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MacBook Pro 2016 Battery Life Problems?

M

manny88

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 31, 2016
65
30
Ok so I've charged this up to 100%. And put the brightness on half (8 clicks/50%). Battery estimates 5h40 at 90%, and all I'm doing is light web surfing.

Kind of disappointed with the battery life and having to use this brightness. Makes me think of backing up my mac, returning it, buying the 2015 model, and restoring the backup.

Then again, I love everything else about it. So I'm going to have to weigh up the options.

The thing I'm most worried about, is if the battery is like this now. I can't imagine the battery life after months or years of use when the battery starts degrading.

Previously tested, I get around 3 hours of battery on a brightness I find acceptable (12 clicks / 75%). I'm not really happy about this.

Anyone feeling like the battery life is bad?

According to the Apple website they are using 12 clicks of brightness (75%) and getting 10 hours of battery life:

Testing conducted by Apple in October 2016 using pre-production 2.0GHz dual-core Intel Core i5–based 13-inch MacBook Pro systems with a 256GB SSD and 8GB of RAM (wireless web test, iTunes film playback test and standby test). Testing conducted by Apple in October 2016 using pre-production 2.9GHz dual-core Intel Core i5–based 13-inch MacBook Pro systems with a 512GB SSD and 8GB of RAM (wireless web test and iTunes film playback test) and pre-production 2.9GHz dual-core Intel Core i5–based 13-inch MacBook Pro systems with a 256GB SSD and 8GB of RAM (standby test). The wireless web test measures battery life by wirelessly browsing 25 popular websites with display brightness set to 12 clicks from bottom or 75%. The iTunes film playback test measures battery life by playing back HD 1080p content with display brightness set to 12 clicks from bottom or 75%. The standby test measures battery life by allowing a system, connected to a wireless network and signed in to an iCloud account, to enter standby mode with Safari and Mail applications launched and all system settings left at default. Battery life varies by use and configuration. See www.apple.com/uk/batteries for more information.
Click to expand...

I should note I've got the upgraded CPU, 16GB RAM, and 512 SSD. But I didn't think the battery life would change so dramatically, as the CPU TDP is 15W like the base model. Only the ram could be effecting it as it's double, but I never thought it would cause a dramatic difference.
 
Time estimates have always not been accurate by Apple. Download a third party battery app, which should give you a more accurate representation. Also, yes, that's one thing I hate about these new laptops (Not just Apple). No removable batteries. That means after a year or two, depending on your usage, you'll notice the battery life fall drastically, to where you have to then shell out $200-400 for a new battery (AKA replace the entire internals of the MacBook - not so environmentally friendly, eh?)
 
Light web browsing is a relative term, are there any runaway javascripts? Flash? videos, audios running? Estimates also fluctuate the first few cycles, wait until at leas 3 or 4 full cycle and then check your usage.
 
How long have you had it? It's not doing spotlight or iPhoto indexing?

I assume you've been monitoring Activity Monitor? Nothing is using excessive battery?
 
kevinkyoo said:
Also, yes, that's one thing I hate about these new laptops (Not just Apple). No removable batteries. That means after a year or two, depending on your usage, you'll notice the battery life fall drastically, to where you have to then shell out $200-400 for a new battery (AKA replace the entire internals of the MacBook - not so environmentally friendly, eh?)
Click to expand...

I've never had that happen in any of my MacBook air's or pro's with non-removable batteries - never had one die in less than two years, nor even seen a "drastic" battery life fall. I've had to replace REMOVABLE batteries in my older MBP's twice. So it's not a foregone conclusion.

Also, you do NOT need to "replace the entire internals of the MacBook" to replace the battery. Replacing the battery requires only replacing the battery.
[doublepost=1479077854][/doublepost]
iizmoo said:
Light web browsing is a relative term, are there any runaway javascripts? Flash? videos, audios running? Estimates also fluctuate the first few cycles, wait until at leas 3 or 4 full cycle and then check your usage.
Click to expand...

Also, using safari or chrome?
 
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Reactions: viljamip
cmaier said:
I've never had that happen in any of my MacBook air's or pro's with non-removable batteries - never had one die in less than two years, nor even seen a "drastic" battery life fall. I've had to replace REMOVABLE batteries in my older MBP's twice. So it's not a foregone conclusion.

Also, you do NOT need to "replace the entire internals of the MacBook" to replace the battery. Replacing the battery requires only replacing the battery.
[doublepost=1479077854][/doublepost]

Also, using safari or chrome?
Click to expand...

1. Just because you don't experience that, doesn't make it the norm. I know plenty of users who have reported 70-80% battery health after heavy usage for 1-2 years. And yes, you need to replace the entire bottom part of the laptop, because the battery is glued.
 
kevinkyoo said:
1. Just because you don't experience that, doesn't make it the norm. I know plenty of users who have reported 70-80% battery health after heavy usage for 1-2 years. And yes, you need to replace the entire bottom part of the laptop, because the battery is glued.
Click to expand...

