Battery life for 13" and 15" Macbook Pro

[glindon]

Ahahahah fixed!

This is so annoying. I thought there was something wrong and I kept trying to figure out how to get the time remaining to show. It's still there in activity monitor on the energy tab.

I just ended up reseting the PRAM on mine because coconut battery was saying that I was using 28 watts at idle. Now it's about 7.5 watts at idle. There's so much strangeness going on with these MacBook Pros.

 

[cityboy-100]

Just visited the Apple Store at Grand Central in NYC.

I spoke to a few employees who all effectively admitted that there's been a wave of complaints regarding the battery. They said that the differences in battery estimates vary so wildly that they believe it's likely a software issue, though have been requesting a confirmation from Apple that they still have not received.

I specifically asked if I should exchange mine for a different one (i.e. is it a lemon?) and their recommendation was — given the return policy through January — to hold onto it for a couple of weeks and that they expect/hope a Sierra update rectifies the issue.

Given that the folks at Apple are real humans working jobs just like us, what are the chances they are going to get this fixed and ship it to the AppStore before the Christmas holiday? I bet the QA process for the fix would take a while. Even if they know what it is today, it just doesn't seem likely that we are going to see something before the new year especially if it's one of those firmware updates that requires you to restart your Mac.

 

[SeanZy]

I am pretty bummed about the battery on the 13 inch TB version.... it is making me regret just not getting the 2015 model when it was on sale.. I hope they fix it within the month or I will have to just return it to best buy.

 

[BiteSizeThumb]

Using my MacBook 15" 2016 for the past 3 days, I have yet to go over 4 hours in battery life just from simply Safari browsing, listening to music with earphones, and using iMessage/WhatsApp app. Pretty disappointed I must say...

 

[Corrode]

I wish the 13" non-touch had an option with ports on both sides and slight faster memory. And Touch ID. And maybe sliders for volume and brightness. And a kind of touch interface for editing photos. But we don't need a touchbar to get a new tab (control T) or suggest a word. Like a hybrid.

You pretty much described the MBP with TouchBar. lol

 

[kwandrews]

I'm REALLY starting to think this is a software issue and not an actual battery issue. I've started to put 2 + 2 together here. I run two profiles on my 15" base model. One for work and one for my personal stuff. The one for work has been the most troublesome. My personal has been pretty okay for me. What's the difference? The software I'm running. Outlined below.

After my earlier trouble today (2 hours at work on battery away from office, done with 22% after that), I ran it down to 5% and recharged again. Now on personal for 2:35 on battery only (about 25 of it active so far). Battery showing 97% and 8:22 left. My work battery test was also started at 100% after a drain like this and it was the opposite....

Work Software / usage:

• Outlook, Word and Xcel 2016
• Skype for Business (with about 2-3 voice only meeting and 2-3 video meetings per day)
• iMessage
• Safari (usually 2-3 tabs open at once)
• Cisco AnyConnect VPN
• Cisco Citrix Receiver

Personal Software / usage:

• Safari
• Photos + Luminar
• iMessage
• Mail
• iMovie
• SlingTV

I'm getting better battery life, of course, with a mainly Apple software environment. Work is mainly MS, Cisco and about 33% Apple. I'm going to pay close attention to the MS Office energy usage. I've filed a bug report with them on the newest GA release of Skype as a resource hog (CPU). A couple days later, the fast release beta is much better (installed after my test) and noted a decrease in CPU usage and smoother operation.

If I can get 7-9 hours out of a battery on a quad core i7 15" I'd be okay with that. I'd call that a compromise between performance and battery life. I had the base 13" non-touch and it was stellar with the battery, but performance compared to this one is night and day. I'm not giving up on it yet. I am hopeful that software, OS and firmware tweaks will make a significant difference.

 

[SamVilde]

You pretty much described the MBP with TouchBar. lol

Yah. Was a joke. I keep thinking "maybe I'll just get the non-touchbar version, if the battery's better and the touch bar is so gimmicky..." and then I start thinking of all those other things.

