When Can AppleCare Replace a MacBook's Battery?

[MacRumors]

MacRumors forum member MBP* posted this question about his 2014 MacBook Pro's battery under Mac Basics and Help:

"I have a 2014 13" Retina MacBook Pro which I used extensively on a daily basis. I purchased AppleCare for the sole reason of protection against battery depletion over the coming years.

It's hard for me to tell whether my battery has lost capacity, but I'm sure it has against the original figures when I first got the machine.

My question is, when will AppleCare be willing to replace the battery due to loss of capacity? Is there a percentage? How can I test it?"

The MacBook Pro's battery has almost certainly lost some battery capacity if it has been charged and depleted regularly over the past two years. A quick way to check is by clicking on the Apple logo in the top-left menu bar and choosing About This Mac. Click on System Report… and select Power from the left-hand menu.Click here to read more...

Article Link: When Can AppleCare Replace a MacBook's Battery?

 

[mfvisuals]

While all this is true, don't forget that batteries don't last forever regardless. So they will eventually need to be replaced.

 

[nutmac]

I use my early 2013 15-inch MacBook Pro very extensively (at least several hours a day on weekdays on battery power). I am a developer so this machine is really pushed.

But it is still holding strong at 8018 mAh full charge capacity out of 8460 mAh max (95%). My 3-year AppleCare expires this September, so I doubt I will get to replace it. On the other hand, this is really impressive feat.

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

Where's my credit?

 

[pat500000]

I use my early 2013 15-inch MacBook Pro very extensively (at least several hours a day on weekdays on battery power). I am a developer so this machine is really pushed.

But it is still holding strong at 8018 mAh full charge capacity out of 8460 mAh max (95%). My 3-year AppleCare expires this September, so I doubt I will get to replace it. On the other hand, this is really impressive feat.

once AC is done, i guess next best move would be to upgrade another model?

 

[Jimmy Bubbles]

I use my early 2013 15-inch MacBook Pro very extensively (at least several hours a day on weekdays on battery power). I am a developer so this machine is really pushed.

But it is still holding strong at 8018 mAh full charge capacity out of 8460 mAh max (95%). My 3-year AppleCare expires this September, so I doubt I will get to replace it. On the other hand, this is really impressive feat.

Out of curiosity, how many charging cycles does your Mac show it has been through?

 

[HiFiGuy528]

my late 2013 has over 1200 count. Still works fine...

 

[aristobrat]

This is the only metric I've seen Apple post:

Your battery is designed to retain up to 80% of its original capacity at 1000 complete charge cycles. The one-year warranty includes replacement coverage for a defective battery.

http://www.apple.com/batteries/service-and-recycling/

This is what the AppleCare Terms and Conditions says:

3. What is Covered?

3.1 Hardware Service

If during the Coverage Period, you submit a valid claim by notifying Apple that (i) a defect in materials and workmanship has arisen in the Covered Equipment, or (ii) the capacity of a covered battery to hold an electrical charge is less than eighty percent (80%) of its original specifications, Apple will either (a) repair the defect at no charge, using new or refurbished parts that are equivalent to new in performance and reliability, or (b) exchange the Covered Equipment with a replacement product that is new or equivalent to new in performance and reliability, and is at least functionally equivalent to the original product. If Apple exchanges the Covered Equipment, the original product becomes Apple’s property and the replacement product is your property with coverage for the remaining period of the Plan.

http://www.apple.com/legal/sales-support/applecare/appmacnaen.html

 

[shareef777]

This is the only metric I've seen Apple post:


http://www.apple.com/batteries/service-and-recycling/

This is what the AppleCare Terms and Conditions says:

http://www.apple.com/legal/sales-support/applecare/appmacnaen.html

Except Apple employees don't always follow those guidelines. I was at 78% at about 700 cycles just before AC was going to expire and they wouldn't replace it (stating that I used my battery 'excessively').

 

[goobot]

Except Apple employees don't always follow those guidelines. I was at 78% at about 700 cycles just before AC was going to expire and they wouldn't replace it (stating that I used my battery 'excessively').

So the apple care was worthless because doing anything that might result in using it ultimately negates it? Did you try another Apple Store or different employees on another day?

 

[eas]

My Mid-2012 Retina MacBook Pro, which I bought new shortly after it was released, is down to ~70% of capacity after 850 cycles and reached 80% at about 500 cycles, when it was about 2.4 years old.

I never tried getting them to replace it, though I now wish I had.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

While all this is true, don't forget that batteries don't last forever regardless. So they will eventually need to be replaced.

Yeah, but which will occur first:
- Your battery no longer lasts you long enough.
- Technology has gotten better enough that you want to buy a new product.

I'm not sure about laptops, but I worked out how long batteries last in Teslas and concluded that worrying about the battery eventually needing to be replaced makes less sense than worrying about needing to replace the engine in a brand new gasoline based car. The car will work with the original battery for 20-40 years for the average person - it makes no sense to worry about that.

