MacBook Pro runs very slow when unplugged

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My 2011 MacBook Pro runs amazing when i have it plugged in. Very fast, no lagging and all apps run smoothly. when i unplug it from the power source it is terrible! everything lags. i cant even scroll in a web browser. any idea why this happens? and how i can fix it?
 

chscag

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It sounds like the machine is being throttled back because it can't "sense" that it's on battery. In other words, the machine thinks the battery is removed. It could also be other causes. Try resetting the System Management Controller first. See this Apple KB LINK. If that doesn't work, make an appointment with your local Apple store to have it looked at.
 
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well that didnt work. still runs terrible when unplugged from the power adapter. i guess ill make a trip to the apple store down the road. is there no way for me to manually change what the computer does when i unplug it?
 

I.M.O.G.

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I'm an OSX amateur, but in windows you can configure power options. One of the options are to set separate power profile for battery usage and plugged in usage. On battery, i5 processors use speedstep to scale back the processor power and conserve battery life by default. However in the power profile, you can set it to use more power when on battery.

Are there similar power profile options on a macbook pro?
 
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im familiar with what you are talking about but from what i can tell that same function does exist on a mac :\
 
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someone please let me know if it does, i believe that is something that could solve my problem...
 
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I cant see the settings for my MacBook Pro, but I think IMOG is correct, on the notebooks, you can throttle performance to help prolong battery life. I can only see my MacMini settings (the MBP is off at home, I am at work, remoted into the Mini).

You will need to bring up your System Preferences and go to Energy Saver.
 
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I cant see the settings for my MacBook Pro, but I think IMOG is correct, on the notebooks, you can throttle performance to help prolong battery life. I can only see my MacMini settings (the MBP is off at home, I am at work, remoted into the Mini).

You will need to bring up your System Preferences and go to Energy Saver.

that just has to do with the display going to sleep. i cant control the actual performance of the machine based on the power being plugged in or not
 
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is it possible to keep my mac from slowing way down when i unplug it? i cant seem to find anything on here to control that. i know on a PC you can pretty easily tell it to go fast or go slow whether plugged in or not. idk what the problem is exactly and it may not be fixable by changing something like that but i was just wondering if that is doable. thanks
 

chscag

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(As you've been advised, take it to your local Apple store and have them check it out.)

No such settings exist for the MacBook Pro. And please do not cross post. I've merged your posts together here.
 

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He was polite, didn't say it was terrible. It just creates more work for moderators, and it is confusing for other members because the same conversation is taking place in two different places - so they don't know whats already been recommended or attempted in the other thread. It is more polite to everyone to hold the discussion in one place. No biggy, just out to get you the right answer. :)
 
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Not offering a solution, but thinking out loud. Slow scrolling in web browser, could there be a graphics issue either driver or hardware with the integrated graphics card that it could be defaulting to in battery mode, i guess the test for this is using the discrete card in battery mode?

Also do you have some sort of battery/energy optimisation utility that kicks in when it detects the system goes on battery power that is hogging the CPU?
 
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just wanna say sorry for bein a d-bag. thanks for the help and advise. frustration had set in.
 
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Fixed this.

I had this problem with an early 2011 macbook pro. The problem started occuring after about one year of ownership. The problem did not happen in safe mode, but it did occur with the main user account and a newly created login.

The easiest way to check for the problem was to turn on the activity monitor. Plugged in, 99% of the CPU was available. As soon as I unplugged the CPU availability dropped to <10%.

Apple tech thought that the problem was software related, but I ran the Apple Hardware Test (the quick and extended version) and it threw a sensor failure code:

4SNS/1/40000001:VP0R-0.000

At the apple store diagnostics found the same sensor failure. They replaced the logic board. Problem is fixed.
 

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