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MBP 15" Battery life

  • 11-01-2015 9:14pm
    #1
    Four of a kind
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,055 ✭✭✭


    Got a new MBP 15" retina (not the top spec one with the graphics card) at Christmas.

    Just wondering how many hours on battery life do ye guys get on it typically?

    I've screen brightness down to min most of the time. I've just charged mine up and it says that the time remaining in like 3.45 mins?

    Is this pretty normal?


Comments

  • #2
    tossy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,590 ✭✭✭tossy


    screen brightness is always about about 45% when not plugged in.

    Get around 6 or 7 hours if just surfing.

    4 hours if watching films,making music, or doing heavy downloading.

    These numbers are still the same over 18 months later.


  • #3
    Four of a kind
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,055 ✭✭✭Four of a kind


    tossy wrote: »
    screen brightness is always about about 45% when not plugged in.

    Get around 6 or 7 hours if just surfing.

    4 hours if watching films,making music, or doing heavy downloading.

    These numbers are still the same over 18 months later.


    Hmmmmm. Hopefully I don't have an issue with my battery.

    Any way I could check to see if there's a problem?


  • #4
    Doodah7
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,767 ✭✭✭Doodah7


    Download an app called Battery Health from the app store.It should tell you all you need to know...


  • #5
    Losty Dublin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,237 ✭✭✭✭Losty Dublin


    If it's only new it usually takes it a couple of weeks and a few full discharges to get it going. Try doing full discharge or two before you begin to worry.

    Coconut is another battery app that is worth getting.


  • #6
    Four of a kind
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,055 ✭✭✭Four of a kind


    Losty Dublin wrote: »
    If it's only new it usually takes it a couple of weeks and a few full discharges to get it going. Try doing full discharge or two before you begin to worry.

    Coconut is another battery app that is worth getting.

    I've just installed this app.

    Are there any indications that I should look out for, just in case there might be an issue with the battery?


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  • #7
    Elessar
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,256 ✭✭✭Elessar


    With brightness down about 5 clicks from the top and the iGPU on, wifi on and bluetooth off, I'm getting a good 7-8 hours or so on the battery.

    Is there any process running in the background? Open Activity Monitor and check CPU usage.


  • #8
    Four of a kind
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,055 ✭✭✭Four of a kind


    I've attached a screen shot of my activity monitor. I don't think there's anything too CPU intensive running.

    Ok, so the best way for me to check things out would be to charge it up and keep the brightness at 50%, wifi on, and just see how many hours it runs for.

    It's weird though because once it's charged up, it battery says it will last for about 3 hours 45 mins - which isn't great.


  • #9
    whiterebel
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 15,007 Mod ✭✭✭✭whiterebel


    Seems to be a lot of Google Chrome Helper going on there?
    Have you tried Safari for a while instead?
    Have you run down the battery completely and recharged a few times?


  • #10
    Elessar
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,256 ✭✭✭Elessar


    When you click the battery icon on the menu bar, does it say anything is using significant energy in the drop down? I bet it's Chrome.

    I see you're using Chrome and there are a lot of Chrome helper processes. Chrome helper is essentially an interface that allows plug-ins/tabs and the like to run. You seem to have a lot running. Chrome is generally known as a resource hog and battery drainer in OS X. Close Chrome and ensure all the helpers are stopped and then see what the battery life is like (give it 5-10 mins).

    I would also implore you to give Safari a try. I've found it noticeably faster in OS X and battery life is excellent.


  • #11
    Four of a kind
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,055 ✭✭✭Four of a kind


    Ok, so yeah, it was Chrome that was causing the issue.

    I've used chrome from day one and have all my bookmarks arranged there, as well as a good few plugins.

    When I open chrome, I've also 9 tabs that auto open for my work, so that obviously was causing a lot of drain.

    So, I closed chrome and waited and the battery time went from 2 hours 32 mins with 59% left to 4 hours 30 mins.

    Now, I hate change :) especially when it comes to things like this, so switching to safari will cause me a lot of heartache.

    Are there any issues I should keep in mind when making the switch to safari? I presume it's possible to import my bookmarks from chrome?

    Thanks for the advice guys.


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  • #12
    Elessar
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,256 ✭✭✭Elessar


    In Safari just go to File>Import From and it will import all your bookmarks from Chrome. Unless there was something Chrome specific you needed, you shouldn't have any heartache - Safari uses the proprietary nitro engine for javascript from Apple and I've noticed it's much more responsive than Chrome. And I used to use Chrome religiously.

    Edit: Set auto open here with Safari http://heresthethingblog.com/2014/06/24/browser-tip-set-multiple-home/


  • #13
    Four of a kind
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,055 ✭✭✭Four of a kind


    Elessar wrote: »
    In Safari just go to File>Import From and it will import all your bookmarks from Chrome. Unless there was something Chrome specific you needed, you shouldn't have any heartache - Safari uses the proprietary nitro engine for javascript from Apple and I've noticed it's much more responsive than Chrome. And I used to use Chrome religiously.

    Edit: Set auto open here with Safari http://heresthethingblog.com/2014/06/24/browser-tip-set-multiple-home/

    Nice!!! Thanks very much for your help with this. Yeah, it does seem like Chrome is a major drain on battery compared to Safari.

