New to MacBooks 2 simple questions....

[alphatectz]

I just purchased my MacBook about an hour ago. I'm about to open the box (excited!!!) but I have 2 simple battery questions:
1st question: how long should I charge my MacBook (over night, a few hours or every other day (or every few days)
2nd question: when using my MacBook at home should I take out the battery and just plug in the ac adapter and use my MacBook?

And to simplify my questions, what's the best way to charge my MacBook?

 

[The Samurai]

Answer to your questions:

1) I would give it a full charge, thats if you plan to use your laptop portably straight away. If your going to use it off the mains - you can start using it straight away.

2) NO!! never take the battery out! Theres a link to Apple's website where they specifically state not to take the battery out because the notebook then under performs. I haven't got the link for it.

3) Best way to charge your macbook - I presume you mean the best time. Depends, I tend to charge it when i've been using it on battery and then when I come home - I plug it in the mains.

Oh and congrats

You may want to get some accessories for your Macbook - in which case see my sig for reviews on accessories.

All the best.

 

[kolax]

1. Keep it plugged in as much as you can - but generally try to do a few cycles of the battery every couple of weeks (i.e. full charge to empty battery) to keep it healthy. I don't bother much - I just unplug it when I need to use it in a place with no power and plug it in if I'm near a place with power. It doesn't do the battery any harm having it plugged in all the time - but it does keep it "healthy" by doing cycles every now and then rather than keeping it plugged in all the time for weeks.

2. No.. don't do that! If you do, the CPU underclocks itself so you end up with much less power.

It'll take a few cycles for your battery to get worn into - so you might have long charging times etc. Also, you should calibrate your battery once you get going. Calibration is simply charging it fully, then using it till it switches itself off from having 0% battery. Then leave it like that for a few hours. Then charge it up to 100% again.

Don't be over cautious about your battery - after a year and a half's solid use you'll probably need a new battery anyway. Just use your laptop - charge it when you can, and run off battery otherwise. No biggie.

 

[js81]

Don't be over cautious about your battery - after a year and a half's solid use you'll probably need a new battery anyway.

I sure hope you're wrong. I'm not new to Macs, but my current Macbook is my first Apple portable. My old Dell still kept about 3/4 of its original battery life after FIVE YEARS. I'll be very disappointed if I have to have a new battery after a year and a half.

 

[michael.lauden]

i wouldn't worry too much. just remember (while this may not be 100% true, but for the most part) the less cycles you go through - the longer your battery can theoretically last.

also,

you can download a program, coconutbattery. which monitors your battery.

it gives you a detailed view of what status your battery is in, including maximum current battery capacity AND original battery capacity.. which is extra over a few apps.




honestly though - i run iStat Pro in dashboard and have it monitor my whole computer. i don't feel the need to monitor my battery in a stand alone app.

http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/status/istatpro.html

it displays your charge, how many cycles you've gone through and your overall battery health (which is the same thing as coconut, just giving you a percentile instead of current and factory readings)


also it is cool to see how fast your fans are running (or if your fan control program is running), and your data in and out... not to mention processing and RAM info

 

[alphatectz]

Answer to your questions:

1) I would give it a full charge, thats if you plan to use your laptop portably straight away. If your going to use it off the mains - you can start using it straight away.

2) NO!! never take the battery out! Theres a link to Apple's website where they specifically state not to take the battery out because the notebook then under performs. I haven't got the link for it.

3) Best way to charge your macbook - I presume you mean the best time. Depends, I tend to charge it when i've been using it on battery and then when I come home - I plug it in the mains.

Oh and congrats

Edit:

im planning to get a incase for my MacBook, and an extrenal HD and maybe more mem but that will be later on, also i notice the MacBooks dont have a seperate slot for mini SD's and such, what is the best soultion to fix that?

You may want to get some accessories for your Macbook - in which case see my sig for reviews on accessories.

All the best.

Well im planning to use my MacBook portably and off the mains, but mostly portably for school.

Them idoits at the genius bar said that i should take the battery out and use the ac adapter when im home while i use my MacBook.

I figured that would be the best way to charge my MacBook.

And thnx for your help and quick replys

 

[alphatectz]

1. Keep it plugged in as much as you can - but generally try to do a few cycles of the battery every couple of weeks (i.e. full charge to empty battery) to keep it healthy. I don't bother much - I just unplug it when I need to use it in a place with no power and plug it in if I'm near a place with power. It doesn't do the battery any harm having it plugged in all the time - but it does keep it "healthy" by doing cycles every now and then rather than keeping it plugged in all the time for weeks.

2. No.. don't do that! If you do, the CPU underclocks itself so you end up with much less power.

It'll take a few cycles for your battery to get worn into - so you might have long charging times etc. Also, you should calibrate your battery once you get going. Calibration is simply charging it fully, then using it till it switches itself off from having 0% battery. Then leave it like that for a few hours. Then charge it up to 100% again.

Don't be over cautious about your battery - after a year and a half's solid use you'll probably need a new battery anyway. Just use your laptop - charge it when you can, and run off battery otherwise. No biggie.

thnx i'll run the batt and do a few cycles of full-dead.

yea im not going anywear near the batt untill i will need a new one.

 

[alphatectz]

I sure hope you're wrong. I'm not new to Macs, but my current Macbook is my first Apple portable. My old Dell still kept about 3/4 of its original battery life after FIVE YEARS. I'll be very disappointed if I have to have a new battery after a year and a half.

well i also have a dell as my laptop i hate it.. the battery never lasted me more then 2 months, but i dont mind if i need to get a replacement batt in a year or 2

 

[alphatectz]

i wouldn't worry too much. just remember (while this may not be 100% true, but for the most part) the less cycles you go through - the longer your battery can theoretically last.

also,

you can download a program, coconutbattery. which monitors your battery.

it gives you a detailed view of what status your battery is in, including maximum current battery capacity AND original battery capacity.. which is extra over a few apps.

honestly though - i run iStat Pro in dashboard and have it monitor my whole computer. i don't feel the need to monitor my battery in a stand alone app.

http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/status/istatpro.html

it displays your charge, how many cycles you've gone through and your overall battery health (which is the same thing as coconut, just giving you a percentile instead of current and factory readings)

also it is cool to see how fast your fans are running (or if your fan control program is running), and your data in and out... not to mention processing and RAM info

i think i'll stick with istats for macbooks i currently use istats for both my iphones and its great now for an add on i have my macbok so im good.


by the way i still havent opened my macbook, lol im such a geek ....

 

[kolax]

I sure hope you're wrong. I'm not new to Macs, but my current Macbook is my first Apple portable. My old Dell still kept about 3/4 of its original battery life after FIVE YEARS. I'll be very disappointed if I have to have a new battery after a year and a half.

Key word - solid use. If you are like me, and go through a couple of cycles per day then you'll probably want a new battery after 12 months.

 

[michael.lauden]

Key word - solid use. If you are like me, and go through a couple of cycles per day then you'll probably want a new battery after 12 months.

exactly. mine will probably last a bit longer. i have only gone through 18 cycles according to iStat pro - and i've had this macbook since december 20th.

 

[kolax]

I've had this since 12th December and my cycle count is already 106.

That's a full discharge once to twice a day roughly though.

 

[alphatectz]

I've had this since 12th December and my cycle count is already 106

thats fine, it just shows how much u love your mac