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Macbook battery keeps dying - new battery or new Macbook?
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Anonymous
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Our Macbook Pro is about 2 years old. The battery appears to be on its last legs - basically the computer only works when it is plugged in. A few minutes after we unplug it, it suddenly crashes with no warning and stays down until you plug it back in. Is this the normal life span of a Macbook battery? And either way, should we get a new battery or just get a new Macbook? (A few other problems have cropped up, too, like many of the keys keep getting stuck, despite repeated attempts to clean them, and there are three lines running down the left side of the screen at all times.)
We've loved the computer, but would have thought it would have held up better than this... |
Anonymous
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Unfortunately Apple batteries do not last that long. I have had my Macbook for about the same length of time you have and recently bought a new one. If you get a new battery you can attempt to prolong life by calibrating it every month: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1490
The other issues you are experiencing are troubling. Other than battery, Apples are pretty durable and you shouldn't have those problems after 2 years. It almost sounds like you spilled something on it. I once spilled something on the top of previous laptop and liquid seeped through the apple logo - resulting in my screen having weird lines running through it. With the addition of stuck keys, maybe something leaked through without you knowing? |
Anonymous
| i had to get a new battery for my imac after about 2.5 years. made a huge difference right away. i think they do need to be replaced after a few years. i need to figure out if my 5 year old imac G4 needs to be replaced.....very very slow downloading and all... |
jsteele
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It does sound like the battery needs to be replaced. As a rule, I always purchase AppleCare on laptops because they get abused a lot more than desktops. During that three years, Apple will fix almost any problem. The current laptops are not that much more powerful than yours. The cases have change radically (now, the battery is not removable). So, it is probably worth spending the money on a new battery and repair of the other issues. Otherwise, Apple will likely be releasing new models with a much more powerful chip within the next couple of months. So, if you could hold out until then, that would be the time to get a new one. However, get Applecare at that time. |
jsteele
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Yeah, time for a new one. The PowerPC chips are not supported in the latest version of the operating system. |
Anonymous
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My Macbook pro was heavily used for just over 2 years. I recently replaced the battery, but mine was still holding 2 hours of charge.
It concerns me that your laptop will immediately die without being plugged in. There might be something else wrong with it. There might also be a need to reset the power management unit, which is thankfully free to do. I would take it to the Genius Bar and if they determine that it is in fact the battery then buy another battery. I have been very happy with the result. But if it is the computer, I'd go for a new one if the repair is more than about $400. |
Anonymous
| Just a note about AppleCare - it is difficult to get them to replace a battery. They will only replace if "defective" and they don't consider losing its charge to be a defect. I have heard of some people talking them into an exchange if they have less than 300 charge cycles (and especially if happens within a year). You can see what cycles you have under system profiler. |
Anonymous
| Take your Macbook to the Genius Bar at an Apple Store. I had the exact same battery problem with my 2 yr old laptop. Turns out my battery was a lemon. They replaced the battery on the spot for free. |