My AppleCare coverage is over on my 2015 MBP. It looks like it might be worthwhile to take another trip with AppleCare on this machine what with all the 2016/17 keyboard troubles. Already had a battery replacement on it with AppleCare. What do you think?
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My Applecare is up in June 2018
- Thread starter Tenashus1
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Are you having some kind of problem now?
I doubt that you can get AppleCare to do anything proactively.
I doubt that you can get AppleCare to do anything proactively.
Apple won't replace anything unless a failure is indicated. You might be able to convince them to run diagnostics (which you could do a rudimentary run of by holding D during boot) but unless something is indicated during that you won't get anything from them.
OP:
I'd just keep the 2015 and keep on using it.
I WOULD NOT buy a 2017 design MBP for myself, and I cannot recommend it due to the keyboard problems.
MAYBE they'll get this fixed in the 2018 models, but even then, I would not buy one of those until they'd been out for several months.
How is the 2015 that you have now performing?
Does it do everything you want it to do?
I'd just keep the 2015 and keep on using it.
I WOULD NOT buy a 2017 design MBP for myself, and I cannot recommend it due to the keyboard problems.
MAYBE they'll get this fixed in the 2018 models, but even then, I would not buy one of those until they'd been out for several months.
How is the 2015 that you have now performing?
Does it do everything you want it to do?
It is frustrating that they won't offer yet an additional warranty after your initial AppleCare has expired.
Perhaps they could offer something like this only to people who had initial AppleCare coverage that is nearing expiration so it was a pretty narrow scope and only for people that had ponied up for coverage the whole way?
I'm in a similar situation with my 2015 later this year to the OP.
Now of course it's such a great design that I've actually had absolutely no problems at all but that doesn't mean I wouldn't love to have the option for a few hundred dollars to get several more years of coverage.
Perhaps they could offer something like this only to people who had initial AppleCare coverage that is nearing expiration so it was a pretty narrow scope and only for people that had ponied up for coverage the whole way?
I'm in a similar situation with my 2015 later this year to the OP.
Now of course it's such a great design that I've actually had absolutely no problems at all but that doesn't mean I wouldn't love to have the option for a few hundred dollars to get several more years of coverage.
It might be frustrating, but it wouldn't make sense for Apple to offer it. The older anything tends to get especially electronics the more likely they are to break so there isn't much incentive for them as there was originally to offer coverage..
ok - fair points
Still wish they would (at some price), as I'm staring down towards the end of what could be the last Apple laptop I ever love, let alone even like...
Instead of AppleCare, you should get an insurance poliy/contents insurance. Not only are they cheaper, with the latter you can cover your whole houses worth of contents and multiple phones (my quote came to around £120) - some even allow you to use Apple to repair it and they will just pay the difference.
Applecare is pretty much overpriced and has limited coverage compared to what is out there.
OP wrote:
"Very happy with the 15. Don't want to part with it."
Then the best advice I can give is:
Keep it.
I have a 2015, myself.
I would like to get 6-7 years out of it, minimum.
Maybe Apple will have worked out the "keyboard problems" by 2022 !
"Very happy with the 15. Don't want to part with it."
Then the best advice I can give is:
Keep it.
I have a 2015, myself.
I would like to get 6-7 years out of it, minimum.
Maybe Apple will have worked out the "keyboard problems" by 2022 !
Agreed. I'm dreading the day my 2015 needs to go.
How did you manage to replace the battery under the AppleCare? I believe our MBP 2015 is too quickly using the battery capacity and would like to replace the battery before our AppleCare expiries at the end of the year.
MBP 15 - 2015"
design capacity - 8755 mAh
full charge capacity - 7724 mAh
charge cycles - 316
in a little over 300 cycles we lost over 1000 mAh
for instance, our MBP 13 - 2015" shows the following:
design capacity - 6559 mAh
full charge capacity - 6043 mAh
charge cycles - 331
so our 13" model has more cycles, sees more usage, yet the battery only lost about 500 mAh - half of the what 15" model within very similar charge cycle.