    I'll give it a twirl anyways and see how I get on :)

    Just moved from windows over to Mac at Christmas and I thought I was going to die and death, but now I think I'd die having to go back to windows ;)

    Thanks again


  • #14
    Losty Dublin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,237 ✭✭✭✭Losty Dublin


    Four of a kind wrote: »
    Are there any issues I should keep in mind when making the switch to safari? I presume it's possible to import my bookmarks from chrome?

    Thanks for the advice guys.

    The big Safari drawback you may find is that it may struggle with pages that require Flashplayer. Other than that it's an excellent browser and as it's purpose built for Mac it will perform well for you out of the box.


  • #15
    Four of a kind
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,055 ✭✭✭Four of a kind


    Can't pin tabs in Safari :confused: :mad:

    Massive deal breaker for me unfortunately. As I've 9 tabs opened at all times, the pin tab feature is indispensable in that regard. I'll have to suck up the battery drain with Chrome I'm afraid :(


  • #16
    Elessar
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,256 ✭✭✭Elessar


    How do you mean pin tabs?


  • #17
    Four of a kind
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,055 ✭✭✭Four of a kind


    Elessar wrote: »
    How do you mean pin tabs?

    So in Chrome, if you right click a tab and select "pin tab" it makes the tab really small in size.

    So for me, I can have all my 9 work tabs open and it only takes up the same space as 1 normal sized tab does! It's a problem a lot of people won't move to safari because of, so I've read.

    Unfortunately, I'm not going to be able to either because of it. :/


  • #18
    Elessar
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,256 ✭✭✭Elessar


    Hmm, I never knew that was a feature. I'm not sure I understand though, Safari can open lots of tabs, do you need the space on the tab bar for something else, or is it just aesthetics?

    From a quick google, you can add favicons to Safari 8 and then use Safari restore to save your sessions.

    It's up to you though to decide which is more important, tabs or battery life :)

    EDIT: The Show all tabs button might even be handier to you. Gives a quick overview of all open tabs.


  • #19
    Four of a kind
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,055 ✭✭✭Four of a kind


    This is what I mean with the pinned tabs feature in Chrome. I've attached a pic.

    It just keeps things more organised and easier to view. It also doesn't scroll the tabs in chrome, whereas safari scrolls multiple tabs (if you have like 20 opened at once etc).

    In chrome I can also press option+cmd and the direction arrows to quickly move from one tab to the next.


  • #20
    Losty Dublin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,237 ✭✭✭✭Losty Dublin


    Four of a kind wrote: »
    This is what I mean with the pinned tabs feature in Chrome. I've attached a pic.

    It just keeps things more organised and easier to view. It also doesn't scroll the tabs in chrome, whereas safari scrolls multiple tabs (if you have like 20 opened at once etc).

    In chrome I can also press option+cmd and the direction arrows to quickly move from one tab to the next.

    Press T and Command and you should have a new tab. The scroll option you mentioned on Chrome also works on Safari.

    Or am I misreading what you are saying?


  • #21
    Elessar
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,256 ✭✭✭Elessar


    cmd-shift-left/right does that.

    Personally I think you're being a bit niggly - you can set Safari up to open the specific tabs you want and work from there. The fact you're getting several hours more work done on battery outweighs the fact you can't have tabs smaller than what they are, in my opinion of course. Change can be a good thing, if you are willing to learn a few different things to gain benefits elsewhere. Up to you of course.


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  • #22
    Four of a kind
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,055 ✭✭✭Four of a kind


    Elessar wrote: »
    cmd-shift-left/right does that.

    Personally I think you're being a bit niggly - you can set Safari up to open the specific tabs you want and work from there. The fact you're getting several hours more work done on battery outweighs the fact you can't have tabs smaller than what they are, in my opinion of course. Change can be a good thing, if you are willing to learn a few different things to gain benefits elsewhere. Up to you of course.

    Cmd-shift and left/right arrow keys don't work on my keyboard for moving between tabs?

    You're right about the pinned tabs feature - it's a niggly thing to be worried about.


  • #23
    Losty Dublin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,237 ✭✭✭✭Losty Dublin


    Four of a kind wrote: »
    Cmd-shift and left/right arrow keys don't work on my keyboard for moving between tabs?

    You're right about the pinned tabs feature - it's a niggly thing to be worried about.

    Works for me. Maybe check your keyboard settings in case you have something disabled or a different keyboard setting.


  • #24
    Four of a kind
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,055 ✭✭✭Four of a kind


    Losty Dublin wrote: »
    Works for me. Maybe check your keyboard settings in case you have something disabled or a different keyboard setting.

    Cmd+shift and the left or right bracket keys move me between browser tabs :)


  • #25
    K.O.Kiki
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,731 ✭✭✭✭K.O.Kiki


    What's wrong with Firefox?


  • #26
    Zcott
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,206 ✭✭✭Zcott


    The slowness :-(


  • #27
    Kinet1c
    Closed Accounts Posts: 824 ✭✭✭Kinet1c


    Read this tweet recently and if true, the IOPS explain the battery drain...

    https://twitter.com/Andrea_Mauro/status/591232461616635904


  • #28
    Elessar
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,256 ✭✭✭Elessar


    Just wondering how the OP is getting on with Safari? I think you'll be happy to hear that the next version, coming with OS X El Capitan, has true pinned tabs :)


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