 

[BBD90]

So I am using the Macbook Pro 13 without the touch bar and if I use it for school work and basic things I can easily get 10 hours out of it but the problem is if this computer with a 15 watt battery, no touch bar/companion processor, and a larger battery is getting 10 hours of battery then there is no way that a 13 inch with touchbar will be able to match it unless Apple does some voodoo.

 

[kwandrews]

So I am using the Macbook Pro 13 without the touch bar and if I use it for school work and basic things I can easily get 10 hours out of it but the problem is if this computer with a 15 watt battery, no touch bar/companion processor, and a larger battery is getting 10 hours of battery then there is no way that a 13 inch with touchbar will be able to match it unless Apple does some voodoo.

Correct, and the TB 13 has higher watts and a smaller battery as well.

 

[Brandon Hobart]

No doubt, the 13 inch MacBook has more powerful battery than the 15'' MacBook Pro The difference is significant and not negligible. The 13'' MacBook stays alive for almost 10-11 hours while the 15'' battery living drops down to 8-9 hours maximum.

 

[JMac1996]

Hello Guys,

I searched for Days now, and I am confused so hopefully someone can help me out.
How should I handle my Macbook Pro for optimal Lifetime. Should I charge it to 100% and unplug it then, ran all the battery down, and then charge it up again? or should I let it plugged in when ever I can?
Thanks. I read, that it doesn't matter if you let it charged or unplug it

 

[Roller]

No doubt, the 13 inch MacBook has more powerful battery than the 15'' MacBook Pro The difference is significant and not negligible. The 13'' MacBook stays alive for almost 10-11 hours while the 15'' battery living drops down to 8-9 hours maximum.

If you're talking about the new MacBook Pros, that's not accurate. The non-TB MBP's battery is rated at 54.5 watt-hours, compared to 49.2 for the 13" MBP with TB and 76 for the 15" MBP. The differences people are seeing are related to varying power draw that depends on what apps are running and doing, use of integrated vs. discrete graphics for the 15" MBP, and so on. There also may be a software issue that affects power management and/or how battery life is reported by the OS.

Apple advertises a 10-hour battery life for the 13" MBPs with the following footnote:

"Testing conducted by Apple in October 2016 using preproduction 2.0GHz dual-core Intel Core i5-based 13-inch MacBook Pro systems with a 256GB SSD and 8GB of RAM (wireless web test, iTunes movie playback test, and standby test). Testing conducted by Apple in October 2016 using preproduction 2.9GHz dual-core Intel Core i5-based 13-inch MacBook Pro systems with a 512GB SSD and 8GB of RAM (wireless web test and iTunes movie playback test) and preproduction 2.9GHz dual-core Intel Core i5-based 13-inch MacBook Pro systems with a 256GB SSD and 8GB of RAM (standby test). The wireless web test measures battery life by wirelessly browsing 25 popular websites with display brightness set to 12 clicks from bottom or 75%. The iTunes movie playback test measures battery life by playing back HD 1080p content with display brightness set to 12 clicks from bottom or 75%. The standby test measures battery life by allowing a system, connected to a wireless network and signed in to an iCloud account, to enter standby mode with Safari and Mail applications launched and all system settings left at default. Battery life varies by use and configuration."

If it turns out that battery life is substantially lower than 10 hours under the above test conditions, Apple will have to respond. At this point, I'm waiting to see what happens on the software front, especially since I haven't received my MBP yet.

 

[ascender]

Having switched from a 13" non-TB model to a 15" one, so far there's not been much noticeable difference in real terms. I get the same wild fluctuations with the battery stats, but I get 8 hours+ with the sort of work I do.

 

[Ma2k5]

Having switched from a 13" non-TB model to a 15" one, so far there's not been much noticeable difference in real terms. I get the same wild fluctuations with the battery stats, but I get 8 hours+ with the sort of work I do.