This is the reason why I would like to get the battery replaced on our 15" model. I appreciate any info.
Looking at your numbers - the 15-inch started with a higher capacity battery. The 13-inch is 75% of the 15-inch to begin.
So, percentage of capacity compared to original capacity on both would be 88% and 92%, respectively.
From that angle, the 15-inch is just under 90%, and the 13-inch is still slightly above 90%.
Apple should replace your battery if you are covered by AppleCare, and the battery health drops below 80%, with less than 1,000 charge cycles.
You currently are not close to the 80% level.
However, if you can convince Apple to replace your battery when not justified, then a new battery would be nice, just not necessary at this point.
I think it is difficult to compare two laptops, when the usage (apps that you usually are using, and your particular setup on each can be significantly different, even if they appear to have to same apps).
I think the only way that you can compare battery use between two laptops, would be if you typically plug into adapters, and disconnect adapters at virtually the same time, each time, then use each in an identical manner, for approximately the same amount of time, launching and quitting the same apps at roughly the same time.
The two MBPros will never be the same.
Kinda like comparing apples and oranges (sorry!)
So, percentage of capacity compared to original capacity on both would be 88% and 92%, respectively.
From that angle, the 15-inch is just under 90%, and the 13-inch is still slightly above 90%.
Apple should replace your battery if you are covered by AppleCare, and the battery health drops below 80%, with less than 1,000 charge cycles.
You currently are not close to the 80% level.
However, if you can convince Apple to replace your battery when not justified, then a new battery would be nice, just not necessary at this point.
I think it is difficult to compare two laptops, when the usage (apps that you usually are using, and your particular setup on each can be significantly different, even if they appear to have to same apps).
I think the only way that you can compare battery use between two laptops, would be if you typically plug into adapters, and disconnect adapters at virtually the same time, each time, then use each in an identical manner, for approximately the same amount of time, launching and quitting the same apps at roughly the same time.
The two MBPros will never be the same.
Kinda like comparing apples and oranges (sorry!
)The battery swelled to the point where the lid would not close normally, so I went to the local Apple Store, and the tech sent the computer off. Got it back swiftly with a new (refurbished?) keyboard and battery. The new keyboard was better than the original. I think my battery actually had problems from the gitgo, but I had been keeping the MBP plugged in constantly. He said that that may have caused my battery trouble. Not completely sure about that though. Anyway, that's the story. I don't move my MBP around, so I keep it plugged in when using. Trying to minimize cycling. I'll cycle it once in a while.
You could do what I did. I have a 2014 MBP that works great, but I always like my main computer to be under AppleCare. So, I bought a 2015 MBP through the refurbished store and then put AppleCare on it for the next 3 years.
My original plan was to sell the 2014, but I still use it for other projects. However, you could sell your 2015 and recoup a big part of the cost of the new 2015 MBP. As someone else mentioned, the fact that it still has AppleCare coverage left will help you get more money for it.
My original plan was to sell the 2014, but I still use it for other projects. However, you could sell your 2015 and recoup a big part of the cost of the new 2015 MBP. As someone else mentioned, the fact that it still has AppleCare coverage left will help you get more money for it.
OP wrote in replay 18 above:
"Trying to minimize cycling. I'll cycle it once in a while."
No. The tech guy was right.
I suggest that you DO NOT "minimize cycling".
"Once in a while" is not enough.
Instead take steps to deliberately cycle the battery at least 2, probably 3 or 4 days a week.
Do it this way:
1. Take if off the charger.
2. Run it down to 30-25%
3. Put it back on charge.
If you have to, hang up a sheet of paper:
"Sunday/Tuesday/Thursday -- battery cycle days"
"Trying to minimize cycling. I'll cycle it once in a while."
No. The tech guy was right.
