MacBook Pro M3 battery health 92% (Nov-2023 new)

[mtbdudex]

I bought my MacBook Pro M3 fully loaded (Max, 64GB memory, 4TB SSD).
It's battery is now at 92%, shows 50 cycles, I've got AppleCare good thru Nov-19-2026.

Other M3 owners, how is your battery doing?
I use mine 97% un-plugged, at night may plug it into the USB-C if I'm near it.

This seems "low" to me, like iPhone's does Apple replace the battery if 79% or at what % is it deemed "bad" and warranty?

 

[Bigwaff]

This seems "low" to me, like iPhone's does Apple replace the battery if 79% or at what % is it deemed "bad" and warranty?

Apple will replace Mac battery when max charge capacity is below 80% of new max charge capacity. Doesn’t matter if it’s under warranty or not.

 

[MacCheetah3]

Even though 92% 'battery health' (i.e., percent of original/max capacity) seems a little low for the cycle count, 50, I suggest not to worry.

For comparison, my M1 Pro MacBook Pro:

As you can see, it has a low cycle count for its age. I only use the MacBook when traveling, which has been rare, or as an auxiliary. So, much of its life is spent in sleep mode — where a full battery charge can last a month.

Determine battery cycle count for Mac laptops - Apple Support

Learn how to determine the number of cycles your Mac laptop's battery has.

support.apple.com

Check the condition of your Mac laptop’s battery

Check whether the battery in your Mac is functioning normally or if it needs to be replaced.

support.apple.com

 

[MacCheetah3]

like iPhone's does Apple replace the battery if 79% or at what % is it deemed "bad" and warranty?

Your product is eligible for a battery replacement at no additional cost if you have AppleCare and your product's battery holds less than 80% of its original capacity.

The estimated out of or ineligible of warranty charge is (currently) $249 for your model MacBook.

Mac Repair and Service - Apple Support

Need to repair your Mac? See your service options, their costs by coverage type, and how long they take.

support.apple.com

 

[DaniTheFox]

The maximum cycle life of laptops for 80% capacity is 1000, while for iPhones, it is 500. There is an old support note for this information.
Edit: 1000 cycle since iPhone 15. https://www.apple.com/batteries/service-and-recycling/

 

[smbu2000]

This is from my 16" M3 Max (48GB/1TB, 16cpu/40gpu) MBP from Feb.2024.

 

[donawalt]

I use mine almost every day. My secret is using Al Dente. I use the M3 plugged in 99% of the time.

Al Dente holds the battery at a low state of charge. When you plug in your MacBook and set a limit (for me, 65%):
• The charger supplies the power needed for the CPU/GPU, screen, SSD, etc.
• Only excess power that the system doesn’t need is offered to the battery
• AlDente tells the SMC to reject that “extra power,” stopping charging

So the battery is neither charging nor discharging (mostly), and it sits at ~65%.

This is commonly called “charge limiting”. Al Dente bypasses the 3 aging factors for batteries: (1) Kept at 100% charge (2) Kept warm (3) Used heavily (cycles)

As a result, battery degradation will be VERY low per year - as little as 1% - 3%. Cycle count will not grow nearly as fast. And here are my latest stats:

And here is my M4 Mac, over a year old and I use this laptop easily 10 hours a day - 99% plugged in:

 

[DaniTheFox]

I am uncertain if I recall this correctly. MacOS has been misleading users for a long time ( 15 years ?). When a laptop is continuously connected, it displays 100% battery life. In reality, it permits the battery to deplete significantly below 100%, potentially to 95%, if I recall correctly. Otherwise, it would continuously charge or discharge the battery.