Battery Cycle Count on Macbook computers

[cap2587]

I am interested in buying a used MacBook Pro/Air somewhere between 2015-2019. I would like to get 3-4 hrs out of its battery if possible. How can I use the Battery Health or Cycle count to determine what state the battery is in. Thanks for any advice.

Example - 2017 MacBook Air, cycle count 831.

 

[NT1440]

The batteries are rated for 1000 cycles. Something in the 800s is likely going to have a shorter runtime than normal, but still probably within that low battery life range you’re looking for 🤷‍♂️

 

[Iwavvns]

I am interested in buying a used MacBook Pro/Air somewhere between 2015-2019. I would like to get 3-4 hrs out of its battery if possible. How can I use the Battery Health or Cycle count to determine what state the battery is in. Thanks for any advice.

Example - 2017 MacBook Air, cycle count 831.

Steer clear of the ones with the Butterfly Keyboards.. those keyboards are horrible and break down easily.

 

[cap2587]

So the lower the battery cycles, theoretically the better shape the battery is in and longer it will give a user on battery? What year, models have the butterfly keyboards?

 

[Iwavvns]

So the lower the battery cycles, theoretically the better shape the battery is in and longer it will give a user on battery? What year, models have the butterfly keyboards?

Correct, you want as low a cycle count as you can get.

As far as I know all 2016-2019 MacBooks (Air and Pro) except the 2019 16” have butterfly keyboards. These keyboards were such a problem that Apple was replacing those machines for free for the first four years of ownership. Some of the MacBook Pro models also have the Touch Bar in place of the physical F1-F12 keys. I recommend reading a bit about the Touch Bar before buying a machine that has it. The Touch Bar had lots of problems, which was why it is no longer on the recent MacBook models.

 

[Saturn007]

The utility Coconut Battery will give you both the cycle count and the battery charge % vs. the original design capacity. Obviously the lower the cycle count and the higher the battery percentage the better. I'd only buy something whose battery % in the 90s or, at worst, very high 80s. 800 count is awfully high, too.

That 3-4 hours you want will soon become vanishingly small — and you'll get tired of having to plug the laptop in frequently!

Highly recommend not buying any used or non-Apple refurbished Mac unless you have that information — or, as often happens, the seller has put a new battery and offers documentation of that.

Keep in mind that an older laptop will likely not run recent Mac OSs and might not have received security updates, so Internet browsing could be risky!

Those older laptops may well run into issues, flaky ports, battery swelling, keyboard malfunction, or even stop working altogether!

How much are you looking at spending? There are amazing deals on NEW Apple Silicon Macs that will easily get far more than 8-10 hours, last a lot longer, and have a warranty, too.

Good luck!

 

[MacCheetah3]

What year, models have the butterfly keyboards?

As far as I know all 2016-2019 MacBooks (Air and Pro) except the 2019 16” have butterfly keyboards. These keyboards were such a problem that Apple was replacing those machines for free for the first four years of ownership.

Keyboard Service Program for MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro - Apple Support

Keyboard Service Program for MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro

support.apple.com

Some of the MacBook Pro models also have the Touch Bar in place of the physical F1-F12 keys. I recommend reading a bit about the Touch Bar before buying a machine that has it. The Touch Bar had lots of problems, which was why it is no longer on the recent MacBook models.

Use the Touch Bar on Mac

If your Mac has a Touch Bar, you can use it to adjust common system settings, use Siri, access function keys, and do tasks in apps.

support.apple.com

The MacBook Touch Bar has been a topic of both praise and criticism since its introduction in 2016. Let’s explore some of the common complaints associated with it:

1. Limited Utility: The Touch Bar was initially marketed as a “revolutionary new way to use your Mac.” However, it ended up supporting only a limited handful of Apple apps. Users found it less useful than expected, especially considering the premium price they paid for it.
2. Unintuitive Interaction: Adjusting settings like volume and brightness on the Touch Bar required extra taps, making it less intuitive for users. Some found it frustrating to use, especially when compared to physical keys.
3. Sacrifice of Physical Escape Key: For the first three years of the Touch Bar’s existence, it replaced the physical escape key. This change was particularly unpopular among programmers. Fortunately, Apple addressed this issue in its 2019-era MacBook Pro models by reintroducing the physical escape key.

In summary, opinions on the Touch Bar vary. While some users appreciated its dynamic functionality, others found it lacking in practicality. Ultimately, Apple decided to discontinue the Touch Bar in its latest MacBook Pro models, opting for a more traditional approach with physical function keys and additional ports.

How To Reset the Touch Bar on a MacBook Pro [2024]

Is your Touch Bar unresponsive? Here are several ways to reset the Touch Bar and Control Strip on your MacBook Pro manually.

www.macobserver.com

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Determine battery cycle count for Mac laptops - Apple Support

Learn how to determine the number of cycles your Mac laptop's battery has.

support.apple.com

The utility Coconut Battery will give you both the cycle count and the battery charge % vs. the original design capacity. Obviously the lower the cycle count and the higher the battery percentage the better. I'd only buy something whose battery % in the 90s or, at worst, very high 80s. 800 count is awfully high, too.

I don’t recommend putting a lot of stock in coconutBattery’s health report because it only fetches current data, which often fluctuates due to the nature of battery tech. It’s okay to get a vague picture of battery health, especially on devices that have no such data provided.

You do have a valid point here:

Keep in mind that an older laptop will likely not run recent Mac OSs

macOS Sonoma is compatible with these computers - Apple Support

You can install macOS Sonoma on any of these Mac models.

support.apple.com

In a couple of weeks, we’ll have preliminary insight as to which Mac models were chosen not to make the cut for macOS 15 — my guess is Apple will only chop a year (i.e., cutoff will be 2019 for most models) as a last commitment to Intel Macs (i.e., macOS 16 could very well be Apple Silicon only).

Third-party app compatibility will vary. However, for example, if we look at current Web browser requirements, the support goes back five macOS generations (i.e., the major Web browsers currently require macOS 10.15 Catalina (circa 2019) or newer).

 

[Saturn007]

I don’t recommend putting a lot of stock in coconutBattery’s health report because it only fetches current data, which often fluctuates due to the nature of battery tech.

For sure, there are *some* fluctuations but, in my experience, they have been minor. Plus, a ballpark measure is better than nothing!

Of greater importance, Coconut Battery has had a history function for several years now that lets you see past cycle counts and battery % going way back. A good barometer!

Even better, of course, is getting a used, new, or refurbished device with a new battery!

Now, getting a used Mac that has a very low cycle count — close to new — could be another approach. However, in some such cases, the seller will have kept their machine plugged in all or most of the time, something that can wreak havoc on battery chemistry, so a low cycle count could be misleading and mask a degenerated battery!