MacBookPro Battery Question

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
11/10/2020 at 11:14 • Filed to: None

I have a MacBookPro9,1 a1286. This is a 15-inch MBP circa 2012. I am sending it to a friend in Guatemala who has essentially zero access to anything by mail.

Battery cycles on the MBP battery are 659. Information I’ve found places the max at 1,000 cycles. Should I replace the battery before I send the computer to Guatemala? It looks like the only batteries available are NOT Apple-branded.

Thoughts?

DISCUSSION (18)

ShrimpHappens, née WJalopy > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
11/10/2020 at 11:23

If your person in Guatemala is competent to replace the battery themselves, tell them the situation, buy the new battery, and ship it with the computer so they’ll have it when OEM battery dies.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > ShrimpHappens, née WJalopy
11/10/2020 at 11:32

I’d thought of that.. . The replacement looks to be very straightforward and many batteries come with the little Torx screwdriver. I think that’s a good plan. It may take another two years to get to 1,000 cycles if she keeps it plugged in.

Tripper > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
11/10/2020 at 11:48

It is straightforward on a mac of that vintage. Def include the battery, she’ ll want it before 1000 cycles.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
11/10/2020 at 11:49

I’m trying to decide what to buy for the home general computer right now. We are currently using a 2010 Macbook pro, which has been fantastic. I’m looking at:

13" Ipad pro 512 Gb for about $ 1150, needs a key board and touch screen pen for an additional 300-400 (boo)

Macbook air 512 Gb for about $ 1150, apple is discontinuing this model this year, unclear on future support but ticks all the boxes

Macbook pro 512 Gb, for about $1250-1300. Ticks all the boxes but is still a normal note book computer and less media friendly and no apps like the Ipad...

They all cost about the same, I would really like to go with the Ipad but I don’t want to pay for the accessories I think I will need...

Uses:

1. My wife: email, invoicing, internet, online news

2. Me: probably apps like weather, instagram, amazon, netflix, etc...

Opinions?

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
11/10/2020 at 11:51

I’ve had luck with OWC’s stuff in the past.

https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/laptop-batteries/macbook-pro

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Tripper
11/10/2020 at 11:53

I’m wondering whether I should just swap it out before I send it along.

Tripper > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
11/10/2020 at 11:54

If that is the original battery, I would. How long does it last now?

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
11/10/2020 at 11:56

I’m not the one to ask about this. The only reason I have this MBP is that my daughter wanted it for school. She returned it to me and I am sending it to my friend in Guatemala because I want nothing to do with it.

I’m a straight-up Windoze man and if I had $1300 to spend on a MacBook, I’d spend $500 on a really nice used Dell Latitude or Precision and use the rest to buy bicycle parts. Or car parts. Or pay my Amazon bill.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/10/2020 at 11:59

Helpful! Thank you. From what I understand, NuPower is essentially Apple’s in house brand.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
11/10/2020 at 11:59

I do computer work on the side and I’ve replaced many batteries in MacBooks using Amazon replacements. They all still seem to be holding up just as well as the original Apple batteries.

Replacement is easy, depending on the MacBook (older MacBooks that is, like yours) and as long as you get a battery that is good ratings, you should be fine. I’d do it before you send it off.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Tripper
11/10/2020 at 12:00

Can’t say. I will replace before sending it down. It’s 8 years old, after all...

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
11/10/2020 at 12:01

Keep in mind that on a lot of these newer Macs, the RAM and hard drives are soldered directly to the motherboard, so there’s no easy way to get the data back if the motherboard or the drive fails....especially if it’s out of warranty, so make sure you have a backup drive!

It also means there’s no upgrade path if you ever want to add some more memory or hard drive space easily.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
11/10/2020 at 12:02

I read that NuPower is Apple’s house brand. More expensive though...

I will replace before I send it down. No favorite brands, then?

Tripper > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
11/10/2020 at 12:07

Yeah I’d be blown away if it stays alive more than 30 minutes

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
11/10/2020 at 12:41

I’m paying for iClound back up right now. I explored PC equivalents and samsung equivalents and they cost the same as the apple products. I prefer the apple interface over android OS or windows. I’m looking at the 512 Gb to meet the storage requirements .

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Tripper
11/10/2020 at 13:00

Would you spend extra for a NuPower battery, or just go with whatever generic?

Tripper > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
11/10/2020 at 13:05

How much extra? I buy Chinese batteries for our older laptops and they are 50/50. Some last a year, some last a week.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
11/10/2020 at 14:49

Not really...last one that I did for somebody I just went with the one with the best ratings on Amazon with a decent price. :)