So my 9 year old Macbook Pro has served me well. However, it’s had problems with the battery in the past — not that it’s affected performance in a way that impacts me, but enough that it previously showed me the “service battery” warning.
It’s not showing that now, but it did show my battery at 89%, despite being plugged in for weeks now. (I take it with me on longer trips, but I usually use my iPad for mobile Internet stuff now.)
For anyone who’s reached this point in a MBP’s life cycle, how much longer do you think I have before the cost of repair would be better spent on a new one?
My MacBook Pro (3.1) is about the same vintage and I’ve replaced the battery several times. Previously, I bought a cheap battery due to finances and the fact the MBP had been acting up, and I thought I might have to replace the computer. It improved things, but only for a short while, as my research indicated was likely. This time I bought a highly rated battery and it is operating very effectively again.
Over the years I’ve upgraded the internal HD, memory, and replaced one of the fans, following video instructions from Other World Computing (from whom I purchased the battery). This machine still works great for me and I see no need to replace it for a while yet.
You might want to reset the SMC (System Management Controller) – it might correct the battery charge. On the other hand, maybe the best it can do is 89%.
Sometimes batteries have a reserve, e.g., a 4000 mAh may actually be a 4800 mAh battery, which allows the battery to perform as a 4000 mAh battery for years while it degrades. So, you could have already consumed this “reserve.”
As for your actual question, you can continue to run on AC power indefinitely, so you have all the time in the world.
A quick look at Craig’s List is showing 2007 MacBook Pros from $89 to $200, and I see MacBook batteries anywhere from $40 to $80 (factor paying someone to install it if you’re not willing to do so).
I’m going through a similar “crisis” – my beloved 2008 iMac is struggling to survive. I could go from 4 GB to 6 GB and add an SSD, but even doing the labor myself the parts exceed the value of the computer by 2:1.
You’ve gotten 9 years out of a lithium ion battery. You’ve already beaten the odds, it’s dying. And once they start going, they go fast. If you’ve got one with a replaceable battery (instead of that glued-in nonsense Apple is doing now) I’d say just get a new battery and keep on keepin’ on.
That’s what I had thought, but mine wouldn’t even wake up. I took it to the Apple Store and the Genius was able to boot it up and confirmed the battery was bad. I asked whether that could affect running on AC and he said yes, so I bought a cheap battery.
Installation is shutting it down, turning it over, sliding two spring loaded latches with your thumbs and the battery is released. Slide the two latches, place the new battery, release the latches, turn it over and push the power button.
They recommend a procedure to charge, run it down until it goes to sleep, then charge again. Has something to do with setting the charge capacity and/or the battery life indicator. I didn’t do it with the cheap replacement and it did not last long at all, though I don’t know if that was the actual cause of the short life. I did follow this time and it’s performing flawlessly. So far…
The wooden beads on my abacus are cracking and I feel a bunch might fall off soon. I think I can still buy replacement beads but at what point do I just move to an entirely new model? Thanks.
