Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Teardown: MacBook Pro 2017

Gudi

Gudi

Suspended
Original poster
May 3, 2013
4,590
3,270
Berlin, Berlin
MacBook Pro 13" Touch Bar 2017 Teardown
ydEWHyEN2EWYZbaw.large

Are you kidding me, there's still so much wasted space around the batteries?
Apple, you don't want my money!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nik
Gudi said:
MacBook Pro 13" Touch Bar 2017 Teardown
Are you kidding me, there's still so much wasted space around the batteries?
Apple, you don't want my money!
Click to expand...

Heh. Everyone's an engineeer these days. Anyway, the empty space is probably just the result of the rest of the computer and component space requirements, and the size of the battery is directly tied to the weight. Fill it with battery and the laptop would be heavier, and Apple clearly doesn't want that. That, and your money :) But since they want mine, they prioritized mobility over filling up the entire laptop with whatever.
 
  • Like
Reactions: potassium404, TonyK, macintoshmac and 1 other person
aevan said:
Anyway, the empty space is probably just the result of the rest of the computer and component space requirements ...
Click to expand...
Last year it was reported, the reason was a failed battery test and they had to revert to an older design.

In the run-up to the MacBook Pro's planned debut this year, the new battery failed a key test, according to a person familiar with the situation. Rather than delay the launch and risk missing the crucial holiday shopping season, Apple decided to revert to an older design. ​

If this explanation was true and I don't doubt that, they've had plenty of time to fix it. Unless they think they have more important engineering tasks to solve than their second generation $1,799 notebook. All they did to address the issue was to remove the 'time remaining' battery life indicator from macOS.
 
Gudi said:
Last year it was reported, the reason was a failed battery test and they had to revert to an older design.

In the run-up to the MacBook Pro's planned debut this year, the new battery failed a key test, according to a person familiar with the situation. Rather than delay the launch and risk missing the crucial holiday shopping season, Apple decided to revert to an older design. ​

If this explanation was true and I don't doubt that, they've had plenty of time to fix it. Unless they think they have more important engineering tasks to solve than their second generation $1,799 notebook. All they did to address the issue was to remove the 'time remaining' battery life indicator from macOS.
Click to expand...
wrong, the Macbook has a shape design. Remember the reason Note 7 boom boom? same thing as you want, too much battery
[doublepost=1497339042][/doublepost]trust me, 2017 MBP with High Sierra, you have 10 hours battery life
 
keysofanxiety said:
You'll have a heart attack if you take apart almost any Windows laptop. :p
Click to expand...
I don't touch them with a stick and I won't pay a premium price for this trash.

shansoft said:
That's one of the major reason why Samsung phones are all turning into fireworks.
Click to expand...
There is a slight difference in the level of strength of aluminum between a phone and a laptop. All Unibody MacBooks are sturdy, nobody ever heard of a 'Bendgate'.

fokmik said:
Trust me, 2017 MBP with High Sierra, you have 10 hours battery life.
Click to expand...
That's not enough, my 2010 MBP had 10 hours battery life, 11 hours on 10.9 Mavericks. That's the bare minimum, but I want more. And I don't want to see space go wasted for nothing.
 
Last edited:
Gudi said:
If this explanation was true and I don't doubt that,
Click to expand...

The explanation was not true, as was discussed several times (not that any proof was needed, but the fact that 2017 has the same battery just proves it further). It was false news, simple. A supposed rumor of a rumor, people playing engineers and just another of the many myths. Terraced batteries were introduced in the MacBook so they could fit a tapered body, one that the new MBP doesn't have. Terraced battery would make no sense here, and the reason Apple went with a smaller battery is due to weight (the battery is the heaviest component inside a laptop). CPU optimizations have allowed them to reduce battery size (meaning: weight) without significantly sacrificing battery life. Just as they didn't fill all available space on the iPad Pro with battery, to reduce weight. The first chance they get to reduce it even further and keep this battery life, they will.
 
Last edited:
Gudi said:
I don't touch them with a stick and I won't pay a premium price for this trash.

There is a slight difference in the level of strength of aluminum between a phone and a laptop. All Unibody MacBooks are sturdy, nobody ever heard of a 'Bendgate'.

