Battery Usage question for the new MBP's!

[vader1990]

I just recently switched to macs and I have to say I absolutely love them. I picked up the new macbook pro from the apple store yesterday, and so far I LOVE the machine.

I was particularly astonished by the massive battery life that it provides. I want to keep the battery as healthy as possible, so I have a few questions:

Should I run my mbp on battery or the power cable? I tend to watch videos on websites--youtube, abc, etc. and movies, and tv shows on the internet quite a lot. Should I watch these shows on battery, and ONLY plug it in when the battery is low, or should I try to use the power adapter whenever possible. Is is a good thing to constantly drain the battery every few days--as demonstrated by watching videos?

Also when I'm not using the mbp--night, when I sleep--should I put the mbp to sleep or turn it off?


Thanks a lot for your help, guys!

 

[xXriderXx7]

First off, congratulations. I actually got the new 15 inch too. It is amazing.

You should download coconut battery, its a small app that tells you battery statistics.

Im not exactly sure about this, but Ive heard you are supposed to calibrate your battery by charging it until full, then running it until it is completely drained.

 

[vader1990]

I got coconut battery, handy little guy

Anyway, so what's the status on leaving the laptop on [in sleep mode] vs. turning it off at night?

thanks

 

[marvel2]

Calibrate the battery every month or every other month. I almost never turn off the computer and let it rest in sleep mode for quick startups.

 

[Steve686]

www.batteryuniversity.com

Check out this site, and you'll learn a lot on how to get the most out of your MBP's battery life.

In a nutshell, yes, calibrate it periodically. But, you don't need to run down to empty before a recharge for normal usage.

Apple's website has detailed instructions on how to properly calibrate your battery.