I bought a macbook 13″ unibody in November last year and its battery count now stands at 197 full counts. Is that normal or abnormally high? Because I’m not sure, but it seems like the battery seems to be finishing sooner…I could be wrong because the system profiler says the condition of the battery is normal.
— Dhruv
Too high? No, I wouldn't say so. I always recommend that you just USE your battery and MacBook. Don't worry about the battery. Let it take care of itself. If you need to replace it in the future, then just replace it. I don't like the idea of coddling your MacBook and not using it to its fullest just because of concern for the battery, you know?
In the old MacBooks I used to get another battery every year. But now I have a new one with the battery that isn't supposed to ever need replacing. It will eb interesting to see how that turns out. But I don't plan on using my MacBook any differently.
I think its fine, ive had mine for a little bit than a year and my cycle count is at 538 and the health is at 92%, so I wouldn't worry too much about it.
The battery drains depending on what programs you use, if I use Final Cut Pro, my battery will drain in about 1 hour, if im just browsing and IM, it will last longer.
Hope that helps.
Yes, thanks so much guys.
What do you mean about the battery that never needs replacing? Also, is there a utility program that will give you a report of the battery status and condition?
I mean that the battery is locked inside the body -- it is not swappable. As long as you are not trying to keep your MacBook for a very long time (more than a few years) you shouldn't need to replace it. Otherwise, you need to get a shop to replace it (unless you are handy with hardware).
As for monitoring your battery, see episode 206.
hi gary, i left a message on one of your youtube videos about battery life...i'm an architecture student, i use this program called revit architecture that only runs on windows, being that i always have the battery at "high performance" i decide to just leave the power cord plugged in because the battery life is pretty bad. i run windows via bootcamp, i was wondering if leaving the power connected, would it reduce my battery life on the macbook pro??? thanks for your time.....
So the power cord is plugged in? Then, no, you wouldn't be using the battery then, so it wouldn't affect the battery life of your MacBook.
I'm an Apple Certified Consultant, as well as a previous Apple Store employee. Whether your battery is made to remove or not, when possible keep your computer plugged into the wall outlet. This will automatically switch battery power to off/charge mode and allow your computer to power only from the cord. When at home or nearby an outlet, stay mindful and plug up. It'll really add up over time and will add many more hours to your Mac's battery.
I may have been misinformed, but I heard that if you leave it plugged in after the battery has charged that it will decrease how long the battery retains it's charge as well as the overall life of your battery. Is there any truth to that?
No. Maybe for some old laptops from the 1990s that was true. But it is certainly not true of today's technology.