My point was that just because you experience it doesn't make it the norm. And no, you don't need to replace the entire bottom part of the laptop - they remove the glue. I've seen them do it at the Apple store, in iFixit videos, and numerous other videos on the web:



https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Retina+Display+Mid+2014+Battery+Replacement/27832
etc.
 
cmaier said:
My point was that just because you experience it doesn't make it the norm. And no, you don't need to replace the entire bottom part of the laptop - they remove the glue. I've seen them do it at the Apple store, in iFixit videos, and numerous other videos on the web:


https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Retina+Display+Mid+2014+Battery+Replacement/27832
etc.
Click to expand...

Apple won't follow what iFixIt does. It's what the Apple reps told me when they replaced the batteries for my and my brother's Retina Pro. It's why they order the parts for he bottoms of the computer.

If they don't, then it's a crime they charge $300-400
 
kevinkyoo said:
Time estimates have always not been accurate by Apple. Download a third party battery app, which should give you a more accurate representation. Also, yes, that's one thing I hate about these new laptops (Not just Apple). No removable batteries. That means after a year or two, depending on your usage, you'll notice the battery life fall drastically, to where you have to then shell out $200-400 for a new battery (AKA replace the entire internals of the MacBook - not so environmentally friendly, eh?)
Click to expand...


This information isn't even close to accurate. My current MBP has 1991 load cycles and is still at 88% capacity after four years of use.
 
kevinkyoo said:
Apple won't follow what iFixIt does. It's what the Apple reps told me when they replaced the batteries for my and my brother's Retina Pro. It's why they order the parts for he bottoms of the computer.

If they don't, then it's a crime they charge $300-400
Click to expand...

They quote $200 to replace the MacBook battery. Where are you getting your price information?
 
cmaier said:
They quote $200 to replace the MacBook battery. Where are you getting your price information?
Click to expand...

Go to an actual Apple store and ask for a quote. I got quoted 400 for my 2012 Retina MBP.
[doublepost=1479080112][/doublepost]
SVTM said:
This information isn't even close to accurate. My current MBP has 1991 load cycles and is still at 88% capacity after four years of use.
Click to expand...

Usage case? My friend used his 10-12 hours a day, and had 76 after two years
 
kevinkyoo said:
Go to an actual Apple store and ask for a quote. I got quoted 400 for my 2012 Retina MBP.
[doublepost=1479080112][/doublepost]

Usage case? My friend used his 10-12 hours a day, and had 76 after two years
Click to expand...

You were quoted the depot flat rate depot repair fee of $310 because machine is so old, sounds like. That's different. Right now the official price of replacing, say, battery in recent 12" MacBook is $199.
 
cmaier said:
You were quoted the depot flat rate depot repair fee of $310 because machine is so old, sounds like. That's different. Right now the official price of replacing, say, battery in recent 12" MacBook is $199.
Click to expand...

The structures of the retina Pro's were all similar. I'm guessing the MacBook's is cheaper because either the parts are cheaper, or the structure allows for it to be cheaper
 
cmaier said:
You were quoted the depot flat rate depot repair fee of $310 because machine is so old, sounds like. That's different. Right now the official price of replacing, say, battery in recent 12" MacBook is $199.
Click to expand...

Do you know how far back they go? Like, in how many years they are likely to stop replacing batteries on the current new models?
 
jackoatmon said:
Do you know how far back they go? Like, in how many years they are likely to stop replacing batteries on the current new models?
Click to expand...
Just has to be out of warrantee and no apple care. Cost is $310 to fix everything in the machine, so long as no accident damage. Let goes up for accidental damage.
 
SVTM said:
This information isn't even close to accurate. My current MBP has 1991 load cycles and is still at 88% capacity after four years of use.
Click to expand...

my macbook air has 482 cycles and is at 84% capacity
 
cmaier said:
My point was that just because you experience it doesn't make it the norm. And no, you don't need to replace the entire bottom part of the laptop - they remove the glue. I've seen them do it at the Apple store, in iFixit videos, and numerous other videos on the web:



https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Retina+Display+Mid+2014+Battery+Replacement/27832
etc.
Click to expand...
That is definitely not what they do at any Apple Authorised Service Provider or Apple. The batteries are glued on and not meant to be officially removed and replaced. At Apple, they change the entire top case (including the keyboard and trackpad, and aluminium case). Done this twice now as my trackpad had been damaged, and since the batteries are stuck on, they have to replace the entire thing.
 
kevinkyoo said:
1. Just because you don't experience that, doesn't make it the norm. I know plenty of users who have reported 70-80% battery health after heavy usage for 1-2 years. And yes, you need to replace the entire bottom part of the laptop, because the battery is glued.
Click to expand...

82% with heavy usage on my 2011 MacBook Pro, and my friend is at 94% with a 2013 rMBP--so idk, all my friends have had great battery experiences with their MacBooks.
 
"But guys, if they put a GTX 1060 in there it would only get 6 hours of battery life like the Razer Blade"... Oh, wait...
 
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