Here is what the Apple website said in its footnote regarding the 10-hour battery life with the Macbook Pro 2016
- Testing conducted by Apple in October 2016 using preproduction 2.6GHz quad-core Intel Core i7-based 15-inch MacBook Pro systems with a 256GB SSD and 16GB of RAM; preproduction 2.9GHz dual-core Intel Core i5-based 13-inch MacBook Pro systems with a 512GB SSD and 8GB of RAM (wireless web test and iTunes movie playback test); preproduction 2.9GHz dual-core Intel Core i5-based 13-inch MacBook Pro systems with a 256GB SSD and 8GB of RAM (standby test); and preproduction 2.0GHz dual-core Intel Core i5-based 13-inch MacBook Pro systems with a 256GB SSD and 8GB of RAM. The wireless web test measures battery life by wirelessly browsing 25 popular websites with display brightness set to 12 clicks from bottom or 75%. The iTunes movie playback test measures battery life by playing back HD 1080p content with display brightness set to 12 clicks from bottom or 75%. The standby test measures battery life by allowing a system, connected to a wireless network and signed in to an iCloud account, to enter standby mode with Safari and Mail applications launched and all system settings left at default. Battery life varies by use and configuration. See www.apple.com/batteries for more information.
So that is telling. This is the same test they did with the Macbook Airs:
- Testing conducted by Apple in February 2015 using preproduction 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5–based 13-inch MacBook Air units. The wireless web test measures battery life by wirelessly browsing 25 popular websites with display brightness set to 12 clicks from bottom or 75%. The HD movie playback test measures battery life by playing back HD 1080p content with display brightness set to 12 clicks from bottom or 75%. The standby test measures battery life by allowing a system, connected to a wireless network and signed in to an iCloud account, to enter standby mode with Safari and Mail applications launched and all system settings left at default. Battery life varies by use and configuration. See www.apple.com/batteries for more information.
The difference with these pros is: 28W is 28W, it will never be as efficient as a ULV-processor. It also has a smaller battery, it pushes a retina screen, and a touchbar. These are not Airs, they won't get you 10 hours if you do outside of what their battery test prescribes.
Now, a class action is warranted only if people did the same tests Apple did (Browse 25 popular websites with 75% brightness). Perhaps that is the only process running? Then see if you get 10 hours or not.
But even if Apple hit this mark, this is still a bit disingenuous. This is a Pro machine, so people are expected to do "Pro" things with it. Certainly, it should be able to open one more app other than Safari and 25 popular websites.
I think the Macs are taking the route of the iPhones where they have a benchmark battery life (in this case 10 hours), and make it thinnest and lightest as possible while still hitting that theoretical 10 hours. The problem is, power consumption on an Intel processor varies wildly that them designing for a 10 hour battery life is fool's gold.
I think Apple's death is this pursuit of thin and light. Someone must remind them that mobile computing is about having the laptop with enough power to carry everywhere, does not matter if it fits in an envelope or not.