Questions about rMBP battery...

[576316]

Received my 15" rMBP today it's my first Mac and it's gorgeous. However I'd really love some information on the best way to help my battery have the longest life. To make things simple I've typed out some questions below which are my main queries. Would love any extra information you think I should know.

1. Should I drain the battery entirely and then charge it completely every time?

2. Can I leave it charging overnight? Does it stop charging when it's full, what if it begins to naturally lose power again, does it start charging again?

3. Should I just close the lid at night or should it be shut down when I'm asleep? Also if I know I won't be using it until the next evening should I shut it down or is sleep fine in this case too?

4. Is it bad to use the laptop whilst it's charging? Does it ignore the battery in this case and run entirely from mains power as I had heard?

Finally, thanks to everyone at MacRumors for helping me to decide on my first Mac amongst many other things.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

1. Should I drain the battery entirely and then charge it completely every time?

No.

2. Can I leave it charging overnight? Does it stop charging when it's full, what if it begins to naturally lose power again, does it start charging again?

Yes, yes and yes.

3. Should I just close the lid at night or should it be shut down when I'm asleep? Also if I know I won't be using it until the next evening should I shut it down or is sleep fine in this case too?

Sleep is fine.

4. Is it bad to use the laptop whilst it's charging? Does it ignore the battery in this case and run entirely from mains power as I had heard?

No, and if the battery is charged, the mains power will be used.

Would love any extra information you think I should know.

______________________________________________________
This should answer most, if not all, of your battery questions:
Apple Notebook Battery FAQ by GGJstudios
The F.A.Q. includes the following topics:

• BATTERY INFORMATION
• BATTERY LIFE FROM A CHARGE
• AC POWER
• CALIBRATION
• BATTERY LIFESPAN
• CHECKING STATUS AND HEALTH
• CHARGING
• WHAT IS A CYCLE?
• BATTERIES ARE NOT COVERED
• BULGING OR SWELLING BATTERY

______________________________________________________​

 

[Quercus Alba]

1. Should I drain the battery entirely and then charge it completely every time?

Definitely not! Try to avoid draining your battery down to very low levels if you can. It hurts its capacity quite badly.

In order to maximise the health of your battery, you want to aim to gently "exercise" it. You don't need to run a marathon every day to stay healthy, so instead you go for a jog around your neighbourhood. The same applies to the lithium ion battery in your laptop.

Avoid wild swings from 0% charged to 100% charged, but instead use the laptop for a few hours, then maybe plug it in to charge for a while, then go portable again, then charge it, etc.

Don't be afraid to completely drain your battery if you absolutely must get some work done. It isn't going to explode if you do that - just don't make a habit of repeatedly exhausting your battery.

In general all you need to remember is: Plug in when convenient, and unplug when convenient.

2. Can I leave it charging overnight? Does it stop charging when it's full, what if it begins to naturally lose power again, does it start charging again?

Yes you can leave it charging overnight. The MagSafe charger switches from full-power charging to a variable trickle-charge when the battery is at nearly maximum capacity.

3. Should I just close the lid at night or should it be shut down when I'm asleep? Also if I know I won't be using it until the next evening should I shut it down or is sleep fine in this case too?

It's down to personal preference really. It doesn't matter. I just sleep my rMBP when I'm not using it (by flipping the lid shut). I very rarely shut down my laptop, except perhaps if I'm going away for a few days.

Yes, your laptop will be fine when sleeping in a case. There's no heat generated.

4. Is it bad to use the laptop whilst it's charging? Does it ignore the battery in this case and run entirely from mains power as I had heard?

It's perfectly fine to use your laptop when charging. Yes, it runs from the mains power when plugged in.


Enjoy your laptop!

 

[576316]

Definitely not! Try to avoid draining your battery down to very low levels if you can. It hurts its capacity quite badly.

In order to maximise the health of your battery, you want to aim to gently "exercise" it. You don't need to run a marathon every day to stay healthy, so instead you go for a jog around your neighbourhood. The same applies to the lithium ion battery in your laptop.

Avoid wild swings from 0% charged to 100% charged, but instead use the laptop for a few hours, then maybe plug it in to charge for a while, then go portable again, then charge it, etc.

Don't be afraid to completely drain your battery if you absolutely must get some work done. It isn't going to explode if you do that - just don't make a habit of repeatedly exhausting your battery.

In general all you need to remember is: Plug in when convenient, and unplug when convenient.



Yes you can leave it charging overnight. The MagSafe charger switches from full-power charging to a variable trickle-charge when the battery is at nearly maximum capacity.




It's down to personal preference really. It doesn't matter. I just sleep my rMBP when I'm not using it (by flipping the lid shut). I very rarely shut down my laptop, except perhaps if I'm going away for a few days.

Yes, your laptop will be fine when sleeping in a case. There's no heat generated.



It's perfectly fine to use your laptop when charging. Yes, it runs from the mains power when plugged in.


Enjoy your laptop!

Thank you very much for your detailed response. So basically what you're saying is that it doesn't actually ever need to be at 100%? You've worried me with what you said about draining battery. I used it all day right out of the box until it turned itself off and now it's on charge. Should I go and use it rather than leaving it charging all night?

----------

No.


Yes, yes and yes.


Sleep is fine.


No, and if the battery is charged, the mains power will be used.

______________________________________________________
This should answer most, if not all, of your battery questions:
Apple Notebook Battery FAQ by GGJstudios
The F.A.Q. includes the following topics:

• BATTERY INFORMATION
• BATTERY LIFE FROM A CHARGE
• AC POWER
• CALIBRATION
• BATTERY LIFESPAN
• CHECKING STATUS AND HEALTH
• CHARGING
• WHAT IS A CYCLE?
• BATTERIES ARE NOT COVERED
• BULGING OR SWELLING BATTERY

______________________________________________________​

Thanks! I think that link has answered every question I had as well!

 

[Quercus Alba]

Thank you very much for your detailed response. So basically what you're saying is that it doesn't actually ever need to be at 100%? You've worried me with what you said about draining battery. I used it all day right out of the box until it turned itself off and now it's on charge. Should I go and use it rather than leaving it charging all night?

Maybe I was a bit confusing..

It's exhausting the battery you need to avoid doing.

Charging to 100% is fine.

Keep the battery frequently and gently exercised and you'll get the longest lifespan possible from it.

 

[eldy]

Maybe I was a bit confusing..

It's exhausting the battery you need to avoid doing.

Charging to 100% is fine.

Keep the battery frequently and gently exercised and you'll get the longest lifespan possible from it.

This is correct. Have fun with your new computer!

 

[576316]

Thank you all for your help! MacRumors is definitely one of the best places for friendly advice...especially for Mac newbies like me!