MacBook Pro 13" Battery Question

[AeroUK]

Hi,

My new 13" Macbook Pro is getting 3-3.5 hours battery life.

I have heard reports of people getting 5 or more hours! Does anyone know why this is?

I have brightness turned down, bluetooth off and just doing light surfing on wifi.

A

 

[maflynn]

First calibrate the battery and then see if that fixes the problem. Its possible the computer is not correctly reporting how much juice the battery have and so it needs to be calibrated.

 

[captain-rossco]

Sounds about right, I'm getting a lot more out of the battery than the battery lets on!

Regards
CR

 

[cpnotebook80]

this is my first macbook and got it last evening and never plugged it in except to do the software update.and never plugged it after that. I shut it down last and this morning still shows 1.20 hrs left or so.
pretty impressive.
so to calibrate, do i run the battery down and then start a full charge?

 

[fixmdude]

this is my first macbook and got it last evening and never plugged it in except to do the software update.and never plugged it after that. I shut it down last and this morning still shows 1.20 hrs left or so.
pretty impressive.
so to calibrate, do i run the battery down and then start a full charge?

A new rechargeable battery needs to be conditioned. Charge it for at least 14 hours regardless of what the meter says. Use it until it shuts down. Recharge it for an extended period again. Do that 3 or so times and the battery will then be conditioned so that it will last longer and you won't have to worry about running it down between charges any more, it can then be plugged in at any time without forming a short memory.

My only question is, has anyone seen or done tests to compare the battery life of the base 13" MBP model with one having the optional faster processor? The faster processor would be nice to have when/as needed, if, the power saving options allow it to last as long when not using its full abilities. If just having the faster processor during normal tasks knocks 25 minutes off of the battery life then that would be good to know.

 

[AeroUK]

Hey

I did not know I was supposed to charge it that long! Why don't Apple document this?

I shall drain the battery now and run it dead for 5 hrs, I shall then charge it all night and hopefully this will improve it. I have done a few recharges and only getting 3 hours at the moment!

Aaron

 

[fixmdude]

I did not know I was supposed to charge it that long! Why don't Apple document this?

I shall drain the battery now and run it dead for 5 hrs, I shall then charge it all night and hopefully this will improve it. I have done a few recharges and only getting 3 hours at the moment!

Aaron

I haven't read all of Apple documents, but every other rechargeable device I have received in the past, from Panasonic cordless phones to remote controls, all have instructions that say to charge the battery for 11, or 14, or 16, (time varies) hours before using it the first time. They don't talk about running it down and recharging it a few times to condition it, I found that info through research, and in trying it myself I found that it does extend the battery's life after the first 3 days of conditioning.