The batteries used in famous MacBook devices are subject to natural wear and tear, as it is with any other batteries and devices, which leads to a reduction in capacity over time. We don’t get younger either. This goes on until batteries reach the point where they need to be replaced. How do you know if yours is nearing the end of its life and what types of new batteries are available?
Overview
Apple is designing their MacBook Air and Pro batteries to last up to 1000 cycles. How long a battery lasts depends largely on how you, the customer, use it. If you use your laptop every day and don’t even charge it properly, its capacity can drop significantly after just one year of use. With regular use, you can expect your MacBook battery to lose about 10% of its initial capacity each year. On the other hand, if you use your MacBook infrequently, the battery can still work almost as well as when it was new after a few years. This difference is important.
Top advice on this: if you want your MacBook battery to last as long as possible, try to keep it at 20-80% charge. Regularly charging it to 100% just as keeping the battery below 20% will accelerate battery wear.
How does battery degradation occur
Your new MacBook has 100% battery capacity. However, under normal use, this value will decrease over time. This means that your battery will not last as long as it could right after acquisition. In practice, you will notice this easily. For example, while a new MacBook will last 10 hours on a full charge, after 2 years of use the maximum battery capacity will drop to 80%, and there will be roughly 8 hours at your disposal.
If you feel that your MacBook does not last long enough on a full charge, it is a sign that the battery needs replacing. You can easily check its status directly in the system.
Checking the battery status
For MacBooks running on macOS Big Sur or newer systems, click on the Apple logo in the top left corner of the screen and select ‘System Preferences’. From there, click on ‘Battery’, and in the window that shall appear, select ‘Battery’ again. Then click on ‘Battery status’. MacBooks display the battery status and maximum capacity.
As long as the battery status is ‘Normal’, there is no need to replace the battery. Conversely, if the message ‘Service recommended’ is displayed, the capacity is probably no longer sufficient. In general, you should consider replacing the battery when its maximum capacity falls below 80%. In this case, the loss of endurance is already quite noticeable.
Extra advice on this: on older MacBooks, you can check the battery status by holding down the ‘Option’ key and using the mouse to click on the battery percentage icon (it’s going to be in the top right corner of your screen).
MacBook battery replacement
In case you need to replace your MacBook battery, experts you’ll contact are likely to offer you 3 general options to choose from. These option are:
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Apple battery
This is a battery that comes directly from Apple, thus automatically meeting all the necessary quality standards. However, it has the disadvantage in the form of a relatively high price.
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Top aftermarket battery
These batteries are not branded, but come from the best manufacturers, who have the lowest complaint rates. They are carefully selected and thoroughly tested by repair professionals before they are stocked – to guarantee maximum quality.
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Regular aftermarket battery
These batteries are also manufactured by third parties, which brings to the table the advantage of low cost. These are still quality parts, tested by experts. But the producers are less well-known and established.
There is no really big difference between original and aftermarket batteries. After all, they all produced professionally. It’s up to you to decide whether you want to replace the battery yourself or leave it to the experts.
Conclusion
With batteries, as with other things, Apple produces reliable and helpful equipment. Still, for now, it is just a reality we all have to accept: most batteries will only work well for a few years before their capacity declines seriously.
You’ll have to restore the functionality of your device by acquiring a new battery. It won’t be too stressful, as there are professionals who can help with such an issue, such as the Smart Addiction team of technicians in Brooklyn, New York. And also, going through this process will help you restore the performance and usefulness of your device to its intended level.
