Once my battery hits 5%, my MBP becomes incredible slow, choppy and generally rubbish.
I'm assuming it's a 'feature' but can I stop it doing this?
I'm assuming it's a 'feature' but can I stop it doing this?
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MacBook Pro throttled at 5% battery
- Thread starter Mildredop
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GGJstudios
macrumors Westmere
Don't run your battery so low, if you can avoid it.
Run on battery whenever you need to and plug it in whenever you can. You can plug or unplug any time you need to, regardless of the charged percentage, and you never need to completely drain your battery.
The link below should answer most, if not all, of your battery/charging questions, including tips for maximizing battery performance. If you havent already done so, I highly recommend you take the time to read it. 
maflynn
macrumors Broadwell
It is a feature and you cannot stop it, the computer is enabling the throttling to prolong the battery. Running a battery so low like that will shorten its lifespan.
Thanks for the reply but I often run my battery that low, have done for a decade and will continue to do so.
TheIguana
macrumors 6502a
You can't, it is a hardware enforced "feature," designed to protect your Macs hardware.
I did think I wouldn't be able to stop it, but thought I'd check.
Batteries are replaceable (not that I've ever needed to) and are there to be used.
maflynn
macrumors Broadwell
They are, but for the newer models they're sealed (read glued) and so its quite expensive to replace them, i.e., over 200 bucks, so if you can prolong the life of a battery that makes sense - at least to me.
GGJstudios
macrumors Westmere
All we can do is provide accurate information. What you do with that information is completely up to you.
Accurate information about something I didn't ask. I asked if I could stop the throttling, not if it'd damage my battery.
GGJstudios
macrumors Westmere
You asked if you could stop the throttling. I said don't run your battery so low. That will stop the throttling. I said nothing about any damage.
Fair point, you didn't mention damage. Not running the battery below 5% isn't an option though so I guess I'll have to put up with it.
simonsi
Contributor
It does it because the "5%" isn't exact, your machine could just power down at any time so it is trying to maximise its life so you can save your work etc.
What other trigger do you wait for before charging? Do you wait for it to just power off in mid-flight then charge?
Then you don't know how much damage you're doing to your battery.
People who couldn't be bothered to take care of their electronics well shouldn't be allowed to use said electronics.
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Don't worry about it. It's not like I'm throttling fluffy kittens. It's a battery. In a computer.
GGJstudios
macrumors Westmere
