2014 MBP starting to bulge. Replace battery or recycle?

[Khaetra]

Hello fellow Mac users! My beloved 2014 MBP has just started bulging. No keys are out of alignment, trackpad still tracks (though the left corner is just barely raised where you can't feel the small groove like the rest of the edges of the pad) and it all still works. I looked on the Apple site and it appears this model is obsolete.

So my question(s) is, should I contact Apple to see if they will replace the battery? Should I go ahead and replace the battery myself (I have a handy husband who is more than capable of tackling that task) or just I send it to a recycling center and say goodbye?

 

[DMG35]

Depends. Does the 2014 MacBook Pro still meet your needs? If so it might be worth paying for just the battery replacement instead of buying a brand new machine. Although, there are really great deals to be had on the intel models if you are still ok using those as people are offloading them for crazy low prices due to the new MacBooks coming out in the very near future.

 

[Applicator]

A new battery comes in at around $60 - $80 and will not only give you another x-years of possible usage, but if you sell the MacBook before the replacement battery is beaten up as well, it will raise the devices resale value, too.
If it still serves you well, go for a replacement battery.

 

[spikeymike]

If you have Apple do it, Apple will replace the battery for $199. I just had my mid-2014 MacBook Pro battery replaced because of swelling as well.

The entire top case/keyboard and battery gets replaced for $199.

 

[Khaetra]

I just wanted to thank you all. I have an appointment to fix it tomorrow.

 

[pshufd]

I had this problem on my 2014 back in May and had the battery replaced. It's still in use daily by my son (it's on loan to him).

 

[Resist]

Don't pay Apple to replace the battery or you will be gouged. Get a battery from OWC and replace it yourself. I replaced the battery in my Mid 2010 13" MacBook Pro and it was easy. But now I just got a 13" M1 MacBook Pro and love it, the battery keeps a charge insanely long.

 

[pshufd]

Don't pay Apple to replace the battery or you will be gouged. Get a battery from OWC and replace it yourself. I replaced the battery in my Mid 2010 13" MacBook Pro and it was easy. But now I just got a 13" M1 MacBook Pro and love it, the battery keeps a charge insanely long.

You get the top case replaced and that may be worth it to some people. There's also the value of your time and the potential losses from making a mistake.

 

[Resist]

You get the top case replaced and that may be worth it to some people. There's also the value of your time and the potential losses from making a mistake.

Well, a battery replacement took me like 15 minutes, it was too easy. OWC has how to videos on their site and they will help you out if you have problems. It would have taken way more time to have Apple do it, not to mention way more expensive.

 

[pshufd]

Well, a battery replacement took me like 15 minutes, it was too easy. OWC has how to videos on their site and they will help you out if you have problems. It would have taken way more time to have Apple do it, not to mention way more expensive.

That's really great.

For you.

For the average person? No.

 

[Resist]

That's really great.

For you.

For the average person? No.

I disagree because the average person can do it. But, everyone can learn how to do things they've never done before, but if someone would rather pay over $200 vs $35 because they're afraid to take a few small screws out and unplug a power ribbon, they certainly can. Even the unskilled should at least watch OWC's video on how to do it.

 

[pshufd]

Everyone can learn how to do things, but if someone would rather pay over $200 vs $35 because they're afraid to take a few small screws and unplug a power ribbon, then certainly can. Even the unskilled should at least watch OWC's video on how to do it.

A lot of people on these boards make six figure incomes. Some make seven. $200 is peanuts in this case. One of my friends bought a Mac Pro for trading. I built my own system with the same performance for one-third that but he gets to run macOS. In our cases it just does not make financial sense to do it ourselves. I could if I wanted to but there are some things that I just outsource.

 

[Resist]

In our cases it just does not make financial sense to do it ourselves. I could if I wanted to but there are some things that I just outsource.

Building a computer is one thing, but taking 15 minutes to replace a battery for only $35 vs $200, just makes sense. But okay. lol

 

[pshufd]

Building a computer is one thing, but taking 15 minutes to replace a battery for only $35 vs $200, just makes sense. But okay. lol

Building a computer is fun for me. So is optimizing a browser so a few billion people can benefit. Changing a battery? No. I don't change my own oil either.

 

[millerj123]

Building a computer is one thing, but taking 15 minutes to replace a battery for only $35 vs $200, just makes sense. But okay. lol

Yeah, I've replaced the batteries on my wife's 2010 and my 2011 MacBook pros multiple times. Unfortunately, neither is up to the tasks we have, so hers was retired last year, and I'll be getting a new one this year.

