Regarding dying battery and performance

[Monado]

Recently the battery on my Macbook Pro (Retina, 13 inches, Early 2015) has been flagged by the menu bar as 'Condition: Replace Now', and according to coconutBattery it now only has about 44% of its original design capacity, after just over 1000 cycles. Now this wouldn't normally bother me as I've had many Windows laptops with degraded batteries, but apparently Macbooks automatically get throttled if the battery becomes too degraded (according to this topic for example, https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4468165). However, most of the people who have had this issue seem to have much older laptops, like 2011-2013, with removable batteries.



So I am wondering:



1. Does my Macbook, which is more recent (Retina, 13 inches, Early 2015, Model Identifier MacBookPro12,1 under System Information), and doesn't have a removable battery, still have this problem of slowing down once the battery becomes bad enough? If so, is there a software fix for it like there was in the thread I linked above (the solution is by Dhalgren in the same thread https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4468165?answerId=22391760022#22391760022I I tried doing it but the file under System/Library/Extensions/IOPlatformPluginFamily.kext seems absent on my system, as there is no 'MacbookPro12_1.plist', the latest version being 'MacbookPro8_3.plist').

2. Will the Macbook slow down if I boot into Windows instead via Bootcamp? The above thread seems to suggest the slow down is something Apple forces via software to 'protect' the Macbook so surely booting into Windows would circumvent this?


Many thanks.

 

[Fishrrman]

It should cost you $199 to get the battery replaced at a brick-n-mortar Apple Store (includes parts and labor).

If the battery is "used up", that's really all you need to know.
Get it done.

 

[Monado]

It should cost you $199 to get the battery replaced at a brick-n-mortar Apple Store (includes parts and labor).

If the battery is "used up", that's really all you need to know.
Get it done.

£199 actually over here.

I wouldn't have made this thread if the cost was something I'd be willing to pay, obviously. I was just wondering if there is a software solution to a dying Macbook battery (which apparently some do exist, just not as easily applicable to my model), or is Apple really so special that Macbooks are the only laptops out there that can't run on AC power.

 

[Fishrrman]

"I was just wondering if there is a software solution to a dying Macbook battery"

If the battery is truly "dying", the only option is... replacement.

Other than that, there are no "magic fixes".

 

[doynton]

I removed the battery on my 2013 MBP as it was swollen so much. The battery in mine was not removable but came out fine with a bit of time.

Removing battery throttles CPU but this can be easily overridden by installing ThrottleStop in Bootcamp and using it to disable BD PROCHOT. It now runs fine without battery and without throttling.

There is a similar fix for MacOS here but I didn't try it https://github.com/bernardowilson/NoBatteryNoProblem.kext

 

[TheSkywalker77]

or is Apple really so special that Macbooks are the only laptops out there that can't run on AC power.

Welcome to the ecosystem!

 

[asofan]

I have the exact same model and exact same problem. Did you figure out a solution to fix the slow performance without the battery?

Recently the battery on my Macbook Pro (Retina, 13 inches, Early 2015) has been flagged by the menu bar as 'Condition: Replace Now', and according to coconutBattery it now only has about 44% of its original design capacity, after just over 1000 cycles. Now this wouldn't normally bother me as I've had many Windows laptops with degraded batteries, but apparently Macbooks automatically get throttled if the battery becomes too degraded (according to this topic for example, https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4468165). However, most of the people who have had this issue seem to have much older laptops, like 2011-2013, with removable batteries.



So I am wondering:



1. Does my Macbook, which is more recent (Retina, 13 inches, Early 2015, Model Identifier MacBookPro12,1 under System Information), and doesn't have a removable battery, still have this problem of slowing down once the battery becomes bad enough? If so, is there a software fix for it like there was in the thread I linked above (the solution is by Dhalgren in the same thread https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4468165?answerId=22391760022#22391760022I I tried doing it but the file under System/Library/Extensions/IOPlatformPluginFamily.kext seems absent on my system, as there is no 'MacbookPro12_1.plist', the latest version being 'MacbookPro8_3.plist').

2. Will the Macbook slow down if I boot into Windows instead via Bootcamp? The above thread seems to suggest the slow down is something Apple forces via software to 'protect' the Macbook so surely booting into Windows would circumvent this?


Many thanks.

 

[Webster's Mac]

I'd just get the battery replaced...

If you don't need a laptop anymore, get the battery replaced, sell, and buy a Mac mini. That's what I'd do.

You could also sell the laptop and disclose the battery issue and get maybe $200 or so for it.

 

[chabig]

I was just wondering if there is a software solution to a dying Macbook battery

That would be like expecting a software solution to an empty gas tank on your car.