacity causes rapid wear - in some cases, this can destroy the battery.
• Frequently storing your laptop in a hot car or sitting in bright sunlight will dramatically shorten the lifespan - Heat expedites wear and it is arguably the biggest single enemy of lithium cells (ironic, right?)
• There is no such thing as a "calibration discharge" or "battery calibration" on modern Apple laptops - running the battery all the way down on a set schedule only wears the battery and it serves no functional purpose.
• Applications that report on battery health statistics are not necessarily accurate. Further, the metrics that the battery reports (such as a health %) can fluctuate somewhat on a day-to-day basis - The value of these battery metrics are IMO limited, and the biggest single indicator of battery health should be the real-world runtime.

 

[Faded1984]

Thanks for the feedback so far. I've asked for a screenshot of the Power screen in the hope that might give me more useful information.

 

[lambertjohn]

Can anyone tell me what would be an acceptable cycle count for an early 2015 MBP?

I’m currently looking at a pre-owned one and the count is just over 450.
That seemed a bit high to me?

That does seem high to me. But who knows what that guy does with his laptop. He may be on the road constantly and always using battery power. My 15" 2015, which I've had for less than a year, has 30 cycles on the battery. But I'm not a road warrior, so I mostly keep it in my home office, plugged in. I discharge it once every few weeks to keep the battery healthy. Keep looking and you'll find a computer like mine for sale somewhere. Low battery count and well maintained.

 

[Fishrrman]

I wouldn't buy one with a cycle count that high, unless it was being offered for a VERY attractive price. You have to factor in the additional cost of having the battery replaced before too much longer.

If you want a 2015 MBPro, the best deal is to buy a refurbished one from the Apple online store. Worth the extra $$$$, and you get the 1-year warranty too.

 

[wineandcarbs]

I'm at 320 on my 2014 MBP.