 

[Resist]

Building a computer is fun for me. So is optimizing a browser so a few billion people can benefit. Changing a battery? No. I don't change my own oil either.

I change my own oil and that only takes 15 minutes as well. And I'll keep changing my own oil as long as I can hold a wrench. And unless Apple makes it impossible to change our own MacBook batteries, I'll change that myself too, because 15 minutes isn't a big loss of my time. Oh and I used to build my own computers, but that stopped being fun for me. So I'd rather pay a little more to free up my time for something that also has a warranty.

 

[pshufd]

I change my own oil and that only takes 15 minutes as well. And I'll keep changing my own oil as long as I can hold a wrench. And unless Apple makes it impossible to change our own MacBook batteries, I'll change that myself too, because 15 minutes isn't a big loss of my time. Oh and I used to build my own computers, but that stopped being fun for me. So I'd rather pay a little more to free up my time for something that also has a warranty.

To each his own.

Money isn't a factor for a lot of folks here though.

 

[Resist]

Money isn't a factor for a lot of folks here though.

Okay, 15 minutes vs a couple hour or more wait at the Apple store. But $200 vs $35 seriously isn't a factor either?

 

[pshufd]

Okay, 15 minutes vs a couple hour or more wait at the Apple store. But $200 vs $35 seriously isn't a factor either?

No, it isn't. My hardware budget this fall is $10K.

 

[Khaetra]

I showed my husband a couple videos on how to do it, but he decided it would be better if we took it in. The whole top part is being replaced (my trackpad was more uneven than I thought) and he felt it was better to have someone who knows what they're doing do it.

Some of y'all's budgets man...I'm a little jealous and thought I was living large with an iPhone 12 and a new mini to go with my MBP .

 

[pshufd]

I showed my husband a couple videos on how to do it, but he decided it would be better if we took it in. The whole top part is being replaced (my trackpad was more uneven than I thought) and he felt it was better to have someone who knows what they're doing do it.

Some of y'all's budgets man...I'm a little jealous and thought I was living large with an iPhone 12 and a new mini to go with my MBP .

Lots of people use Apple products to earn a living. We don't think that hard about spending $41,000 (average new car price -- Yahoo Finance) for a new car because we use it to commute, take our kids here or there or travel. If your computer generates $500K in revenue, it makes perfect sense to spend $5K or $10K on it.

 

[Khaetra]

Lots of people use Apple products to earn a living. We don't think that hard about spending $41,000 (average new car price -- Yahoo Finance) for a new car because we use it to commute, take our kids here or there or travel. If your computer generates $500K in revenue, it makes perfect sense to spend $5K or $10K on it.

Yes it does.

 

[justashooter]

Don't pay Apple to replace the battery or you will be gouged. Get a battery from OWC and replace it yourself. I replaced the battery in my Mid 2010 13" MacBook Pro and it was easy. But now I just got a 13" M1 MacBook Pro and love it, the battery keeps a charge insanely long.

Replacing the battery in a 2014 MBP is not the same as replacing one on a 2010 MBP. The 2014 is not a "remove the bottom cover, remove two screws holding the battery and unplug it" change of battery. The 2014 is glued to the inside of the case and basically the glue has to be "cut through" to remove the battery. Not done in 15 minutes for sure. I'm cheap as hell and I don't think I would do it.

 

[profcutter]

Replacing the battery in a 2014 MBP is not the same as replacing one on a 2010 MBP. The 2014 is not a "remove the bottom cover, remove two screws holding the battery and unplug it" change of battery. The 2014 is glued to the inside of the case and basically the glue has to be "cut through" to remove the battery. Not done in 15 minutes for sure. I'm cheap as hell and I don't think I would do it.

Yeah, when I had that situation, I just paid someone to do it. I do all the maintenance in my cars, I build furniture, but I’ve seen what happens when a lithium battery that’s already bloated is punctured. No thanks. I also don’t have a 7 figure budget. I’m just a university professor.

 

[Khaetra]

Replacing the battery in a 2014 MBP is not the same as replacing one on a 2010 MBP. The 2014 is not a "remove the bottom cover, remove two screws holding the battery and unplug it" change of battery. The 2014 is glued to the inside of the case and basically the glue has to be "cut through" to remove the battery. Not done in 15 minutes for sure. I'm cheap as hell and I don't think I would do it.

The fact that it had to be cut through was enough to give pause. We've built our own rigs before and had it just been 'undo a couple screws' then we could have done that easily. Sometimes it's just better (and safer!) to have someone else do things, especially if they've done it before.