I think you'll find you can the same if not more with the 15" as long as you don't use apps which end up activating the dGPU. Some people unfortunately have found the dGPU to end up being turned on for the weirdest things, like opening "Preferences" tabs in some apps and other quirks like that. Then there is things like graphics/splash screens on usual apps and web sites which seem to turn it on sadly. Apple applications seem to be better (bar Safari) when it comes to determining whether to use the iGPU or the dGPU, but you could have a nightmare when using third party apps, even if they don't even need half of the iGPU's performance. I don't think this will be fixed by Apple, it hasn't for years.

 

[ThisIsPhil]

maxed out 13" here...
One week in, I alway got about 5 hours out of my MacBook... I was very careful... only 50% brightness... no bluetooth... Only Safari and iTunes...
I was on the edge of returning it...
Today I've done a smc and pram reset and found the solution!!!
Now I get about twice the battery life out of my 13" MacBook!!! happy days!

 

[drvelocity]

I think you'll find you can the same if not more with the 15" as long as you don't use apps which end up activating the dGPU. Some people unfortunately have found the dGPU to end up being turned on for the weirdest things, like opening "Preferences" tabs in some apps and other quirks like that. Then there is things like graphics/splash screens on usual apps and web sites which seem to turn it on sadly. Apple applications seem to be better (bar Safari) when it comes to determining whether to use the iGPU or the dGPU, but you could have a nightmare when using third party apps, even if they don't even need half of the iGPU's performance. I don't think this will be fixed by Apple, it hasn't for years.

Has anyone tried the latest Sierra beta to see if that solves any of the battery problems? This release is buggy as hell with various graphics card glitches so I'm guessing they have some work to do on background power management.

 

[Brookzy]

Another battery saving tip: if, like me, you find the Touch Bar word suggestions useless (because you touch type or they're simply too slow) disable them in keyboard preferences. It seems to have saved me a bit if power. I do a lot of typing and the constant processing of word suggestions - and displaying them on the Touch Bar - must have used some power.

 

[Roller]

maxed out 13" here...
One week in, I alway got about 5 hours out of my MacBook... I was very careful... only 50% brightness... no bluetooth... Only Safari and iTunes...
I was on the edge of returning it...
Today I've done a smc and pram reset and found the solution!!!
Now I get about twice the battery life out of my 13" MacBook!!! happy days!

Is that real battery life or the number reported by the OS?

 

[ThisIsPhil]

sort of both....

 

[^_^]

Holy ****, I am so lost.... I'ts been literally over a month now that I'm contemplating which MBP to get. By the time I've decided whether I'll be going for a new 13" or 15" MPB (my main concern had been the width. Since I've been using a huge-ass, temporary laptop for uni [until I get a MPB], and the size doesn't bother me - I figured that a smaller 15" MPB will do just fine), people began receiving their pre-ordered MPBs, and the entire battery life issues, speculations and theories began to surface.

Some people get literally 2x+ more work time than others, on the same spec'd machines. Some claim it's due to unfinished indexing, others say their indexing had been completed, and that isn't the issue. I've also seen people claim that an SMC reset and/or PRAM reset have solved their battery issue (like the guy who commented 2-3 comments above mine), yet others say that it makes no difference (including people who've tried and said it's had no impact whatsoever). Some say it's software-related and all we can hope for is an update that'll sort things out. Overall - a complete, unclear, mess.


This entire thing has kept me from placing an order, and it's been over a month now... I keep reading threads (found this thread just a couple days ago, gone through many comments), and yeah.... nothing helps reassure anything.

What a nightmare. I'll re-evaluate my decision based on battery life (mostly, to some extent), but until we get some final, reliable conclusions concerning the matter - I'm stuck and can't (won't) place an order.

I'm not even sure about the size anymore. I'll be using it mainly for and at the university; typing, reading (docs/pdfs) etc., but I was thinking that the 15" screen real estate beats the extra portability of the 13", but at this point, it all boils down to the battery. If the 15" eats up battery way more severely than the 13" (because of the dedicated GPU triggering for no reason or what not), then I'd much rather take a 13", even though a 15" would be convenient for when I'm home as well (not having to switch to the PC for comfort and just keep using the MBP if I wanna study).

