Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

ManicMarc

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 1, 2012
487
149
Is it normal for an 18 month old battery to loose this much capacity in a month, using just 3 cycles??

battery.png
 
Is it normal for an 18 month old battery to loose this much capacity in a month, using just 3 cycles??

Image

Charge capacity is just an estimate that can go up and down. No need to worry about a few percent difference here or there.
 
Is this a rhetorical question?
yeah... I am actually asking myself... the hell... I wanna know how he did it? I have MBA 2 weeks and I have 7 cycles already... does he leave it on the charger all the time?
 
yeah... I am actually asking myself... the hell... I wanna know how he did it? I have MBA 2 weeks and I have 7 cycles already... does he leave it on the charger all the time?

I have a two year old Air that has only 5 cycles as it is used plugged in. The OP is likely doing the same.

Edit: Forgot to post that my battery also shows 96%
 
Last edited:
yeah... I am actually asking myself... the hell... I wanna know how he did it? I have MBA 2 weeks and I have 7 cycles already... does he leave it on the charger all the time?

I have 39 cycles on a battery that's ~10 months old. Why not leave it on the charger all the time?
 
yeah... I am actually asking myself... the hell... I wanna know how he did it? I have MBA 2 weeks and I have 7 cycles already... does he leave it on the charger all the time?

Lots of people use their laptop at their desk or some other work station, with a power socket within arm's reach. As long as you let the battery get some exercise from time to time, there's no reason not let your laptop run off of A/C power instead of the battery when it's convenient.
 
Lots of people use their laptop at their desk or some other work station, with a power socket within arm's reach. As long as you let the battery get some exercise from time to time, there's no reason not let your laptop run off of A/C power instead of the battery when it's convenient.
yeah but what does "from time to time" means? I can have it plugged literary all the Time for 5 months... should i unplug it once per week or two or once per month? don't want to wear the battery off if I don't need to... if you know what I mean:)

PS:coconutbattery says my battery capacity is 103%
 
yeah but what does "from time to time" means? I can have it plugged literary all the Time for 5 months... should i unplug it once per week or two or once per month? don't want to wear the battery off if I don't need to... if you know what I mean:)

PS:coconutbattery says my battery capacity is 103%

It's hard to say what the best usage pattern is. Keeping the battery at 100% literally all the time is not ideal, but obviously draining and recharging it all the time adds the the cycles which mean wear. But the truth is, unless you are particularly abusive to your battery, it will probably last you until you're ready for a new laptop.
 
yeah but what does "from time to time" means? I can have it plugged literary all the Time for 5 months... should i unplug it once per week or two or once per month? don't want to wear the battery off if I don't need to... if you know what I mean:)

PS:coconutbattery says my battery capacity is 103%

Apple used to recommend running the battery through a cycle once per month, but they removed this from their web site a couple years ago.

Only they know why, but if it sounds like good advice to you...
 
My 13" MBP has 89% after 3yrs 10mths and 1046 cycles - so run pretty hard. My MBA has roughly the same battery capacity left, is a year younger and only 300 cycles so I would suggest not using a battery is relatively bad for it.

Batteries become stale if not used, and also decline with age, hitting the "optimum" curve is a black art but IMHO more usage is better than less...
 
Your battery will suffer from wear regardless of wether you choose to leave it plugged in or use the battery. The best method is to plug and charge much like your iPhone. Don't run it flat every cycle as that's not good either.
 
My 13" MBP has 89% after 3yrs 10mths and 1046 cycles - so run pretty hard. My MBA has roughly the same battery capacity left, is a year younger and only 300 cycles so I would suggest not using a battery is relatively bad for it.

Batteries become stale if not used, and also decline with age, hitting the "optimum" curve is a black art but IMHO more usage is better than less...

Meanwhile there are plenty of people who post to this forum who only have a few hundred cycles and have hugely reduced charge capacities.

I don't think we can infer much from your two numbers, except that it's possible to have over 1000 cycles on a battery and have it be over 80%... people with these stats don't often post to the forum.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.