Question about battery life

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Kryshu


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I have been told by a friend that I must always run my MacBook from the battery first and plug the electrical cord into an outlet only when the battery runs out and then only as long as it takes to recharge the battery. I was told I am never to run the laptop by plugging the electrical cord into an outlet hoping to save the battery, that instead this eventually kills the battery.

Is this true?

Before this I have owned only a PC laptop and I always used the cord except wherever an outlet wasn't available. The battery was then saved strictly for when it was needed. I thought using a battery too often is what kills it eventually, not avoiding using it.
 
mikey.b@gmx.com

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Here's what Apple say about it - Link
 
deathcloud

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Some people get like 7 or 9 hrs of their battery. On my MBP I only get like 5 hrs of battery life. Is there a way that I can get more? I just recently did a calibration aka let my battery run out all the way. Which I thought I would get more battery but it still hovers around 5 hrs... Is that normal for a 13'' MBP? I have brightness in middle, and default energy saver settings.
 
pigoo3

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deathcloud said:
Some people get like 7 or 9 hrs of their battery. On my MBP I only get like 5 hrs of battery life. Is there a way that I can get more?
Click to expand...

This depends on what model MBP you have. The older "replaceable" batteries got around 5 hours at best...the newer "non-replaceable" batteries get longer run times.

Which do you have?

- Nick
 
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I have the new model. Just purchased it probably about a month ago. Thats why i was suprised. It is the internal one. So I thought I would get like 7 hrs. But oh well maybe I just need to keep draining it (only to 40 percent) Then I charge it.Just do that a couple more times. Get the electrons flowing or whatever hahaha
 
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deathcloud said:
I have the new model. Just purchased it probably about a month ago. Thats why i was suprised. It is the internal one. So I thought I would get like 7 hrs. But oh well maybe I just need to keep draining it (only to 40 percent) Then I charge it.Just do that a couple more times. Get the electrons flowing or whatever hahaha
Click to expand...

Two things to remember:

1. What you are doing on the laptop makes a BIG difference as far as battery life on a single charge.

2. When companies (including Apple) communicate battery runtimes on a single charge...they're usually doing their battery tests under optimal conditions...to make the numbers look as good as possible.

Try watching some DVD movies on your laptop while on the battery! Just be sure to be near a chair, so that when you faint after seeing the value you don't hurt yourself!!!;D

- Nick
 
deathcloud

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pigoo3 said:
Two things to remember:

1. What you are doing on the laptop makes a BIG difference as far as battery life on a single charge.

2. When companies (including Apple) communicate battery runtimes on a single charge...they're usually doing their battery tests under optimal conditions...to make the numbers look as good as possible.

Try watching some DVD movies on your laptop while on the battery! Just be sure to be near a chair, so that when you faint after seeing the value you don't hurt yourself!!!;D

- Nick
Click to expand...

ROFL ok thanks. I am not complaining because I never sit on my couch for 5 hrs anyways. Just was making sure I don't have a faulty battery. It is fine though. I won't leave it plugged in anymore though like apple says not to do. Which I have been doing.
 
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Battery Life

deathcloud said:
I have the new model. Just purchased it probably about a month ago. Thats why i was suprised. It is the internal one. So I thought I would get like 7 hrs. But oh well maybe I just need to keep draining it (only to 40 percent) Then I charge it.Just do that a couple more times. Get the electrons flowing or whatever hahaha
Click to expand...

hi
i got a brand new MBP 13" which when fully charged shows 7 + hrs of battery life. this changes to 4 hrs within an hour of doing normal document work! if checked in % it shows 75%! i am totally foxed why this occurs. Anyone can throw some light on this?
Chintu
 
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chintu said:
hi
i got a brand new MBP 13" which when fully charged shows 7 + hrs of battery life. this changes to 4 hrs within an hour of doing normal document work! if checked in % it shows 75%! i am totally foxed why this occurs. Anyone can throw some light on this?
Chintu
Click to expand...

It depends on what your doing with your laptop.

You will only get 7 hours under optimal conditions...otherwise it will be less.
 
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chintu said:
hi
i got a brand new MBP 13" which when fully charged shows 7 + hrs of battery life. this changes to 4 hrs within an hour of doing normal document work! if checked in % it shows 75%! i am totally foxed why this occurs. Anyone can throw some light on this?
Chintu
Click to expand...

That is a bit strange though, if you ONLY doing document work as you say. When i say only i mean not listening to music of anything else at all.
 
pigoo3

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[email protected] said:
That is a bit strange though, if you ONLY doing document work as you say. When i say only i mean not listening to music of anything else at all.
Click to expand...

If "just" doing document work...if airport is on, bluetooth is on, screen brightness is high, keyboard illumination is on...lots of things can decrease runtime while on the battery.

Battery life is always such a big issues with folks. Apple says 7 hours...and then everyone gets all bent out of shape when they don't get 7 hours...without realizing that 7 hours was obtained under ideal conditions.

Basically what 7 hours means is the absolute best you can expect...and it all goes down hill from there. So under everyday "realistic" average user conditions...there is no way anyone should expect 7 hours.

As has been said a "zillion" times...battery life depends on what your doing!

- Nick
 
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pigoo3 said:
If "just" doing document work...if airport is on, bluetooth is on, screen brightness is high, keyboard illumination is on...lots of things can decrease runtime while on the battery.

Battery life is always such a big issues with folks. Apple says 7 hours...and then everyone gets all bent out of shape when they don't get 7 hours...without realizing that 7 hours was obtained under ideal conditions.

Basically what 7 hours means is the absolute best you can expect...and it all goes down hill from there. So under everyday "realistic" average user conditions...there is no way anyone should expect 7 hours.

As has been said a "zillion" times...battery life depends on what your doing!

- Nick
Click to expand...

the battery life figures i got were without blue tooth on, dimmed backlight and no other application other than Mac Word being used! while the % shows in the region 75-80% the hours shown is 4hrs! i guess i will have to live with a 5 hr max battery life.
 

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