2015er Pro: Swollen Battery - Replace Bttery or Book

[kaardowiq]

Hi,

the battery in my good old MacBook Pro 2015 is swollen, the whole keyboard is pushed up in the middle.

An Apple Certified repair shop would swap it for around 250$ but it is unclear if they may still get a replacement. Unfortunately, the whole topcase gets replaced. Now, the question is to repair it for 250 bucks or to get a new M1 MacBook Air for 800 bucks. I‘d still use the MacBook Pro without battery if possible, unfortunately it can’t be easily removed. Maybe it’s time to move to M1, now?

I mostly use it for private stuff, like banking, docs, photos, a few times for video editing and on weekends for open source contributions where I code and need some virtual machines. I’m not sure if a switch to ARM arch would make easier or harder…

 

[Ray2]

Years ago I had my 2015 battery and bottom plate replaced. All went well. Cost me nothing. I now have an M1 MBA. Even paying nothing to get the 2015 repaired, I’d pay the $800 in a heartbeat for an M1 Air.

 

[kaardowiq]

Thanks for your reply. I just took the book to the repair shop, where it‘ll be fixed by OEM replacement. However, I may still sell it for 400-500 bucks (16gb, 256gb version) after repair or keep it. I’m still thinking about a M1…

 

[jav6454]

You can use it without a battery, but you will take a performance hit.

 

[kaardowiq]

You can use it without a battery, but you will take a performance hit.

That was initially my guess but it’s hard to get remove and replacing has one of the highest difficult levels on ifixit. Therefore, I let do it the service team.

 

[Jumpthesnark]

I had a similar problem a few weeks ago and took my mid-2015 MacBook Pro to the Apple Store (thread). They replaced the battery and top case for $200. Like you, I checked out the iFixit videos and was a little intimidated by the removal process - I just knew I'd tear open a battery cell while trying to pry it from the adhesive ?. And the price of a replacement battery alone was about what half of what Apple would charge for the service. I went with the Apple Store repair. Got a spotless new top case, keyboard and trackpad in the deal. I think you did the right thing.

 

[jav6454]

That was initially my guess but it’s hard to get remove and replacing has one of the highest difficult levels on ifixit. Therefore, I let do it the service team.

Agreed. Better safe.

 

[kaardowiq]

I had a similar problem a few weeks ago and took my mid-2015 MacBook Pro to the Apple Store (thread). They replaced the battery and top case for $200. Like you, I checked out the iFixit videos and was a little intimidated by the removal process - I just knew I'd tear open a battery cell while trying to pry it from the adhesive ?. And the price of a replacement battery alone was about what half of what Apple would charge for the service. I went with the Apple Store repair. Got a spotless new top case, keyboard and trackpad in the deal. I think you did the right thing.

how long did it take? They took my book and I have to work on my iPad, now. Possible, but would prefer a real desktop for several stuff. They told me, it can currently take up to 4 weeks (regularly only 2-4 days until the replacement stuff is present) due to war in Ukraine.

 

[Jumpthesnark]

how long did it take? They took my book and I have to work on my iPad, now. Possible, but would prefer a real desktop for several stuff. They told me, it can currently take up to 4 weeks (regularly only 2-4 days until the replacement stuff is present) due to war in Ukraine.

The folks at the Apple Store called me to say it was ready less than 24 hours after I dropped it off, though they had warned me it sometimes takes 3-5 days.

 

[pshufd]

I had this issue two years ago and had the battery replaced. It was a no-brainer back then but a much harder decision today as the 2015 is long in the tooth and resale value has probably dropped a few hundred dollars. I got the battery and top case replaced at The Apple Store for $200. The 2015 is currently my backup to my 2021 MacBook Pro 16. It mainly sits in my backpack these days.

 

[pshufd]

The folks at the Apple Store called me to say it was ready less than 24 hours after I dropped it off, though they had warned me it sometimes takes 3-5 days.

Mine too 3 days because they didn't have the battery in stock and had to order it. Otherwise they would turn it around in a day or less. My local Apple Store apparently has a third-shift doing repair work.

 

[kaardowiq]

I had this issue two years ago and had the battery replaced. It was a no-brainer back then but a much harder decision today as the 2015 is long in the tooth and resale value has probably dropped a few hundred dollars. I got the battery and top case replaced at The Apple Store for $200. The 2015 is currently my backup to my 2021 MacBook Pro 16. It mainly sits in my backpack these days.

That’s probably the main issue. If nothing else breaks the next two years, it was a good investment. If there should be any issue upcoming I‘d better bought a M1. It just hurts my heart to throw a fully functional MacBook away just because of a swollen battery. Hopefully it‘ll last for some further years…

 

[kaardowiq]

Today, I got a short reply that the top case replacement isn‘t deliverable atm. I could still wait for an upcoming replacement (no one can say if and how long it would take), switch to a 8GB M1 or for 1300 bucks to a 16GB M1 Air. Probably, it could be better to wait for the WWDC with an upcoming Air on M2? Pah, I don’t know what to do. Today just worked on iPad 6 mini which is possible but breaks so many Workflows for real productivity…

 

[jav6454]

I personally do not think the M2 will be released for WWDC. At earliest perhaps in October.

