Is it time to replace my MacBook (Black) battery?

[applemax]

Hi

I've been having some issues with my battery lately

Sometimes, the computer just goes to sleep/shuts down at 30% and the battery drains in around 1-2 hours.

However, after a calibration, everything seems OK.

However, I've already bought a replacement, it's still sealed, and the return date is tomorrow.

So. Open it or send it back?

I've got 354 cycles, maximum 3203mAh (out of 5020mAh), i.e. 63% health, and battery age is 30 months.

I just read the Apple website and it says 'up to 5 hours' under certain conditions. In the small print, those 'conditions' are:

wirelessly browsing various websites and editing text in a word processing document with display brightness set to 50%.

I did a test - left the laptop running, pretty much idle, screen left on at 50%, with sleep turned off in energy saver, with real-time updating websites on the screen. It lasted from a 100% charge for 1 hour 54 mins.

So, would you advise opening the pack ...or sending it back?

Cheers

 

[iLog.Genius]

At 354 cycles, your battery is at it's end of life according to Apple who says typical battery life/usage up to 300 cycles. So you would be needing a new battery anyway so you're going to want to keep it rather than returning.

 

[applemax]

At 354 cycles, your battery is at it's end of life according to Apple who says typical battery life/usage up to 300 cycles. So you would be needing a new battery anyway so you're going to want to keep it rather than returning.

Thanks. What does everyone else think?

 

[sumzitup]

I think you will regret returning it.

 

[Wie Gehts]

how do you find out how many cycles your battery has and stuff?

i've had my macbook nearly two years. i think i've done a calibration only 3 times. but after about a year in i notice when i recharge, the level will show 100% then a day or so after with the power attached, it'll read 99 or 98% with a green light.

edit..found it in the system profiler 254 cycles

 

[applemax]

how do you find out how many cycles your battery has and stuff?

i've had my macbook nearly two years. i think i've done a calibration only 3 times. but after about a year in i notice when i recharge, the level will show 100% then a day or so after with the power attached, it'll read 99 or 98% with a green light.

edit..found it in the system profiler 254 cycles

The reason it shows 99% or 98% is so it doesn't waste part of a cycle. So, it doesn't charge until it drops below around 93%.