Rechargeable Battery - 13-inch MacBook (Black)

View all Questions

Back To Product

Follow this Question

How long does the black Macbook battery last?

First, is there a difference from the Li-Ion and Li-Polymer battery. And how long will each of them last?

Answer

9 Answers from the Community

  • Best Answer

    Yes there is a difference between the two of them. It just has to do with they way the work and the life of the battery. However all you can get for the MacBook is the polymer battery. On mine I have had it over a year and I still get about 4 to 5 hours and I use it for internet and to take notes in college.

    Was this useful?

    44 of 52 people found this useful

  • I have a macbook 2,1 from around June 2007 (so around 3.5 years old) and I've used this machine every day since I had it.

    The full capacity of the (original) battery is currently around 4788mA after 975 charging cycles, and I get around 4.5 hours of browsing and general use (I'd get around 5 hours when it was new). Programming I get 2-3 hours depending on what I'm doing.

    The key to keeping these batteries working for a long time is to fully discharge and recharge them often and not partially discharge and then leave them plugged in on the mains all the time.

    Was this useful?

    28 of 30 people found this useful

  • Mine is now completely dead (asking me to replace it) after 328 cycles, and almost three years' use. Mostly, I used my black MacBook while plugged in though, which explains the relatively low cycle count.

    Was this useful?

    25 of 27 people found this useful

  • I have had my macbook for 3 1/2 years and now it only holds a charge for an hour.. sometimes less.

    Was this useful?

    24 of 29 people found this useful

  • The first battery of my Macbook black died after 2 years. Got replaced by apple. The replacement died after 14 months with 71 (seventyone!) loading cycles. As Apple Care ran out last year, I had to buy a new one myself.

    Was this useful?

    21 of 27 people found this useful

  • I was told some time ago that Li-Polymer and Li-Ion batteries don't need to be fully discharged before charging. I'd post some links confirming this but it seems Apple doesn't allow them!

    Personally, I've had my Macbook for 6 years and it's used every day. Sometimes plugged in and sometimes not. Nearly 400 cycles so far and still lasts at least 2 hours.

    Was this useful?

    11 of 13 people found this useful

  • I am at 85 cycles on mine and still get about 4 hours of wifi surfing

    Was this useful?

    14 of 20 people found this useful

  • My original is still kicking since late 2007. I am at 487 cycles and 5.2 years! I am just now seeing a replace soon condition on my original battery.

    Was this useful?

    2 of 3 people found this useful

  • Li-Polymer is a newer formulation giving superior capacity compared to the same sized Li-Ion battery. Most if not all Apple batteries are now Li-Polymer.

    Neither battery should be run down completely except for Apple's recommendation of a once a month full discharge to calibrate the battery "gauge" in the menubar. Fully discharging the battery more than that will shorten its life significantly.

    Ideally, you would let the battery get down to 50% and then charge it, but that's not always possible.

    The second worse thing is to leave a notebook plugged in around the clock. For maximum battery life, shut the notebook off and unplug it from the charger.

    It's ok to leave the charger connected if the computer is in use. If you sleep the computer at night, you'll need to leave the charger connected.

    Battery life can very greatly among different users, depending on settings used and care of the battery. I got 4 hours of use after 2 years, but then it started going downhill fast.

    Your mileage will vary.

    Was this useful?

    0 of 0 people found this useful

Related Questions