I guess I'll learn how to search for such things better. I don't spend a lot of time on the forum. Thanx for the reply,
I'll order one
The OWC battery (NUPower)…in the best of my knowledge…is the best compromise between price & quality (relative to Apple's battery's).
Regarding the $20-$30 batteries. Some folks have reported favorable results…and some have reported negative results. And sometimes depending on:
- how "hard to please" these folks are
- what their expectations are (get a $20 battery that's just as good as an Apple battery)…which is unreasonable.
- how well they describe their experience
…it's hard to know exactly how dependable their conclusions are with a review of a $20-$30 battery.
Mostly (folks getting a $20-$30 replacement battery) have a 5-8 year old Apple laptop…that has an old original battery that may only be getting 15-30 minutes of runtime.
These folks (that have positive things to say about the $20-$30 battery)…basically say that even if the inexpensive battery does not give the same original runtime as a brand new Apple battery (4-5 hours)…getting 2.0-2.5 hours of runtime is still a lot better than 15-30 minutes. And spending $20-$30 dollars for a replacement battery on an old laptop computer worth $200-$250 bucks is MUCH better than spending $130+ on an Apple battery (for a laptop worth $200-$250).
My biggest concern with $20-$30 dollar batteries is safety. To make a $20-$30 dollar laptop battery (versus around $100 for the NuPower battery, or $130+ for the Apple battery)…some corners have got to be shaved. Not just using lower quality battery material…but also build quality. No one wants a cheap replacement battery to:
- leak (and possibly damage the computer)
- bulge & possibly damage the computer
- burst & possibly damage the computer
- start a fire…and burn down the house!!!
These things can & have happened with Apple batteries. But it is very rare. Probably much more common with very inexpensive $20-$30 batteries using cheap battery material & cheap battery enclosure parts.
- Nick