I need a new battery

[calsci]

I have had my 2009 macbook since well 2009. The battery is finally starting to go on the little guy. I know I can get one from apple for $130 but i'm looking for something that might be less expensive. I got one off amazon but it was a real dud and a "needs service" message popped up as soon as I turned it on. I was wondering if anyone knew of a good reputable place to get a battery that won't cost me an arm and a leg. College text books and a new battery are really breaking the bank

I have an early 2009 macbook and its model is A1181

I hope this helps and that you guys, and gals, can help me

 

[Woodcrest64]

My buddy ordered a battery for his 2008 Macbook Pro from Battery depot. It only gave him 2.5 hours of charge and now after 8 months the battery holds only a 20 minute charge. I'd recommend getting an official Apple branded battery just based on this.

Now I ordered one from the same company for my Sony 2009 notebook and it still holds a 2 hour charge and its now 1.5 years old. These companies don't make the batteries but just order them so its hard to say if you will get a good one or not.

 

[g4manimac]

If you are going to continue using it or any amount of time I would honestly get an original battery now I know that they are a little more expensive but worth it.You can get a new one for $50 on ebay that states it is a NEW OEM battery and a lot of people say stay away from ebay but if the listing states OEM and its not you can get your money back and you will save a lot of money to begin with.There are batteries which cost $20 or so but like the other poster said they are weak out of the box but worth the money if you are looking to up resale by selling it with a new battery if you do go the cheaper route be sure to buy a 9 cell instead of a 6 cell

 

[Altemose]

Any time I have ever used a non-OEM battery they either feel cheap, don't fit, don't hold an ample charge, or don't match the color. I would try and scrape together the cash to get an Apple battery.

 

[rgarjr]

Anker batteries from Amazon.com are pretty good. It's pretty much a hit or miss though since a lot of people claim the charge doesn't last more than 2-3 hours. They do have warranty.

 

[AppleFanatic10]

I'd say buy it directly from Apple. I know it's a lot BUT you'd be guaranteed that it'll work properly and you'll probably get more than 2-3 hours. If you need to save up until after you pay for you textbooks.

 

[GGJstudios]

I wouldn't trust or recommend any non-Apple battery or charger, due to the number of problems reported with "knockoffs". Also, there is no assurance that non-Apple components will have the same charging technology that Apple uses, involving the battery, the MagSafe adapter and the Mac's logic board. Apple has not licensed its MagSafe adapter technology to any 3rd party. It's not worth risking your Mac to save a small amount of money.

• Battery Replacement
• Mac notebooks: All about 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.

Apple Notebook Battery FAQ​

 

[magilla]

If you are going to continue using it or any amount of time I would honestly get an original battery now I know that they are a little more expensive but worth it.You can get a new one for $50 on ebay that states it is a NEW OEM battery and a lot of people say stay away from ebay but if the listing states OEM and its not you can get your money back and you will save a lot of money to begin with.There are batteries which cost $20 or so but like the other poster said they are weak out of the box but worth the money if you are looking to up resale by selling it with a new battery if you do go the cheaper route be sure to buy a 9 cell instead of a 6 cell

MOST of the batteries branded "OEM" listed on e-Bray are, in fact, RE-CYCLED and will NEVER hold a full charge. Usually, they will hold 65-80% of their original charge but seldom any more. If, in fact, you are going to continue to use this machine, the batteries through Apple, though more expensive, will work out to be more cost effective in the long run.

 

[spangled]

FWIW, I ordered a non-Apple £30UKP battery off the interweb for my late-2008 aluminium unibody MacBook (current battery only good for about 50 mins).

The damn thing didn't even fit my battery slot - it was too thick and the battery compartment cover wouldn't close properly.

After some back and forth with the company who supplied it - including emailing them photos to prove the battery didn't fit properly - I returned it to them for a refund, which I received. I lost out on the postage there and back (about £14UKP in total) as the company was based in Hong Kong.

Caveat emptor and all that.