MacBook Pro 16" - drastic battery life drain

[simonmet]

No, I mean it discharges while being plugged to the wall! Starting from 100% battery, playing a light video game, and the battery drains as the laptop pulls more than 100 Watts, which the power adapter alone cannot provide, so it uses the battery too. This is a major flaw.

Turbo Boost Switcher does help reduce CPU power consumption, and brings the total just under 100 Watts, just enough to stop the battery drain. Of course, that neuters the 8-core Intel i9 I just paid for.

I believe you, but I’m struggling to understand it. It’s astonishing to me that it could see that level of drain (if any) on charge. My gut tells me that something is very wrong with your setup or hardware, and that it’s not at all normal or common.

For example, I’ve played Tropico 5 in Boot Camp on my 16” (with 5500, 8 GB) at the maximum (native) panel resolution and maximum (ultra) quality for hours on end and saw very little if any battery drain. In fact, it seemed easy for the laptop (as you’d hope because I played the game reasonably on my older 2015 15” as well). That game is surely more demanding than AoE2.

You’re right to feel upset and frustrated, but I really don’t think the experience is normal or common. Are you using the Apple USB-C cable that came with the laptop? Which OS and version are you on? Did you try the newer drivers from BootCampDrivers.com?

Is there anything you’d like me to do on mine to test against yours?

 

[Yurk]

I believe you, but I’m struggling to understand it. It’s astonishing to me to see that level of drain (if any) on charge. My gut tells me that something is very wrong with your setup or hardware, and that it’s not at all normal or common.

For example, I’ve played Tropico 5 in Boot Camp on my 16” (with 5500, 8 GB) at the maximum (native) panel resolution and maximum (ultra) quality for hours on end and saw very little if any battery drain. In fact it seemed easy for the laptop (as you’d hope because I played the game reasonably on my older 2015 15” as well). That game is surely more demanding than AoE2.

You’re right to feel upset and frustrated, but I really don’t think the experience is normal or common. Are you using the Apple USB-C cable that came with the laptop? Which OS and version are you on? Did you try the newer drivers from BootCampDrivers.com?

Is there anything you’d like me to do on mine to test against yours?

Yes, I am using an Apple power brick with an Apple cable.
Are you playing the video game on the internal monitor or an external monitor?
If using an external monitor, are you using clamshell more, or the lid open?

My problems occur mostly with an external monitor (at any resolution, 4K or 1080p or lower).
They also occur if I do anything that uses CPU and GPU at the same time.
E.g. mining with nicehash for just a few minutes drains the battery, despite being plugged in.

 

[simonmet]

I’m playing on the laptop only: no external screen.

Are you attempting to power your laptop from the monitor? It occurs to me your drain looks like what you might expect if you think it’s charging from the monitor when it isn’t or is only trickle charging. Very few monitors have 100 W pass-through support.

If you’re powering the laptop directly from the Apple 89 W USB-C power supply that came with the laptop; and are using a separate cable to drive the screen, then I’m at a loss as to why it’s happening, unless it’s a very obscure bug in which the laptop thinks it’s getting powered by the monitor and chooses that over the Apple power supply when it shouldn’t.

 

[Jose Uriarte]

I had the same issue. I've been using this MBP 13" 2020 (highend model) for 2 weeks. however, after downloading the recent MacOS update, I have noticed that my battery is starting to lose capacity. I am using this device for my homework and school projects (Keynote Presentation, PPP, MS word). any thoughts?

 

[Patcell]

I had the same issue. I've been using this MBP 13" 2020 (highend model) for 2 weeks. however, after downloading the recent MacOS update, I have noticed that my battery is starting to lose capacity. I am using this device for my homework and school projects (Keynote Presentation, PPP, MS word). any thoughts?

How many charge cycles on your machine? Sorry if I missed it; I don't see it in the screenshot...

I have a 2020 13" also an I am still reading 100% capacity (5122/5088) after 12 charge cycles. Manufacture date March 17, 2020.

 

[Yurk]

I’m playing on the laptop only: no external screen.

Are you attempting to power your laptop from the monitor? It occurs to me your drain looks like what you might expect if you think it’s charging from the monitor when it isn’t or is only trickle charging. Very few monitors have 100 W pass-through support.

If you’re powering the laptop directly from the Apple 89 W USB-C power supply that came with the laptop; and are using a separate cable to drive the screen, then I’m at a loss as to why it’s happening, unless it’s a very obscure bug in which the laptop thinks it’s getting powered by the monitor and chooses that over the Apple power supply when it shouldn’t.

No, I am powering the laptop directly from an authentic apple charger. The monitor has its own power.

 

[George Dao]

I'm facing the same issue. The root of the problem may be related to Battery health management. After I disable it, here's my battery info. When I re-enable it, the full charge capacity drops to around 7950.