That's not enough, my 2010 MBP had 10 hours battery life, 11 hours on 10.9 Mavericks. That's the bare minimum, but I want more. And I don't want to see space go wasted for nothing.
Click to expand...
ahahahha nice try with that MBP from 2010 and 10 hours, maybe not doing anything with brightness at 25%. in this way i think i can get 14-15h from mine...or i can get around 20 hours from a macbook air 13"
 
Gudi said:
I don't touch them with a stick and I won't pay a premium price for this trash.
Click to expand...

Oh... wait, you're deadly serious? I thought your thread was tongue in cheek.

Honestly the space is extremely efficient, far from 'trash'. As another poster already mentioned, if the battery was right against the case then you risk puncturing it if you drop the laptop.
 
keysofanxiety said:
Honestly the space is extremely efficient,
Click to expand...
Agreed, from that image, I'm baffled at what could go in there. I'm not engineer, and I trust Apple has some pretty smart folks working for them. If they could have made something bigger to go in there they would. Sometimes its not what you put in it, that makes a difference. The samsung battery issue, where one report at them using a battery with no space to expand.
 
  • Like
Reactions: keysofanxiety
maflynn said:
them using a battery with no space to expand.
Click to expand...

Nonsense, all the other Apple products, even the latest, are stuffed of battery cells (MB, iPhones, iPads, and so on).
I do not see why they should start doing this only on the MBP...safety is not the reason.

The reason is just the asinine run for "thin and light" at the expense of performance (battery life in this instance).

maflynn said:
What would you put in this wasted space?
Click to expand...

More battery?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gudi
ugru said:
More battery?
Click to expand...
What specific tolerances can these batteries handle? Just saying bigger batteries ignores the fact that they need space to expand. I'll be the first to admit I'm ignorant of these details but if you have training in such matters please let me know. I think knee jerk reactions such as make it bigger don't help because a lot goes into the design of these machine.
 
  • Like
Reactions: macintoshmac
Estimated battery life remaining time can be found on energy pane in Activity Monitor. Not as convenient as clicking a menu icon, but it's still available if you want it.
 
maflynn said:
What specific tolerances can these batteries handle? Just saying bigger batteries ignores the fact that they need space to expand.
Click to expand...

No they do not, otherwise we will see empty space also on the MB, iPhone, iPad, 2015 MBP. Other Apple devices that use same battery tech do not have it. 2016/2017 MBP is the only one that has this empty space around the battery...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gudi
Batteries have a tendency to swell over their lifetime. It might look like 'wasted' space today, but 5 years from now it could be filled. The important thing is that it could if worst case occurs, not having nowhere to go in a worst case is far worse than having an extra few hundred milliamp in the battery capacity. There's also things like heat dissipation and diminishing returns. Just be thankful they prioritised safety, you might have that laptop for several years after all.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tazoawake2016
ugru said:
No they do not, otherwise we will see empty space also on the MB, iPhone, iPad, 2015 MBP. Other Apple devices that use same battery tech do not have it. 2016/2017 MBP is the only one that has this empty space around the battery...
Click to expand...
I trust Apple engineers in designing the laptop for tight tolerances more than seeing posts on the anonymous internet. To summarize, my opinion is that its not wasted, you disagree, fair enough. Both of us are entitled to our opinions.
 
ugru said:
No they do not, otherwise we will see empty space also on the MB, iPhone, iPad, 2015 MBP. Other Apple devices that use same battery tech do not have it. 2016/2017 MBP is the only one that has this empty space around the battery...
Click to expand...

They all have empty space, this is a factor related to capacity. So a larger battery requires/allows for more space.

Wasted or empty space isn't the right way to think of it, more of a designed void/safety requirement. Not all batteries need it, but over a certain size they require it exponentially. Batteries are also designed and built differently, some have less internal stacking and so have a built in void. Others are more efficiently packed and require an engineered void.

Either way, just know it isn't Apple's attempt to screw anyone over, and likely we will see larger batteries filling this space in the future as battery technology and manufacturing techniques develop and allow for it.

Of course the tin foil hat wearer could suggest that Apple had planned on using larger batteries (Which could result in an extra hour) but after the Samsung issue they decided to play it on the extra safe side.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back