Keeping Battery Charged...is is worth it?

[icedd]

Ever since owning the uMBP, I have kept the battery charged and monthly calibrate it to maintain a 100% battery health.

But through this, the laptop limits its portability and it is sometimes extremely tedious to find a plug in order to use it.

My question is: Is it really worth it to keep a good battery that will last overtime, or would you prefer simply purchasing a new battery when your old one dies?
Also, how big of a difference does a healthy battery compare to a battery put through regular use?

Anyone with any experience? Thanks.

 

[rowsdower]

Batteries last for a limited number of cycles. Even if you follow all of the rules, your battery will not last forever. You need to balance convenience vs. long life for yourself. I plug in if it's not too much of a hassle, but I don't worry about it too much either. The uMBP batteries are supposed to last for 1000 cycles, which is just under three years if you cycle it every day. Apple charges $129 to replace the battery ($179 for the 17"), which seems reasonable to me and certainly not worth limiting portability for.

 

[EndlessMac]

Read Apple's battery guide

You really shouldn't be plugging in your laptop all the time. Lithium batteries like being used. Also it really kills your laptop's portability if you want to plug it in all the time. It sounds like your computer owns you rather than the other way around. A computer is still a tool so use it however it benefits you. You have to decide what's more important to you.

 

[miles01110]

Another battery thread? Obviously everyone wants to keep their battery as healthy as possible, but for chrissake why can't you all stop being so paranoid, get your work done, and get back to us if there's a problem?

And no, a 1% capacity decrease after 20 cycles isn't a problem.

 

[movieator]

At the end of the day, a battery will continue to lose it's capacity and eventually die.
There is nothing at all that you can do to prevent this from occurring. Nothing. So just use it and stop worrying about it.

 

[icedd]

icedd

Another battery thread? Obviously everyone wants to keep their battery as healthy as possible, but for chrissake why can't you all stop being so paranoid, get your work done, and get back to us if there's a problem?

And no, a 1% capacity decrease after 20 cycles isn't a problem.

Another worthless reply? It is expected that there is at least one poster who complains in every thread. If you don't like the thread, then don't come in. This place would run a lot smoother without posters like yourself. ""

But thank you to those who have replied with constructive opinions. $129 is definiately not a bad price for a battery that lasts 3 years. I'll give it a go, considering I only have 19 cycles on my 8 month old laptop.

 

[icedd]

icedd

oops double post.

 

[miles01110]

Another worthless reply? It is expected that there is at least one poster who complains in every thread.

It's also expected that there will be at least 3 battery threads asking the exact same thing every day. Speaking of worthless...?

If you don't like the thread, then don't come in. This place would run a lot smoother without posters like yourself.

You mean the people that contribute to the forums on a regular basis as opposed to those who fill them with repeat spam threads [you] ? I have to disagree with you on that one.

 

[AppleNewton]

I'll have to agree with miles, that if you did happen to do a quick search of say "keeping battery charged or plugged in" would give you enough results to form a good opinion.

while youre question is definitely valid, itd just help things be alittle neater around here without repeat threads everyday.


basically the new batteries dont need to be babied or worried about as older batteries may have. i keep mine charged a good portion of the time and sometimes i let it work off battery power..and have kept a good maintained healthy battery overall.

 

[AaronX]

1. Li-ion batteries are best stored at 50%, not 100%.

2. What's the point of having a battery at 100% health after 3 years? You might as well have bought a desktop. Unless you use it everyday, it is unlikely you'll have to change the battery before the laptop.

 

[vant]

Thats like buying a Civic and not wanting to put miles on it.

USE IT AS IT IS INTENDED! Stop worrying about battery cycles. It's designed to last over three years!

 

[53x12]

Agree with the others. Just use it as needed.