And what sucks the most is that I have to make sure that I am satisfied with the one MBP I get, because I will not be able to return it.

What a mess..

 

[badlydrawnboy]

Another battery saving tip: if, like me, you find the Touch Bar word suggestions useless (because you touch type or they're simply too slow) disable them in keyboard preferences. It seems to have saved me a bit if power. I do a lot of typing and the constant processing of word suggestions - and displaying them on the Touch Bar - must have used some power.

How do you turn these off? I can't find the setting.

 

[Prothis]

How do you turn these off? I can't find the setting.

In system preferences click keyboard >> "Text" tab on top >> uncheck the "Touch Bar typing suggestions"

 

[Shadow Puppets]

Holy ****, I am so lost.... I'ts been literally over a month now that I'm contemplating which MBP to get. By the time I've decided whether I'll be going for a new 13" or 15" MPB (my main concern had been the width. Since I've been using a huge-ass, temporary laptop for uni [until I get a MPB], and the size doesn't bother me - I figured that a smaller 15" MPB will do just fine), people began receiving their pre-ordered MPBs, and the entire battery life issues, speculations and theories began to surface.

Some people get literally 2x+ more work time than others, on the same spec'd machines. Some claim it's due to unfinished indexing, others say their indexing had been completed, and that isn't the issue. I've also seen people claim that an SMC reset and/or PRAM reset have solved their battery issue (like the guy who commented 2-3 comments above mine), yet others say that it makes no difference (including people who've tried and said it's had no impact whatsoever). Some say it's software-related and all we can hope for is an update that'll sort things out. Overall - a complete, unclear, mess.


This entire thing has kept me from placing an order, and it's been over a month now... I keep reading threads (found this thread just a couple days ago, gone through many comments), and yeah.... nothing helps reassure anything.

What a nightmare. I'll re-evaluate my decision based on battery life (mostly, to some extent), but until we get some final, reliable conclusions concerning the matter - I'm stuck and can't (won't) place an order.

I'm not even sure about the size anymore. I'll be using it mainly for and at the university; typing, reading (docs/pdfs) etc., but I was thinking that the 15" screen real estate beats the extra portability of the 13", but at this point, it all boils down to the battery. If the 15" eats up battery way more severely than the 13" (because of the dedicated GPU triggering for no reason or what not), then I'd much rather take a 13", even though a 15" would be convenient for when I'm home as well (not having to switch to the PC for comfort and just keep using the MBP if I wanna study).

And what sucks the most is that I have to make sure that I am satisfied with the one MBP I get, because I will not be able to return it.

What a mess..

I'm in a pretty similar position to you... although I'm mostly concerned about the GPU glitches more than anything.

However, why would you not be able to return it?

 

[badlydrawnboy]

c

In system preferences click keyboard >> "Text" tab on top >> uncheck the "Touch Bar typing suggestions"

Ah, how did I miss that? Thanks.

 

[Dukat]

maxed out 13" here...
One week in, I alway got about 5 hours out of my MacBook... I was very careful... only 50% brightness... no bluetooth... Only Safari and iTunes...
I was on the edge of returning it...
Today I've done a smc and pram reset and found the solution!!!
Now I get about twice the battery life out of my 13" MacBook!!! happy days!

Is there a way to see if the SMC reset worked?

Apple says:

1. Shut down the Mac.
2. Plug in the MagSafe or USB-C power adapter to a power source and to your Mac.
3. Using the built-in keyboard, press Shift-Control-Option on the left side of the keyboard, then press the power button at the same time.
4. Release all keys, then press the power button again to turn on your Mac

When I press power (and let go), then let go of ****-Control-Option the laptop reboots and powers on by itself. Step 4 says you must press the power button again to power on so I'm not sure the reset has worked for me.

Same question for PRAM reset. Instructions say, "After resetting NVRAM, you might need to reconfigure settings for speaker volume, screen resolution, startup disk selection, and time zone information." but none of those settings changed for me so I'm not sure it worked.