MacBook Air and battery management

[Macintosh1984]

If we've reached message 26, it means the topic isn't all that trivial!

It's clear that not caring at all has consequences on battery life, more or less noticeable depending on our usage.

It's clear that the battery remains a weak point of a laptop compared to a desktop.

I'm looking for a best practice that works for me, as I've already said, for "conscious" use. I know for sure that Apple makes quality products, but I'm certainly already looking forward to the moment when I buy a new device from them!

That said:
- I calculate that I use it about 20-25% a day
- I'll be careful of high temperatures
- I'll turn it off every evening
- I'll charge it when it reaches around 20%
- I'll try not to leave it plugged in for too long, at most all night until morning

Am I right?

I still have two questions:
1) Should I leave it at 100% maximum or limit it to less?
2) After using it for each session, is it wrong to plug it in immediately to recharge?

 

[turbineseaplane]

If we've reached message 26, it means the topic isn't all that trivial!

It's clear that not caring at all has consequences on battery life, more or less noticeable depending on our usage.

It's clear that the battery remains a weak point of a laptop compared to a desktop.

I'm looking for a best practice that works for me, as I've already said, for "conscious" use. I know for sure that Apple makes quality products, but I'm certainly already looking forward to the moment when I buy a new device from them!

That said:
- I calculate that I use it about 20-25% a day
- I'll be careful of high temperatures
- I'll turn it off every evening
- I'll charge it when it reaches around 20%
- I'll try not to leave it plugged in for too long, at most all night until morning

Am I right?

I still have two questions:
1) Should I leave it at 100% maximum or limit it to less?
2) After using it for each session, is it wrong to plug it in immediately to recharge?

Set an 80% max charge limit, either with native (if on latest Tahoe) or this App if not.

 

[MacCheetah3]

1) Should I leave it at 100% maximum or limit it to less?

You can. Again, hours and some days should have no effect. Nonetheless, if you don’t need the full charge, you can also indeed set it to one of the limits.

2) After using it for each session, is it wrong to plug it in immediately to recharge?

No.

 

[Macintosh1984]

@MacCheetah3
I understand that the 80% limit is important if you use your computer a lot with the power adapter, so as not to spend too much time at 100% and cause high temperatures, right?

Regarding the other aspect, are you telling me that charging at any time is the same as getting to 20% and then recharging one-shot?

 

[MacCheetah3]

Regarding the other aspect, are you telling me that charging at any time is the same as getting to 20% and then recharging one-shot?

Yes. Unless you're doing a calibration cycle, 100->0 0->100, it doesn’t matter when you start or stop charging.

 

[Macintosh1984]

In conclusion...

- enable the 80% limit only if you use your Mac a lot on power or if you constantly recharge it even when the battery isn't at 20%, right?

- still according to what you said, a full charge is calculated by reaching 100%, but also in multiple sessions. Is there an advantage to charging in one go?

 

[MacCheetah3]

- enable the 80% limit only if you use your Mac a lot on power or if you constantly recharge it even when the battery isn't at 20%, right?

Generally, yes. Perhaps if I phrase the explanation another way, it could clarify further. As long as you’re using the battery, as opposed to it being connected to a charger/power most or all of the time, you need not put much, if any, thought into your device's charging usage. It will do the work. Batteries just don’t like sitting at the completely full or completely empty levels for long periods (that is, as already stated, hours or even days should be fine, weeks and months at nil or “plump full” not so good).

- still according to what you said, a full charge is calculated by reaching 100%, but also in multiple sessions.

Batteries - Why Lithium-ion?

Learn why Apple rechargeable lithium-based technology provides the best performance for your iPhone, iPad, iPod, and MacBook.

www.apple.com

Is there an advantage to charging in one go?

Working backwards (regarding (re)calibration):

An iPhone battery can last much more than 1000 cycles!!!

Ok so now I calibrated the battery once and the coconutBattery health aligned to battery health of the settings app. It displays 90% now, which should be the real SoH. And not the 100% from before. This shows that an uncalibrated battery management system can show a false health value for the...

forums.macrumors.com

An iPhone battery can last much more than 1000 cycles!!!

[/QUOTE] The “jumps” are not some conspiracy, etc. Instead, it’s most likely the behavior of degraded calibration. https://batteryuniversity.com/article/bu-603-how-to-calibrate-a-smart-battery Perform a (few) recalibration(s) and then show us the battery health values, iOS and coconutBattery...

forums.macrumors.com

An iPhone battery can last much more than 1000 cycles!!!

Hi guys, I want to show you that it is indeed possible that the battery can last much more than the 500 cycles, which are specified by Apple. I bought my iPhone Xs on September 2018 and it has the first battery up to this day. On the attached screenshot of the Mac app "coconutBattery" you can...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[Macintosh1984]

Thanks, everything is clear to me now!

 

[iaynnu]

I used to obsessed with battery and ever since getting AppleCare its the last thing I think about.

 

[boswald]

With 26.4 all you need to do is set it to 80% and not let it drop below 20. At least that's what I do.

 

[1BadManVan]

With 26.4 all you need to do is set it to 80% and not let it drop below 20. At least that's what I do.

Being that I use mine primarily on battery, I set mine to 95%