03-08-2009, 06:56 PM

When the 17" MBP came out, it got me thinking.
Why can't the 15" MBP accommodate the same battery found in the 17" MBP?
I did some research and found out that MCE offers a 2nd hard drive for the 15" by removing the superdrive.
I believe the dimensions of the 17" 8HR battery can be fitted into the 15" by moving the hard drive to where the superdrive is located and removing the superdrive completely w/ slight modifications.

Can someone please measure the 17" battery for me? We know it is removable from ifixit.com. Just need to make sure the dimensions can fit when the hard drive is removed.

Please comment.

03-08-2009, 07:23 PM

Someone with a 17" please measure the battery.
Need WxDxL.

Thanks!

03-08-2009, 10:03 PM

So you're going to go to the effort of moving things around in your 15" MBP in the hopes of sticking in one of the 17" MBP batteries, potentially causing problems and voiding your warranty........when you can just buy a second battery for your 15" MBP and not have to worry about anything?

Sounds like Rube Goldberg would be proud.

03-08-2009, 10:33 PM

My opinion is that the 17" battery is too large to fit to the 15" unibody. I might be wrong. But Khris right, why don't you just buy an external battery from Apple, save you money and it's not gonna void the AppleCare.

03-08-2009, 10:53 PM

I thought about getting a second battery instead of going through the trouble of trying to fit the 8 hr battery into the 15" notebook.

The problem here is that, it's extra crap to carry around.
The 8 hr battery would get me around without carrying extra battery and also the charger.

Applecare? Not everyone has applecare correct? And if you upgrade memory yourself, doesn't that technically void your warranty as well?

One problem I see here with trying to fit the 8 hr battery is, I don't think you can buy the battery. I think Apple requires you to give them your old battery for a new one. Not sure though.

We'll see if there will be any aftermarket batteries being developed.

03-08-2009, 11:13 PM

The enclosure is CNC machined specifically to fit the parts designed to go into the 15" MacBook Pro. Not only would you need to electrically hack it into the case, but you'd likely have to do some metal work, all for a very dubious benefit.

Apple doesn't void the warranty for doing upgrades. There was some conjecture about this revolving around the last generation models, but it doesn't apply to the Unibody versions since the only components that are even possible to upgrade (the hard drive and memory) are easily accessed on that model.

I don't mean to steal your thunder, but we often see a lot of these posts where people are trying to bash a square peg into a round hole, but haven't thought it through beyond the superficialities of the project.

03-09-2009, 02:33 PM

I hear ya.
That is what this post is for. Comments, suggestions, and tips.

Waiting for my 17" to come in the mail.
Will take it apart soon. Working with a company that is interested in the idea of making a battery to custom fit the entire length of the 15" macbook pro. Extra space can be gained for the battery by moving the hard drive to where the super drive is located. This appears to be a more profitable move they say.

Interested in seeing how this is going to develop.