Battery Insanity

[pommephone]

I've stumbled into some minor obsessive insanity regarding the best battery health practices for my new 2020 MBP 13-inch. This machine replaces a 7-year-old late-2013 retina 13" that was always plugged in when not in use, including overnight. Those practices run contrary to much of what I'm reading, yet the battery health on that machine was good at 7 years, even though the battery was beginning to swell:

My wife also has a late-2013 MBP 13" that's always plugged in when not in use, and her battery is also still in good shape (no swelling):

Based on what I've been reading about battery health, I've been trying to keep the charge on my new MBP between 50 and 80% and I'm not plugging it in except to charge and not overnight. Sometimes it will charge to 100% before I have a chance to check.

I'm getting tired of all this fussing and want to settle into a more manageable, sane routine and just enjoy my new computer (like I did with the old one that lasted 7 years!).

So, my new plan is to just charge when needed, even if it goes to 100%, but not overnight and just fuhgeddaboudit. Does this seem reasonable? Anyone else get sucked into this obsession? If so, what practice did you finally settle on?

 

[Cookie18]

There’s not too much to worry about, battery tech is much more advanced these days. I generally used my 2016 MBP on the battery once a week or so and I still do the same with my 2012. No issues so far.

 

[ght56]

I just use the system. AC+ covers replacement, the out of replacement cost is only $199, and it comes with a new keyboard and palm rest, both of which are nice to have a new one of after several years. There are actions you can take to, to some extent, prolong the service life. However, that battery is going to wear, and even with the best of voltage management, age and heat both equate to wear. It would be nice if we could specify a voltage cutoff in macOS, but since we can't I just use the system--charge it up, discharge it, try not to completely discharge it if not necessary, and enjoy the system. (Edit--I do agree that keeping it on the charger all of the time is a bad idea and that using it at least periodically is advisable.)

 

[DeltaMac]

Ah, sounds like you have discovered a plan.
Not an obsession, something simple, and a plan that many folks here seem to find. Maybe in a few words: The battery is part of your laptop. Use your laptop the way you want, charge the battery when you need a charge. Use on battery occasionally so the battery gets some "exercise". Don't let the battery get in the way with how you want to use your laptop.