I suggest that you DO NOT "minimize cycling".
"Once in a while" is not enough.
Instead take steps to deliberately cycle the battery at least 2, probably 3 or 4 days a week.
Do it this way:
1. Take if off the charger.
2. Run it down to 30-25%
3. Put it back on charge.
If you have to, hang up a sheet of paper:
"Sunday/Tuesday/Thursday -- battery cycle days"
Looking at your numbers - the 15-inch started with a higher capacity battery. The 13-inch is 75% of the 15-inch to begin.
So, percentage of capacity compared to original capacity on both would be 88% and 92%, respectively.
From that angle, the 15-inch is just under 90%, and the 13-inch is still slightly above 90%.
Apple should replace your battery if you are covered by AppleCare, and the battery health drops below 80%, with less than 1,000 charge cycles.
You currently are not close to the 80% level.
However, if you can convince Apple to replace your battery when not justified, then a new battery would be nice, just not necessary at this point.
I think it is difficult to compare two laptops, when the usage (apps that you usually are using, and your particular setup on each can be significantly different, even if they appear to have to same apps).
I think the only way that you can compare battery use between two laptops, would be if you typically plug into adapters, and disconnect adapters at virtually the same time, each time, then use each in an identical manner, for approximately the same amount of time, launching and quitting the same apps at roughly the same time.
The two MBPros will never be the same.
Kinda like comparing apples and oranges (sorry!
My concern is that the MBP 15 shows much higher % drop given the very similar cycle. I know the battery % drop is not linear but if it was, my MBP 15 would most likely end up with less than %80 after hitting around 540 cycles, while MPB 13 (following the same formula) would take about 870 cycles to hit less than %80.
I also have MBA 13 2013 model and this one is even more interesting as far as the battery goes:
MBA 13 - 2013
design capacity - 7150 mAh
full charge capacity - 6758 mAh
charge cycles - 385
In the case of this laptop, we only lost 392 mAh or roughly %5.5 after 385.
So my general question is, is it typical for 15" MBP to loose so much more battery life compared to 13" models?
No, assuming that your usage is identical, but you are still comparing "apples to oranges". Battery life between Mac laptops can be related, can be compared, but in real life, the battery life will be different, unless the models are identical, and your usage is identical. (I'm not sure how you would even do that) Even then, you have slight differences in manufacturing tolerances that may result in different battery life, even if the two laptops are absolutely identical in every other way. There's so many variables that (just my opinion) it is not likely that you can use the numbers from one laptop to interpret what you see for numbers on a completely different laptop.
So far, I don't agree that you have a problem. But, it's really up to you. Talk to Apple. Take your MBPro to a genius, maybe they will run the service test on the battery, and likely will reassure you that nothing extraordinary is happening with your battery (or they will offer to replace it, however unlikely that might be. There may be some non-public service program which allows Apple to replace serviceable batteries because of some un-announced battery issue on specific models - might happen.)
I interpret your question as: Why do different laptops have different battery life?
Your 15-inch, from the start, has a lot more battery, and the total usage life will be different (not necessarily better, or worse, just different) from a laptop that has relatively smaller battery needs in the first place.
Come back a year from now. That would be a good period of time to see what is really happening with your batteries.
So far, I don't agree that you have a problem. But, it's really up to you. Talk to Apple. Take your MBPro to a genius, maybe they will run the service test on the battery, and likely will reassure you that nothing extraordinary is happening with your battery (or they will offer to replace it, however unlikely that might be. There may be some non-public service program which allows Apple to replace serviceable batteries because of some un-announced battery issue on specific models - might happen.)
I interpret your question as: Why do different laptops have different battery life?
Your 15-inch, from the start, has a lot more battery, and the total usage life will be different (not necessarily better, or worse, just different) from a laptop that has relatively smaller battery needs in the first place.
Come back a year from now. That would be a good period of time to see what is really happening with your batteries.
