09-05-2009, 05:21 PM

Hello,
My battery for my macbook pro core duo says my current battery capacity is 874 mAh .. 15%. It also says my battery isn't charging. As well it says Service Battery under the charger area. Now previously I was not able to use my macbook pro battery for more than 30 minutes or less. Now should i just buy a new battery, if so where can i get a core duo battery from "cheaply". Or should I at this point, go into apple and have them check it out since it says service battery?

Thanks,
Kamron

09-05-2009, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by Qua Sar

Hello,
My battery for my macbook pro core duo says my current battery capacity is 874 mAh .. 15%. It also says my battery isn't charging. As well it says Service Battery under the charger area. Now previously I was not able to use my macbook pro battery for more than 30 minutes or less. Now should i just buy a new battery, if so where can i get a core duo battery from "cheaply". Or should I at this point, go into apple and have them check it out since it says service battery?

Thanks,
Kamron

Where should you get a new battery cheaply? It would probably help us to know where you are located...and how comfortable you are with ordering a battery via the internet vs. purchasing face to face in a store.

Depending on what country you are from...it may not make sense to order from a store in the UK, Australia, or the United States...due to import taxes, shipping costs, or VAT fees.

- Nick

09-05-2009, 05:44 PM

Apologies i'm in PA, united states near harrisburg and lancaster . But when i said order online, i mainly meant online, becuase generally things like this seem (i could be mistaken) to be cheaper online.

As well, I may get a new macbook within a year, so would it be even worth it (in your opinion) to even get a new battery? Is there any lasting effects a shoddy battery, besides always needing to be plugged in would do?

09-05-2009, 06:18 PM

Originally Posted by Qua Sar

Apologies i'm in PA, united states near harrisburg and lancaster . But when i said order online, i mainly meant online, becuase generally things like this seem (i could be mistaken) to be cheaper online.

As well, I may get a new macbook within a year, so would it be even worth it (in your opinion) to even get a new battery? Is there any lasting effects a shoddy battery, besides always needing to be plugged in would do?

Thanks for the location information.

In your 2nd post you said:

"But when i said order online, i mainly meant online,"

You never said anything (in your 1st post) about ordering online...so how can anyone know that is your preference?

In any case...if it's still going to be a year (12 months) before you will be purchasing a new MacBook...depending on how often you need to run off of the battery...sure it would be worth it to buy a new battery. But if you don't use your laptop unplugged very often...then don't get a new battery.

There shouldn't be any "lasting effects" using a battery that's almost gone.

Regarding battery prices...well again...you haven't given enough information. We have no idea what model MacBook Pro you have...so it's hard to help you find a price on a specific replacement battery.

But Apple mostly charges $129 dollars for a new replacement battery...so any price lower than that would be a savings.

Hope this helps,

- Nick

09-05-2009, 06:27 PM

Sorry i meant when i said ordering, I meant ordering online. I am very tired. I have a macbook pro core duo x1600 graphics card. Not sure if that is all the information you would need. I am just confused where to get in online... i see batteries but they are for the newer macbook/macbook pros

09-05-2009, 06:32 PM

What is the processor speed of your MacBook Pro & what size screen do you have?

Also...you probably shouldn't post the serial number of your laptop on the internet. If I was you, I would go back & remove that from your post.

- Nick

09-05-2009, 06:46 PM

My Processor Speed is 2ghz and my screen size is a 15inch i belive, although i can't remember where to find out that information specifically.

09-05-2009, 08:02 PM

Here are a couple places for batteries:

MA348GA MacBook Pro 15.4" Battery

Apple MacBook Pro 15 inch battery|Apple MacBook Pro 15 inch laptop battery

The first place is out of stock...the 2nd place has them. Both places charge $80-$85 dollars...which is much less than the $129 Apple price.

You should also double check that these are the correct battery for your computer...just in case there is some confusion regarding your laptop's specifications.

I have never purchased a battery from these places...so I cannot say if they are good or not.

By the way...I found these places using "Google"...so I'm sure you can do the same if you want to search further.

Hope this helps,

- Nick

09-05-2009, 08:26 PM

You can find genuine Apple batteries from resellers on Ebay for about half the price. But make sure they're trusted resellers, I wouldn't mess around with batteries of dubious origin. Otherwise, Amazon might save you some money too.

09-06-2009, 11:38 AM

By trusted do you mean a good rep, just making sure, that is what you mean.

becuase i think i'm going to get a battery from here (Original 15-inch Battery Apple MacBook Pro 15.4" A1175 - eBay (item 120447518008 end time Sep-10-09 22:25:07 PDT))

09-06-2009, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by Qua Sar

By trusted do you mean a good rep, just making sure, that is what you mean.

becuase i think i'm going to get a battery from here (Original 15-inch Battery Apple MacBook Pro 15.4" A1175 - eBay (item 120447518008 end time Sep-10-09 22:25:07 PDT))

Yes, if they have a good rep and especially if they are shops and give you some warranty it´s ok. I got my new charger off Ebay and it works fine (too bad my macbook doesn´t!).

09-06-2009, 02:11 PM

How many charge cycles do you have on the battery?

If you can get to an Apple store, go there and have them running a diagnostic. I am on my third battery since the first two was deemed faulty after the test and were replaced free of charge, out of the normal warranty period.

09-06-2009, 02:37 PM

I have a current battery capacity 846mAh. Uhm battery-loadcycles is 163. Is that what you were looking for? And coconutBattery says my mac is 44 months old. So i figure it's not a defective battery, but just needing a replacement battery. Maybe i will call apple and see what they say, but i doubt i'd get any luck.

09-06-2009, 03:53 PM

Originally Posted by rogerinlondon

How many charge cycles do you have on the battery?

If you can get to an Apple store, go there and have them running a diagnostic. I am on my third battery since the first two was deemed faulty after the test and were replaced free of charge, out of the normal warranty period.

Really?? Where did you take it to? I see you're from London. I live in Oxford and when I asked about my battery having only 145 load cycles and being pretty much dead, the guy at the local Apple Service store just dismissed me saying it's normal for old batteries to deteriorate really quickly even if you don't use them much. (This is the same guy who told me Macbooks can't turn on without the battery, btw ). I might take it down to London for them to have a look.

Qua Sar, as far as I'm aware, it's not normal for a battery to lose its capacity so quickly. I remember reading that Apple guarantees for its batteries up to 300 load cycles.

09-06-2009, 03:57 PM

Originally Posted by kalen

Qua Sar, as far as I'm aware, it's not normal for a battery to lose its capacity so quickly. I remember reading that Apple guarantees for its batteries up to 300 load cycles.

Please be careful how you use the word "guarantee"...this can imply that if a battery goes bad before 300 cycles...that the problem will be rectified in some way.

The Apple warranty does not cover laptop batteries (unless they are defective in some way)...because they are considered "consumables". So unfortunately...there is no "guarantee" when it comes to batteries.

- Nick