Granted, an EV's battery costs magnitudes more than a computer's battery does. Whereas with an EV, the bulk of the price is battery, with the computer, the battery is just one small price compared to things like the screen, RAM, CPU, and GPU.

 

[Justim]

More on battery cycles and the estimated cycle count per model:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201585

 

[mcfrazieriv]

Perhaps I should request Bounty come and replace my warn paper towels after I have scrubbed my countertops.

 

[shareef777]

So the apple care was worthless because doing anything that might result in using it ultimately negates it? Did you try another Apple Store or different employees on another day?

Called Apple Support and got the same spiel. The gist of it is that batteries are a consumable component of a laptop (really, the only constable component of almost all electronics). It's the equivalent of brake pads on a new vehicle. Unless there's a manufacturers defect with them, warranty (standard or extended) won't cover it.

 

[JeffreyNewland]

I've replaced my Macbook Pro battery by using a 3rd party found on Amazon. I was hesitant to spend $200 at Apple after seeing prices on Amazon. The battery works well but the charge time doesn't seem to last much longer than before ~2-3 hours when away from a charger. Has anyone gone through Apple for a battery replacement?

 

[pat500000]

So the apple care was worthless because doing anything that might result in using it ultimately negates it? Did you try another Apple Store or different employees on another day?

Well..to be fair, I don't think it's right for a customer to drive to another place or talk to another genius person. It would be better to talk higher level staff. If they don't respect the policy...there goes the violation..and can be sued for false advertisement/ false-leading type.

 

[steiney]

MacBook batteries are designed to retain up to 80-percent of their original capacity at 1000 complete charge cycles, similar to the iPad and Apple Watch.

Article Link: When Can AppleCare Replace a MacBook's Battery?

Just want to point out, I think the author meant to write "at least 80 percent" versus "up to 80 percent". Apple designed the batteries so 80 percent is the lower acceptable limit for a battery at 1000 cycles.

 

[zzLZHzz]

I use my early 2013 15-inch MacBook Pro very extensively (at least several hours a day on weekdays on battery power). I am a developer so this machine is really pushed.

But it is still holding strong at 8018 mAh full charge capacity out of 8460 mAh max (95%). My 3-year AppleCare expires this September, so I doubt I will get to replace it. On the other hand, this is really impressive feat.

same for my early 2015 13" rMBP, I used it on battery for around 6-8hrs daily except for weekends and it is now at 5971 mAh, I think when i first got the rMBP, it was around 6705 mAh? somehow the rate of decrease is quite huge however I hasn't feel any significant decrease in battery life. the cycle count is now 174.

let check again when I am at the 2 years mark.

I had a battery replacement for my 2010 MBP 13" right before applecare expired because the System Report indicated Service Battery and Apple replaced it without a question.

 

[tons]

MacRumors forum member MBP* posted this question about his 2014 MacBook Pro's battery under Mac Basics and Help:The MacBook Pro's battery has almost certainly lost some battery capacity if it has been charged and depleted regularly over the past two years. A quick way to check is by clicking on the Apple logo in the top-left menu bar and choosing About This Mac. Click on System Report... and select Power from the left-hand menu.

Click here to read more...

Article Link: When Can AppleCare Replace a MacBook's Battery?

This is freaky, just because I had my 2012 MBP battery changed... and before I went to the apple store, and the battery was at like 80.2, and they said it had to be at 79.9 or lower in order for them to change it. fast forward a month, and I got a new battery. Now why couldnt they just change it, since it was clear that it was ready to die. And I still had apple care that will last me another year? Beats me, but a pain that I had to drive back and forth.

 

[pat500000]

This is freaky, just because I had my 2012 MBP battery changed... and before I went to the apple store, and the battery was at like 80.2, and they said it had to be at 79.9 or lower in order for them to change it. fast forward a month, and I got a new battery. Now why couldnt they just change it, since it was clear that it was ready to die. And I still had apple care that will last me another year? Beats me, but a pain that I had to drive back and forth.

They should exchange it for you otherwise AC is useless.

 

[austintg]

They replaced mine recently, I said it was holding less than I thought it should, showed them my notebook, 4 days later I got it back with new batteries.

 

[PhantasticOne]

They replaced mine recently, I said it was holding less than I thought it should, showed them my notebook, 4 days later I got it back with new batteries.

I just don't understand the MAC appeal. I just replaced the battery on my 3 year-old Dell laptop that is still serving me well. It cost me just under $35.00 including shipping and I snapped it in myself in about 30 seconds.

 

[sudo1996]

I just don't understand the MAC appeal. I just replaced the battery on my 3 year-old Dell laptop that is still serving me well. It cost me just under $35.00 including shipping and I snapped it in myself in about 30 seconds.

Did you get a fake Chinese one? You can get fake Chinese Mac batteries too, but that's playing with fire (literally).
[doublepost=1462252808][/doublepost]Problem is my rMBP battery is reporting a good capacity but is not behaving properly. It dies when it reaches around 40%.

 

[allanfries]

Never bothered replacing any battery, as I usually sell my old MBp and buy a new one every 4-5 years.