Macbook pro plugged in 24/7, need advise

[l2pdrums]

I just bought my macbook pro to replace my mac mini and it will be used as my primary computer. I've had it plugged in all the time night and day, except twice where I used it in the living room and not in the office.
Is there a downside to just leaving it plugged in 24/7? This is my first laptop and I can't seem to find the manual that came with it so I don't know if there is anything in there regarding this.

 

[ziggyonice]

Nope, there's no problem leaving it plugged in. I leave mine plugged in most of the time -- only once in a while do I take it with me.

 

[macjram]

Battery will suffer.

 

[ziggyonice]

Battery will suffer.

Not really, actually. Most batteries in notebooks and cell phones nowadays are accustomed to battery cycles that don't require a periodic recharge cycle. I've noticed no problems in my battery's health whatsoever in keeping my computer plugged in.

 

[l2pdrums]

Not really, actually. Most batteries in notebooks and cell phones nowadays are accustomed to battery cycles that don't require a periodic recharge cycle. I've noticed no problems in my battery's health whatsoever in keeping my computer plugged in.

What about if I leave it on all the time, like when I'm downloading torrents?

 

[pkagel]

It's just a computer like any other. Just leave the darn thing on and it will be fine. I've found throughout the years that they tend to last a lot longer if you only shut them down when absolutly necessary and other than that just put it to sleep if you aren't going to be working on it.

What about if I leave it on all the time, like when I'm downloading torrents?

 

[nope7308]

If you leave the machine plugged in 24/7, the battery capacity will reduce drastically.

Here is what you do...
- Use the battery frequently, draining anywhere between 15%-75%.
- Once a month, drain the battery completely and then let it recharge to 100% (leave it plugged in for a couple hours after it reaches 100%)
- If you don't use your battery for an extended period of time (months), drain it to 40%, remove it from the computer, and store it in a cool dry place.

I fried the battery on my previous computer doing what you did. I can't give you the scientific explanation behind my advice, but trust me, it's correct. You can also find an article on the Apple website that says roughly the same thing (albeit more ambiguously).

 

[Niiro13]

Apple doesn't recommend leaving it in all the time.

I left my old Macbook Pro plugged in most of the time.

In 143 cycles battery was at 52% of it's life (note this is over a period of two years so I left it in a lot).