Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Built-in lithium-polymer battery?
- Thread starter doubledee
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Depends, if it is an rMBP it is glued to the case, if it is the cMBP, it can be replaced, some people do it themselves, best way is Apple though.
But, it is guaranteed for 1000 cycles with a minimum charge of 80%, dependable on usage it can be years before it reaches that, and even then it could take some time, months to years to "break".
But, it is guaranteed for 1000 cycles with a minimum charge of 80%, dependable on usage it can be years before it reaches that, and even then it could take some time, months to years to "break".
It is built-in, as in you can't remove it without opening up the back cover. But once you've removed the back cover (literally a 2 minute job), the battery can easily be removed (and replaced)
I am assuming of course you're referring to the cMBP and not the retina version
I am assuming of course you're referring to the cMBP and not the retina version
What do you mean by "1000 cycles"?
Debbie
----------
What do you mean by "cMBP"?? (Boy, you Mac people sure like your acronyms?!)
Debbie
What do you mean by "1000 cycles"?
Debbie
----------
What do you mean by "cMBP"?? (Boy, you Mac people sure like your acronyms?!)
Debbie
1000 charge cycles. (Minimum)
cMBP is the Classic MBP, rMBP is the Retina version.
One cycle is one discharge from 100% to 0% battery charge, but it can also happen via discharging a battery from 100% to 50% twice.
Have you looked at GGJStudios' Battery FAQ yet?
Classic MacBook Pro, the one with the superdrive and all the ports on the left side, the NON Retina model.
So the battery should be good for maybe 5 years?
What's that?!
Okay, got it!
Sincerely,
Debbie
Apple will replace rMBP for $199 which doesn't seem too bad. If you have an apple store you can take in for same day repair. Or ship it if you're not blessed with a store(like me)
http://support.apple.com/kb/index?page=servicefaq&geo=United_States&product=Macnotebooks
Overall it sucks that it's glued in. Seems like an odd dxxk move for apple to make.
Also FYI the rMBP RAM is soldered in and can't be upgraded or replaced and doesn't come with an optical drive.
http://support.apple.com/kb/index?page=servicefaq&geo=United_States&product=Macnotebooks
Overall it sucks that it's glued in. Seems like an odd dxxk move for apple to make.
Also FYI the rMBP RAM is soldered in and can't be upgraded or replaced and doesn't come with an optical drive.
I was hoping to buy a new 13" MBP today, and while reading the specs I see...
To me that implies that the battery is *permanently* built into the MacBook Pro?!
What's up with that?!
Sincerely,
Debbie
Yes the battery is built into the MacBook Pro, meaning you need tools to remove it.
Apple chose this tradeoff because by removing the option to remove the battery they can noticably make the laptop thinner and lighter with the same specs.
Research shows that very few laptop owners carry around spare batteries for their laptops (which is why laptops only ship with one battery), so this change has little effect on functionality. I've owned all the top laptops besides the MacBook pro including a $2000 laptop from every top manufacturer and several exotic manufacacturers and I can tell you that Apple laptops have at least 2-3 times the battery life of windows laptops due to the increased efficiency of the OS. Additionally with 100% identical specs and batteries of identical capacity, Apple laptops still have as I remember a 30% reduced power draw compared to windows laptops simply because Apple uses higher quality components that make the most use of the battery.
So with identical specs you will actually have more more battery life compared to carrying around any other laptop even if the alternative had 2 spare batteries compare to the MacBooks single built in battery, you'd still be equal or better off with the MacBook.
So MacBooks have a significant performance advantage with built in batteries over removable batteries in other laptops.
Apple laptops batteries are actually cheaper and easier to replace than removable laptop batteries too despite being built in.
Like I said I've owned the best laptops from all the other manufacturers and replacing batteries on those is a nightmare. Why? Because you can't get those batteries anywhere. They are not carried in stores and even worse other manufacturers come out with new models so often and discontinue everything so often that after typically 2 or more years they don't even make the battery any more and you can't even find replacement batteries except shady third party ones. I've had several very expensive laptops that needed batteries only to find out that those batteries weren't made any more. Even if you do find replacement batteries you have to wait a week for them to ship.
Apple's built in batteries are a night and day improvement over how normal laptop batteries work. Because you can just walk into any of the hundreds of Apple stores in the US and get a brand new battery for $99 for any of their laptops the same day. Even Apple laptops that are a half decade old (even out of warranty).
This is cheaper, easier, more convenient, faster and far less trouble than replacing regular laptop batteries. And you can actually trust that when you need a replacement it will be there, unlike other companies that could care less before discontinuing support.
Apple's batteries are also much more reliable than the competition because they aren't made to the be the lowest quality peice of junk possible. I have never had an Apple laptop battery give me a problem. Half of my other laptops have had battery problems. This is because Apple carefully monitors their battery's charging and cycle count and puts a high quality product in the laptop in the first place.
So yes built in batteries on Apple laptops are the best thing that could possibly happen to laptop batteries.
The link below should answer most, if not all, of your battery/charging questions. If you haven't already done so, I highly recommend you take the time to read it.
