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Maximising a Macbook Pro's battery life

  • 28-03-2012 11:41pm
    #1
    wilkie2006
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,053 ✭✭✭


    Hey all,

    Just wondering if anyone can give me some advice on how to extend the life on my MBP's battery with each charge.

    I bought a new battery about a month ago but only get 2 hours 40 minutes after I've charged it fully. My dad's MBP is about a year old (as is its battery) and he gets about 5-6 hours on each full battery charge.

    Is there a setting I need to change to get more out of the battery? I've had a look in "energy saver" but didn't see anything that would be of use.

    Cheers,

    W2006.


Comments

  • #2
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,693 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    Assuming it's a genuine Apple battery (is it?), either you are doing a lot of CPU heavy tasks or there's a rogue process running in the background. Have you any AV software or other crap installed? Is the brightness up full?


  • #3
    wilkie2006
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,053 ✭✭✭wilkie2006


    Sad Professor wrote: »
    Assuming it's a genuine Apple battery (is it?) either you are doing a lot of CPU heavy tasks or there's a rogue process running in the background. Have you any AV software or other crap installed? Is the brightness up full?

    Yea, bought the battery from an Apple shop.

    What kind of CPU tasks do you mean? I close all applications (aside from FireF) after using them and rarely run more than a few at any one time (the most exacting is Final Cut Pro but only use this when the MBP is plugged in).

    Regarding AV software, I have installed applications like FCP, VLC, Voltaic, Real Player, MPEG Streamclip and Handbreak but, again, don't use these frequently or without the MBP being plugged in.

    I usually do put the brightness up full but it's not set that way as default.

    How would I know if there are any "rogue process running in the background"?


  • #4
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,693 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    What Apple shop? I'm asking because Apple insist on replacing the battery for you. Or is this an older MBP with a replaceable battery?

    You can check for any CPU heavy tasks by opening Activity Monitor (in Applications > Utilities) and clicking on the CPU tab at the bottom.

    If you are running off the battery with the brightness up full that will waste the battery very quickly. As will Flash video or games. Firefox isn't very battery friendly in my experience. Maybe try switching to Safari for a while.

    Was the battery life this bad before you replaced it?


  • #5
    wilkie2006
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,053 ✭✭✭wilkie2006


    Hey Professor, thanks for your posts...

    Sad Professor wrote: »
    What Apple shop? I'm asking because Apple insist on replacing the battery for you. Or is this an older MBP with a replaceable battery?

    Just walked into the Apple shop in Regent's Steet in London and they sold me a boxed battery. My MBP is quite old though - bought it at the close of 2007.
    Sad Professor wrote: »
    You can check for any CPU heavy tasks by opening Activity Monitor (in Applications > Utilities) and clicking on the CPU tab at the bottom.

    Thanks for telling me about this. I only have FireF open now and it says the CPU is between 94%-97% idle. That shouldn't affect the battery so much, right?
    If you are running off the battery with the brightness up full that will waste the battery very quickly. As will Flash video or games. Firefox isn't very battery friendly in my experience. Maybe try switching to Safari for a while.

    Yea, good idea. I'll start working with Safari for a bit and see if it improves.

    [/QUOTE]Was the battery life this bad before you replaced it?[/QUOTE]

    There was no battery life at all! As soon as I'd unplug the Mac, it'd turn off. It didn't hold any kind of a charge.

    Aren't there options somewhere to set the machine at its most energy efficient? I thought I saw them once but can't find them now


  • #6
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,693 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    wilkie2006 wrote: »
    Just walked into the Apple shop in Regent's Steet in London and they sold me a boxed battery. My MBP is quite old though - bought it at the close of 2007.
    The battery life on those machines wouldn't be as good as the current ones, like your dad has. His machine would have a built-in battery that is much larger than yours. Apple's estimated battery life for your model was probably 5 hours and they were a lot less rigorous in their testing back then. If you have the brightness up high and are doing anything but light browsing, you'd easily run through it in 3 hours or less.
    Thanks for telling me about this. I only have FireF open now and it says the CPU is between 94%-97% idle. That shouldn't affect the battery so much, right?
    Yeah, that sounds good.
    Aren't there options somewhere to set the machine at its most energy efficient? I thought I saw them once but can't find them now
    It's in System Preferences > Energy Saver.

    Anyway, brightness is one of the biggest battery life killers. Turn it down as low as you can. Also cut down on the number of applications you have open. Be wary of Flash video or ads on the web. It will annihilate your battery life. Install something like ClicktoFlash to disable it.


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  • #7
    wilkie2006
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,053 ✭✭✭wilkie2006


    Sad Professor wrote: »
    The battery life on those machines wouldn't be as good as the current ones, like your dad has. His machine would have a built-in battery that is much larger than yours. Apple's estimated battery life for your model was probably 5 hours and they were a lot less rigorous in their testing back then. If you have the brightness up high and are doing anything but light browsing, you'd easily run through it in 3 hours or less.

    Ah, fair enough.
    It's in System Preferences > Energy Saver.

    Anyway, brightness is one of the biggest battery life killers. Turn it down as low as you can. Also cut down on the number of applications you have open. Be wary of Flash video or ads on the web. It will annihilate your battery life. Install something like ClicktoFlash to disable it.

    That's deadly. Thanks Prof! :)


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