I leave mine on overnight while downloading stuff or just idling MSN. I have it in sleep mode at all times and only restart when it asks me to do so.
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How long do you guys leave your MB/MBP on?
- Thread starter Beowulf666
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So for those who leave it on 24/7, is it Always plugged in? Has that affected battery life any more than the normal degradation of the battery?
For me, I generally leave it on all the time (owned since early Nov) but if I'm doing a software update right before bed, I will let it power down and boot up the next time I use it. A lot of times I leave my macbook open when I am not using it, running Boinc applications. I never unplug my macbook unless I take it out of my room, although it frequently gets unplugged thanks to the magsafe cord.
For me, I generally leave it on all the time (owned since early Nov) but if I'm doing a software update right before bed, I will let it power down and boot up the next time I use it. A lot of times I leave my macbook open when I am not using it, running Boinc applications. I never unplug my macbook unless I take it out of my room, although it frequently gets unplugged thanks to the magsafe cord.
Mine is almost left on 24x7. I let it sleep when I'm not using it, and the odd reboot when it asks to or when things go haywire.
Mine is always plugged into the wall, I hardly ever use the battery. If you plan on keeping it plugged in for a long time it is best that you remove the battery. It is always a good idea once in a while to run the laptop on battery all the way down and charge it back up to make the battery remain good.
Contrary to popular belief, you should not remove the battery. The CPU will underclock itself. The machine is meant to be used with a battery installed, so you should use it that way. It won't wear down the battery that much either way, so why sacrifice your computer's functionality?
I have heard that the heat and extra charging of the battery for long periods of time makes the battery wear down faster....just saying. Also I am new to macs do you know if the macbook pro cuts off charging the battery after it reaches 100%? If so then I will plug my battery back into it. This is also the first time I've heard that removing the battery underclocks the processor, can anyone else confirm this?
The battery won't wear down any faster simply because there is ambient heat. What causes batteries to wear down the most is the number of cycles you put on it and if you attempt to use the battery in extreme temperatures (too cold or too hot).
And yes, the battery will not charge beyond 100% so you have no concerns there (remember, Macs are low maintenance
). In addition, the battery will not charge if more than 95% of the battery's charge is present when you plug it in (ie, it was fully charged and you unplug it for a few minutes and use 1% power; when you plug it back in, it will not recharge back up to 100% unless you used 5% or more).Umm, if it didn't stop charging the battery once it filled up, wouldn't it explode?
Also, removing the battery does underclock your processor: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=305336
I never turn it off, ever. I usually leave it open and on during the day, but when I go to sleep unless I'm downloading something I just close it up and put it in sleep.
Battery University sez "The worst condition is keeping a fully charged battery at elevated temperatures, which is the case with running laptop batteries."
The battery won't wear down any faster simply because there is ambient heat. What causes batteries to wear down the most is the number of cycles you put on it and if you attempt to use the battery in extreme temperatures (too cold or too hot).
And yes, the battery will not charge beyond 100% so you have no concerns there (remember, Macs are low maintenance
WOW!, thanks for this info guys! I would have never known this without you telling me. I am now putting the battery back in. Also how low does the percentage of the battery need to go to count as a cycle? thanks
The thing is, my battery and mbp stay pretty cool most of the time (I use SMC fan control if I know I'm going to be using a "hot" app).
And, after more than 7 months with this mbp, my battery still has 95% of its health after ~22 cycles (I leave it plugged in most of the time). Surely by now I would have seen some adverse effects if it is as bad as that report indicates.
A cycle is a complete discharge of your battery's maximum capacity. For example, if your battery has a 4 hour life and you use it for 1 hour, then recharge it, that will be 25% of a cycle. If you later unplug it and use it for another 3 hours, you will have used a total of 1 cycle.Also how low does the percentage of the battery need to go to count as a cycle? thanks
Read more here:http://www.apple.com/batteries/
I haven't shut mine down since I bought it last August, except for a two-week vacation back in November and occasional reboots due to software updates. I just sleep it when I'm not using it. It's plugged in for a few hours each day to charge.
For what it's worth, my old Titanium Powerbook G4 got exactly the same treatment, as did the powerbook before that. Never had a problem.
For what it's worth, my old Titanium Powerbook G4 got exactly the same treatment, as did the powerbook before that. Never had a problem.
I never knew having it plugged in all the time was bad for the battery. This forum is full of useful information
Ditto. Same for the 2½ year old iBook. Never a problem, never below 95% when plugged in.
Yup me too. It's one of my favorite OS X features. There's a dashboard widget called 'show off' which measures your up time. I've had it up to 70 days in the past, only having to reboot because of a software update. Even with Leopard.