A note about batteries for the MacBook Pros. It is possible that on older MacBooks and MacBook Pros that the battery pack is on its last legs. I use coconutBattery to occasionally monitor the status of my battery pack. coconutBattery is a free program that tells what the current charge, maximum charge, current capacity, design capacity, battery loadcycles, battery temperature, age of you Mac, and battery power usage.
When I am writing this, my current battery specs are as follows:
Current charge: 4303 mAh
Maximum charge: 4464 mMh
96%
Battery capacity: 4464 mAh
Design capacity: 5450 mAH
81%
Mac model: MacBookPro5,5
Age of your Mac: 36 Months
Battery loadcycles: 344
Battery temperature: 30.8 C
Battery power usage: 13.2 Watt
So, when do you call a battery bad? How many battery load cycles are left on my battery pack?
Update: August 30, 2013
I purchased my new battery from Amazon and have installed it. So far so good.
Consult the table below to see the maximum cycle count for your computer’s battery before it is considered consumed:
| Computer | Maximum Cycle Count |
| MacBook | |
| MacBook (13-inch, Mid 2010)MacBook (13-inch, Late 2009) | 1000 |
| MacBook (13-inch Aluminum, Late 2008) | 500 |
| MacBook (Mid 2009)MacBook (Early 2009)
MacBook (Late 2008) MacBook (Early 2008) MacBook (Late 2007) MacBook (Mid 2007) MacBook (Late 2006) MacBook (13-inch) |
300 |
| MacBook Pro | |
| MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012)MacBook Pro (13-inch, Late 2011)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, Early 2011) MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2010) MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2009) MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2012) MacBook pro (15-inch, Mid 2012) MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2011) MacBook Pro (15-inch, Early 2011) MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2010) MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2.53 GHz, Mid 2009) MacBook Pro (15-inch Mid 2009) MacBook Pro (17-inch, Late 2011) MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2011) MacBook Pro (17-inch, Mid 2010) MacBook Pro (17-inch, Mid 2009) MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2009) |
1000 |
| MacBook Pro (15-inch Late 2008) | 500 |
| MacBook Pro (15-inch, Early 2008)MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2.4/2.2GHz)
MacBook Pro (15-inch, Core 2 Duo) MacBook Pro (15-inch Glossy) MacBook Pro (15-inch) MacBook Pro (17-inch, Late 2008) MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2008) MacBook Pro (17-inch, 2.4GHz) MacBook Pro (17-inch Core 2 Duo) MacBook Pro (17-inch) |
300 |
| MacBook Air | |
| MacBook Air (11-inch, Mid 2012)MacBook Air (11-inch, Mid 2011)
MacBook Air (11-inch, Late 2010) MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2012) MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2011) MacBook Air (13-inch, Late 2010) |
1000 |
| MacBook Air (Mid 2009) | 500 |
| MacBook Air (Late 2008)MacBook Air | 300 |
| PowerBook | |
| All PowerBook G4 12″ 15″ and 17″ computers | 300 |
| iBook | |
| All iBook G4 12″ and 14″ computers | 300 |
Obviously if you want to have a fresh battery to extend your usage regardless of how many battery cycles are left then go for it.