 

[pshufd]

Today, I got a short reply that the top case replacement isn‘t deliverable atm. I could still wait for an upcoming replacement (no one can say if and how long it would take), switch to a 8GB M1 or for 1300 bucks to a 16GB M1 Air. Probably, it could be better to wait for the WWDC with an upcoming Air on M2? Pah, I don’t know what to do. Today just worked on iPad 6 mini which is possible but breaks so many Workflows for real productivity…

I suppose that there may be supply chain issues on spare parts now too.

 

[Johnontheweb]

Hi,

the battery in my good old MacBook Pro 2015 is swollen, the whole keyboard is pushed up in the middle.

An Apple Certified repair shop would swap it for around 250$ but it is unclear if they may still get a replacement. Unfortunately, the whole topcase gets replaced. Now, the question is to repair it for 250 bucks or to get a new M1 MacBook Air for 800 bucks. I‘d still use the MacBook Pro without battery if possible, unfortunately it can’t be easily removed. Maybe it’s time to move to M1, now?

I mostly use it for private stuff, like banking, docs, photos, a few times for video editing and on weekends for open source contributions where I code and need some virtual machines. I’m not sure if a switch to ARM arch would make easier or harder…

Hi... I swapped the battery and it buys you 3 years. You can always by a new MBP, but no transition is painless. I'll transition to M1 next year... not looking forward to it. Best.

 

[pshufd]

Hi... I swapped the battery and it buys you 3 years. You can always by a new MBP, but no transition is painless. I'll transition to M1 next year... not looking forward to it. Best.

The benefits far outweighed the costs for me. I was dragged kicking and screaming but I'm much better for it today.

 

[kaardowiq]

Hm, sounds like it’s time for a new daily driver. Currently I have 16Gb RAM, while the low entry M1 with 8GB is not that expensive, I’m unsure to go again with 16GB. I think upcoming macOS version may require more RAM and running VMs (mostly Linux) may still benefit from it as wellt, even the M1 arch is more performant than the old intel one. My 2008er book is still usable with 12Gb RAM, while it initially was bought with only 2GB. But maybe another swollen and not replaceable battery will part us before this may happen (on a new M1).


Still unsure to wait for the WWDC for refreshed Airs? Could come up with a small facelift or maybe, as @jav6454 said, earliest in Oct.

 

[jav6454]

I highly doubt M2's will come in WWDC. Apple doesn't even have capacity to build current computers of the current M1 generation. More than likely we will see the refreshed Mac Pro under the M1.

This whole supply chain debacle is throwing upgrade cycles of out sync.

If any M2 does come out, then buy that with the highest upgraded RAM option you can afford. Why? All new MBs have soldered; future proof it out.

 

[kaardowiq]

I don’t really doubt to see the M2 at WWDC, that’s why I’m struggling right, now. The current Air got released late 2020, time for a refresh. With the rumors of M2 the WWDC would be perfectly for a slight upgrade and not to steal the iPhones show in October. I think I‘ll wait these few days and upgrade, as recommended, to a max memory M2 Air unit or take the current discount on a 16GB Air M1. Waiting till October is unfortunately impossible for me.

 

[kaardowiq]

Update: After thinking about this, an maybe upcoming Air with M2 and 16GB would probably a BTO device. While 8GB units would probably directly in stock, the time for a BTO device would take up several additional weeks... Therefore, I'll take the M1 Air with 16GB RAM, now.

Thanks to all for your advices and help. I'm really interested for the new ARM64 arch.

 

[jav6454]

Update: After thinking about this, an maybe upcoming Air with M2 and 16GB would probably a BTO device. While 8GB units would probably directly in stock, the time for a BTO device would take up several additional weeks... Therefore, I'll take the M1 Air with 16GB RAM, now.

Thanks to all for your advices and help. I'm really interested for the new ARM64 arch.

Let us know when it arrives. You'll love your new M1 Air

 

[kaardowiq]

Let us know when it arrives. You'll love your new M1 Air

Thanks, just picked it up in the noon today. So far, no big differences. It's a macOS
Currently struggling with older Intel Apps like Better Touch Tool which doesn't seems to work with Rosetta.

 

[jav6454]

Thanks, just picked it up in the noon today. So far, no big differences. It's a macOS
Currently struggling with older Intel Apps like Better Touch Tool which doesn't seems to work with Rosetta.

Nice. Also, yes, some apps are still wonky.

 

[kaardowiq]

Today, I had time to get my first real impressions of the new one...

Speakers:
It's an Air and I got blown away when started Music that had a spatial audio open and played this. I immediately stopped it because I was so shocked and thought all devices in the room would play at the same time. This was really mind blown and would never expect this from a single device. Crazy... very good.

ARM64:
So far, I have some really old paid Intel Apps that won't run and newer versions require never licenses like BTT. Luckily, I just tried to upgrade to newer ones, import my license and it told me to downgrade to an older but M1 compatible one. Well that's perfectly fine for me and everything works, now. Puh, that could have resulted in pain to rebuy all these apps.

Performance:
So war no issues, but tbh I didn't had real workloads yet. Later, I'll try to rebuild some of my open source projects on ARM64 - this'll be the most interesting part for performance. Next to this, I'll re encode a wedding video of my friend.

I'll probably update here or in a M1 related thread for more information... Thanks to all for your help.
My old one got also picked up yesterday and is covered in a special package for broken batteries. I'll wipe it again on the weekend and will try to sell it as a defect unit... Maybe someone will pick it up an swap the case himself.