It’s completely going wrong for a new device.

louiserose646 · Dec 30, 2016

G’day! How are you doing? It’s a pleasure to be part of this community. I’m a newbie to Macs. Bought my MacBook Pro 15-inch (2015) with integrated GPU (only Iris Pro) model very recently. It’s a great machine. But the only thing that disappoints me completely is the battery life. Like many reviewers & tests have reported I’m also not getting the Apple claimed battery life of 9 hours Screen-On time which as mentioned by them is under the conditions below,

Testing conducted by Apple in April 2015 using preproduction 2.2GHz quad-core Intel Core i7–based 15-inch MacBook Pro systems with 256GB of flash storage and 16GB of RAM. The wireless web test measures battery life by wirelessly browsing 25 popular websites with display brightness set to 12 clicks from bottom or 75%. The HD movie playback test measures battery life by playing back HD 1080p content with display brightness set to 12 clicks from bottom or 75%.

But in my case it’s even more worse based on these tests,

Safari Test :
Brightness 35%,
Background apps restricted,
with 7-11 open tabs on average in which most of them were just idling throughout the full discharge session.
Screen-On time I got approx. 7 hour 30 mins
Note: Fair enough which is what the estimate by MacOS(10.12.1) also showed on a full charge.

iTunes video playback test :
Brightness 35%,
Background apps restricted,
Sound 20%
Screen-On time I got approx. 7 hours 23 mins

*Date of manufacture of the Battery was on Dec 2016
*FileVault not enabled, WiFi Signal Strong, Bluetooth Off, OS in Stock configuration (No apps installed)

So considering the brightness was too low compared to Apple’s conditions. Can anybody say whether it’s normal or is there anything wrong with my battery unit when Apple promises 9 hours? I’m supposed to get more Screen-On time for testing it in much more low brightness, Am I right?

harryb2448 · Dec 30, 2016

G'day and welcome to the forums.

Question 1. Is this a genuine Apple replacement part or an knockoff? And try closing some of thos tabs and see if it makes a difference.

Rod · Dec 30, 2016

Get yourself this great free (donationware) app called Coconut Battery here; https://www.coconut-flavour.com/coconutbattery/ it will tell you a lot of useful info about your battery condition, manufacturer, cycles etc etc.
Just for an example I am writing this in a 13" 2015 MBPr with a battery that is rated at 99.6%. Last night I used it to stream live cricket coverage from Aussie Expat TV full screen via WiFi on my home network. At the same time I was converting 8 episodes of a TV series from .mkv to .avi format. I got 2hs and 15 min from fully charged before the low battery warning at 10%.
Reviews for this model state 10-12 hrs web surfing.
Using it on my desk for almost continuous web surfing (at least the browser was on) and document creation with 2-3 other apps running I have gotten 10hrs before realising it was not plugged in to AC power.
So lots of variables in the field whereas manufacturers stats are based on ideal lab conditions so......

Randy B. Singer · Dec 31, 2016

louiserose646 said:
...Bought my MacBook Pro 15-inch (2015) with integrated GPU (only Iris Pro) model very recently. It’s a great machine. But the only thing that disappoints me completely is the battery life. Like many reviewers & tests have reported I’m also not getting the Apple claimed battery life of 9 hours Screen-On time...

I've been exploring this with a number of users, and I think that we are on to something. There are two things that I've had a few users try that have drastically improved runtimes for them.

Though recent Mac laptops don't use batteries that suffer from a memory effect, the power saving circuitry that governs their laptops' lithium batteries may strongly benefit from a "reference charge." (A full discharge followed by a full recharge.) Apple, up until very recently, used to recommend that their laptops with lithium batteries be given a reference charge occasionally, but they stopped doing so. Why don't you try giving your laptop a reference charge, and report back as to how that effects battery charge life?

- Fully charge your MBP
- Run it until the battery is so depleted that it shuts down.
- Fully charge it again

One user reported that he was only getting a runtime of 3 hours, but after doing a reference charge his MBP got an astounding 15 hours of runtime!

Also, it may be that your MBP is often busy making a local backup to the built-in SSD. That would drastically decrease battery life temporarily.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204015
Try turning Time Machine completely off (except when you are at home and connected to an external hard drive for the purpose of performing a backup) to prevent your MBP from making local backups, and see if that increases battery life.

louiserose646 · Dec 31, 2016

harryb2448 said:
G'day and welcome to the forums.

