How should I use my new MacBook Pro's battery?

[joewhite89]

Hi,

I'm looking for a bit of advice on using my new MacBook Pro's battery (Retina, late-2013), and some of the information I've found online seems to contradict itself ...

I use the Mac in my professional life, all day every day, usually from one location, so I've got continual access to a power supply. But if I want to preserve my MacBook's battery (for those rare occasions when I'm out of reach of a mains socket) for as long as possible, how should I treat the Mac's battery in my everyday use?

I know it's bad to leave the computer plugged in all the time, but how often should I use the Mac's battery? Thanks.

 

[maflynn]

Take a look at this Battery FAQ post, you may find this helpful

 

[toneLA]

Hi,

I'm looking for a bit of advice on using my new MacBook Pro's battery (Retina, late-2013), and some of the information I've found online seems to contradict itself ...

I use the Mac in my professional life, all day every day, usually from one location, so I've got continual access to a power supply. But if I want to preserve my MacBook's battery (for those rare occasions when I'm out of reach of a mains socket) for as long as possible, how should I treat the Mac's battery in my everyday use?

I know it's bad to leave the computer plugged in all the time, but how often should I use the Mac's battery? Thanks.

These new batteries are pretty smart. Some people believe they need to be calibrated when new - I wouldn't go to the extent of letting the computer completely die and go in safe mode but for the first couple runs, letting it go all the way down till you get the visual warning of low battery is never a bad thing. A good full charge after that and it should be good.

As far as using the battery everyday, I am dealing with the same situation here. I plug mine in a thunderbolt display as a desktop replacement. It's definitely not a good thing to let it plugged in all the time. It will reduce its lifespan quite significantly. Having the 'juice' flowing once in a while is recommended. I set a reminder in my calendar to remember to let the battery drain and use the computer without plugging it in. I do that once a week.

Apple has a good support page about the subject. http://www.apple.com/batteries/notebooks.html

Hope this helps!

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One more thing I forgot to add. I never charge my computer if the battery isn't low. If I'm away from my office and on site meaning I rely on battery power, when I come home or back at the office, I will wait until it's necessary. I usually never plug back in until it's below 10% - even if I have the charger nearby.

 

[joewhite89]

These new batteries are pretty smart. Some people believe they need to be calibrated when new - I wouldn't go to the extent of letting the computer completely die and go in safe mode but for the first couple runs, letting it go all the way down till you get the visual warning of low battery is never a bad thing. A good full charge after that and it should be good.

As far as using the battery everyday, I am dealing with the same situation here. I plug mine in a thunderbolt display as a desktop replacement. It's definitely not a good thing to let it plugged in all the time. It will reduce its lifespan quite significantly. Having the 'juice' flowing once in a while is recommended. I set a reminder in my calendar to remember to let the battery drain and use the computer without plugging it in. I do that once a week.

Apple has a good support page about the subject. http://www.apple.com/batteries/notebooks.html

Hope this helps!

----------

One more thing I forgot to add. I never charge my computer if the battery isn't low. If I'm away from my office and on site meaning I rely on battery power, when I come home or back at the office, I will wait until it's necessary. I usually never plug back in until it's below 10% - even if I have the charger nearby.

Thanks for the help! That's a lot of useful information. So if I make the effort to use the battery and only recharge when necessary that should be okay? Thanks.

 

[toneLA]

Thanks for the help! That's a lot of useful information. So if I make the effort to use the battery and only recharge when necessary that should be okay? Thanks.

Yes, absolutely. Besides, they are rated for 1000 uses. Theoretically, once you hit that 'magic' number of cycles, the battery won't be able to hold an optimal charge anymore. (80% health) It won't mean that you'll go from 8 hours to 1.5, so it will still be acceptable and you'll still be able to be mobile with your laptop. Finally, I'm pretty sure that you'll have a new toy to play with by then and a new battery under the hood. Other possible scenario, if you want to keep your current laptop, genius bars are equipped to perform battery replacements. It's roughly 200 bucks. Enjoy!

 

[joewhite89]

Yes, absolutely. Besides, they are rated for 1000 uses. Theoretically, once you hit that 'magic' number of cycles, the battery won't be able to hold an optimal charge anymore. (80% health) It won't mean that you'll go from 8 hours to 1.5, so it will still be acceptable and you'll still be able to be mobile with your laptop. Finally, I'm pretty sure that you'll have a new toy to play with by then and a new battery under the hood. Other possible scenario, if you want to keep your current laptop, genius bars are equipped to perform battery replacements. It's roughly 200 bucks. Enjoy!

Awesome, that's great to hear. Thanks again for the help!

 

[toneLA]

Awesome, that's great to hear. Thanks again for the help!

Sure. Glad I could help!