Radiating,
So how do you *really* feel about Apple batteries?! *LMAO*
When it comes to buying a new MacBook Pro, I have these stipulations...
1.) Once I put an ounce of my personal data on that laptop, it will not go back to Apple. EVER!! (Although, since I'm installing my own HDD, I could swap back in the virgin Factory HDD if I had a real warranty issue like bad monitor...)
2.) Even without #1, living on the road, I don't have time to ship my laptop off to Apple or leave it with some Not-So-Genius-Expert.
As such, I won't buy anything that I can't service myself (e.g. Changing my own RAM, HDD, Battery, etc.)
That is my only concern.
BTW, we are talking about a Conventional 13" MBP...
So, if I can pop the back off, and replace the battery for like $100, then I'm okay with that. (Although I hope these newer internal batteries are better than the removable one on my 2009 MacBook...) *sigh*
Sincerely,
Debbie
----------
Okay, thanks!!
Debbie
So how do you *really* feel about Apple batteries?! *LMAO*
When it comes to buying a new MacBook Pro, I have these stipulations...
1.) Once I put an ounce of my personal data on that laptop, it will not go back to Apple. EVER!! (Although, since I'm installing my own HDD, I could swap back in the virgin Factory HDD if I had a real warranty issue like bad monitor...)
2.) Even without #1, living on the road, I don't have time to ship my laptop off to Apple or leave it with some Not-So-Genius-Expert.
As such, I won't buy anything that I can't service myself (e.g. Changing my own RAM, HDD, Battery, etc.)
That is my only concern.
BTW, we are talking about a Conventional 13" MBP...
So, if I can pop the back off, and replace the battery for like $100, then I'm okay with that. (Although I hope these newer internal batteries are better than the removable one on my 2009 MacBook...) *sigh*
Sincerely,
Debbie
----------
Okay, thanks!!
Debbie
Based on the concerns you expressed in earlier threads, I understand privacy is a major issue for you. I think that swapping the hard drive before servicing is probably your best approach. I would recommend that over installing a battery yourself.
It sounds like you are discouraging me from replacing the cMBP battery myself? (Assuming it ever came to that.)
Why is that?
Thanks,
Debbie
P.S. Do you feel the same way about RAM and HDD's?
It is very easy. Here is a step by step walkthrough. If you look at the walkthrough on the same site for swapping the disk drive, the battery swap is actually fewer steps and arguably easier.
I don't recommend replacing the built-in batteries yourself, because Apple doesn't sell those batteries to consumers. That means you'd be buying a third-party knockoff battery, which I don't recommend. If anything were to happen to your MacBook Pro because the battery swelled or burst, it would not be covered by warranty, since it wouldn't be an Apple battery.
Replacing RAM and hard drives yourself is not a problem, since Apple warranty allows that, and Apple doesn't make RAM or hard drives.
You'll likely end up with a 3rd party battery that, best case, will crap out in 3 months, worst case can cause physical damage to your computer. RAM and HDD/SSD are different as they can easily be swapped out in a cMBP and are (officially) user replaceable parts.
Okay, thanks for the clarification.
However, at this point I will assume that I can trust Apple and that their built-in battery *should* be good for 3-4 years, at which point - by design - I'll need to get a new MBP.
(Just researching these odds-n-ends before I buy something later today...)
Thanks all!
Debbie
according to coconut battery 2.8, my battery is only 91% (5248/5770) and it's only 9 months old with only 59 cycles.
Considering your statement that at 1000 cycles it will be 80% minimum charge, is there something wrong with my battery? should I bring this to apple service?
Thanks!
Considering your statement that at 1000 cycles it will be 80% minimum charge, is there something wrong with my battery? should I bring this to apple service?
Thanks!
I am 473 charge cycles into my 13" MBP. Battery is still about 90%, so far so good!
Usually run it down to 0% at least once a month. No worries.
Usually run it down to 0% at least once a month. No worries.
Battery servicing with a genius booked appointment takes 15 minutes! Your machine will be booted in your presence afterwards so don't worry about swapping drives and messing around.
It is perfectly normal if your battery health (maximum capacity) is more or less than 100%, even when brand new, or if it fluctuates up or down over time. It is not a straight line decline. For further details, read the CHECKING STATUS AND HEALTH section of the following link.
Run on battery whenever you need to and plug it in whenever you can. You can plug or unplug any time you need to, regardless of the charged percentage, and you never need to completely drain your battery. Just make sure you don't run on AC power exclusively, as your battery needs to be used regularly to stay healthy.
The link below should answer most, if not all, of your battery/charging questions. If you haven't already done so, I highly recommend you take the time to read it.
I was hoping to buy a new 13" MBP today, and while reading the specs I see...
To me that implies that the battery is *permanently* built into the MacBook Pro?!
What's up with that?!
Sincerely,
Debbie
As far as I know the mbp battery are lithium-polymer battery not li-ion battery. "built in" is just a description Adjective not the Noun. You also can replace it by yourself with a Screwdriver like iphone.
what about those batteries sold by iFixit? aren't those oem batteries? if not oem, how would you rate the quality and durability of those batteries?
Thanks!
Thanks!