Question 1. Is this a genuine Apple replacement part or an knockoff? And try closing some of thos tabs and see if it makes a difference.

"Tabs"? sorry I did't get that. It's 2015 new model indeed. Custom configured and was manufactured upon order. I just got it 2 days ago.

louiserose646 · Dec 31, 2016

Rod Sprague said:
Get yourself this great free (donationware) app called Coconut Battery here; https://www.coconut-flavour.com/coconutbattery/ it will tell you a lot of useful info about your battery condition, manufacturer, cycles etc etc.
Just for an example I am writing this in a 13" 2015 MBPr with a battery that is rated at 99.6%. Last night I used it to stream live cricket coverage from Aussie Expat TV full screen via WiFi on my home network. At the same time I was converting 8 episodes of a TV series from .mkv to .avi format. I got 2hs and 15 min from fully charged before the low battery warning at 10%.
Reviews for this model state 10-12 hrs web surfing.
Using it on my desk for almost continuous web surfing (at least the browser was on) and document creation with 2-3 other apps running I have gotten 10hrs before realising it was not plugged in to AC power.
So lots of variables in the field whereas manufacturers stats are based on ideal lab conditions so......

Thanks for the reply my friend. I would like to add something more. Prior to this one I was using a 13 inch rMBP 2015 which was bought at the time it was announced and I still have it tho, so after unboxing this new one I could right away feel the keyboard is off less feedback and display hinge was loose too like some others have reported. For a moment I thought whether I bought a refurb model. BTW Is there a way to find out the that this is refurnish model or not? The CoconutBattery app used for finding out the manufacture date of the battery tells that this laptop is manufacture in Dec 2016 only. Confused!?

Rod Sprague said:
Just for an example I am writing this in a 13" 2015 MBPr with a battery that is rated at 99.6%. Last night I used it to stream live cricket coverage from Aussie Expat TV full screen via WiFi on my home network. At the same time I was converting 8 episodes of a TV series from .mkv to .avi format. I got 2hs and 15 min from fully charged before the low battery warning at 10%.
Reviews for this model state 10-12 hrs web surfing.

Of course as they have told battery life varies by usage and configuration and considering in the first place you weren't using Apple stock apps you are expected to get a significant variation in battery life.

Rod Sprague said:
Using it on my desk for almost continuous web surfing (at least the browser was on) and document creation with 2-3 other apps running I have gotten 10hrs before realising it was not plugged in to AC power.
So lots of variables in the field whereas manufacturers stats are based on ideal lab conditions so......

I have tried my maximum to replicate the so mentioned 'ideal lab conditions' as I mentioned plus even to the extent of atmospheric temperature. If I'm still getting a major descent, Isn't there something wrong?

louiserose646 · Dec 31, 2016

Randy B. Singer said:
I've been exploring this with a number of users, and I think that we are on to something. There are two things that I've had a few users try that have drastically improved runtimes for them.

Though recent Mac laptops don't use batteries that suffer from a memory effect, the power saving circuitry that governs their laptops' lithium batteries may strongly benefit from a "reference charge." (A full discharge followed by a full recharge.) Apple, up until very recently, used to recommend that their laptops with lithium batteries be given a reference charge occasionally, but they stopped doing so. Why don't you try giving your laptop a reference charge, and report back as to how that effects battery charge life?

- Fully charge your MBP
- Run it until the battery is so depleted that it shuts down.
- Fully charge it again

One user reported that he was only getting a runtime of 3 hours, but after doing a reference charge his MBP got an astounding 15 hours of runtime!

Also, it may be that your MBP is often busy making a local backup to the built-in SSD. That would drastically decrease battery life temporarily.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204015
Try turning Time Machine completely off (except when you are at home and connected to an external hard drive for the purpose of performing a backup) to prevent your MBP from making local backups, and see if that increases battery life.

When I first started to notice bad battery life out of the box I did research a bit before going ahead doing a detailed battery test and I came across the so called "reference charge" and I did that too. Yet that's the result I got

PS: Time machine wasn't even setup too.

IWT · Dec 31, 2016

louiserose646 said:
"Tabs"? sorry I did't get that. It's 2015 new model indeed. Custom configured and was manufactured upon order. I just got it 2 days ago.

What Harry was referring to impost 2 was your comment in your original post that, on average, you have 7-11 tabs open at any one time.

His suggestion was that you should see the effect of closing down some/most of these.

Ian

louiserose646 · Dec 31, 2016

harryb2448 said:
G'day and welcome to the forums.

Question 1. Is this a genuine Apple replacement part or an knockoff? And try closing some of thos tabs and see if it makes a difference.

IWT said:
What Harry was referring to impost 2 was your comment in your original post that, on average, you have 7-11 tabs open at any one time.

His suggestion was that you should see the effect of closing down some/most of these.

Ian

When Apple has done the test with 25 tabs with much more higher brightness why should I?

ferrarr · Dec 31, 2016

It is your laptop, so it is your choice. We are not experiencing what you are experiencing, and you have your older and smaller model, but same model year to compare it to. You have to make this decision for yourself.

louiserose646 · Dec 31, 2016

ferrarr said:
It is your laptop, so it is your choice. We are not experiencing what you are experiencing, and you have your older and smaller model, but same model year to compare it to. You have to make this decision for yourself.

That's a great answer. I came in here to here to hear your opinions. I asked the questions to know whether I'm experiencing what you are experiencing. If I had to make the decision myself I would have already made by now.

ferrarr · Dec 31, 2016

I thought it was your MBP? Why can't you make the decision for yourself?

It's brand new, if it is not behaving the way you want, why haven't you returned it? Or, at least have it looked at?

IWT · Dec 31, 2016

Louiserose646

I understand that you politely asked for advice. I appreciate your frustration, but you should also recognise some truly well thought out responses which have been posted.

The Mac is weeks' old at most and not behaving as it should. We observe from a distance with limited information.

Apple is renowned for its after sales service and I wouldn't hesitate to take the Mac back to them. Their diagnostics are extensive. Moreover, they are highly likely to replace the Mac rather than meddle with repairs in such a new machine.

I can't see that there is much " to decide ". Just do it. Go to the best for the best.

Ian

louiserose646 · Dec 31, 2016

IWT said:
Louiserose646

I understand that you politely asked for advice. I appreciate your frustration, but you should also recognise some truly well thought out responses which have been posted.

The Mac is weeks' old at most and not behaving as it should. We observe from a distance with limited information.

Apple is renowned for its after sales service and I wouldn't hesitate to take the Mac back to them. Their diagnostics are extensive. Moreover, they are highly likely to replace the Mac rather than meddle with repairs in such a new machine.

I can't see that there is much " to decide ". Just do it. Go to the best for the best.

Ian

Thanks for understanding. Yes I didnt expect this to happen from Apple. Almost all the answers in the forums are really helpful and help make my decision ease. As I said If I had to make decision my own I would have never ever come here. In fact it's my friend who recommended this forum as this is one of most active for Apple products and services. I appreciate the time spent by all on answering me too. Once again Thank You! Will they make offer for a replacement If I'm telling the problem with the battery life?

pm-r · Dec 31, 2016

Moreover, they are highly likely to replace the Mac rather than meddle with repairs in such a new machine.

And maybe not, as they seem a bit more reluctant to do so with "Custom configured" Macs unless they've changed lately.

- Patrick
==========

pm-r · Dec 31, 2016

BTW Is there a way to find out the that this is refurnish model or not?

Try using the new serial number here, Chipmunk: Klantenservice, it used to be very precise and more detailed than most other similar sites:
http://www.chipmunk.nl/klantenservice/applemodel.html

I must say I've never heard of Apple selling a new "Custom configured" Mac as refurbished and I very much doubt they'd even think of doing any such thing.

- Patrick
==========

Randy B. Singer · Dec 31, 2016

pm-r said:
T
I must say I've never heard of Apple selling a new "Custom configured" Mac as refurbished and I very much doubt they'd even think of doing any such thing.

Considering that it would be highly illegal to sell something that was actually refurbished as brand new, I strongly doubt that a big company like Apple would ever do such a thing.

Apple has a two week return policy. If you don't like your new Mac, you can return it for a refund:

http://www.apple.com/shop/help/returns_refund