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MacBookpro2011

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 19, 2017
133
70
Ontario, Canada
I have a 2011 13 inch Macbook Pro that works fine but the battery is in need of replacment. Is this worth getting done due to its age. My plan is to keep it for a few more years before replacing.
 
I have a 2011 13 inch Macbook Pro that works fine but the battery is in need of replacment. Is this worth getting done due to its age. My plan is to keep it for a few more years before replacing.
It looks like it would be $129. Only you can say whether it's worth it to you, but to me it sounds like a reasonable fee if you plan on keeping it for a while longer.

 
If you plan on keeping the machine for a few more years, then yes it's worth it. You should be able to replace that battery yourself. Instructions at www.ifixit.com. Make sure you buy a good battery not an eBay knock off.
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It looks like it would be $129. Only you can say whether it's worth it to you, but to me it sounds like a reasonable fee if you plan on keeping it for a while longer.

Apple won't even look at that MacBook Pro as it's considered vintage. Besides, Apple stores are for the most part closed. An Apple Authorized Service Center can probably do the work but it's probably going to cost more than $129.00.
 
The battery isn't hard to change.
MAKE SURE YOU BUY AND USE THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR THE JOB (shouting intentional)
hobo's recommendation in #4 above is a good one.
Go to ifixit.com to see what's involved.

Here's a recommendation while you have the back off:
IF the drive inside is still the original platter-based drive, it's EASY to swap it out for a 2.5" SATA SSD instead. They're not expensive and it will GREATLY enhance performance for a couple more years...
 
The battery isn't hard to change.
MAKE SURE YOU BUY AND USE THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR THE JOB (shouting intentional)
hobo's recommendation in #4 above is a good one.
Go to ifixit.com to see what's involved.

Here's a recommendation while you have the back off:
IF the drive inside is still the original platter-based drive, it's EASY to swap it out for a 2.5" SATA SSD instead. They're not expensive and it will GREATLY enhance performance for a couple more years...

Thanks for the help and info. I had the 2.5" SATA SSD installed last year, may a big difference.
 
Battery arrived today and installed. All working and will report on how long it runs compared to the approx 2 hrs prior. I will calibrate the battery as well.
 
I followed the calibration steps and let the mac shut itself off and waited 5 hrs before starting to charge up again. It took about 5 hrs to get to 100% so I am guessing this is due to the fact that the battery was completely drained?
 
Could be. I've never timed the charge speed, but it can vary based on if the machine is in use, the charger, etc. Run it and see how it behaves.

And don't forget: modern lithium batteries last best if not fully run down to zero on a regular basis. Shoot for plugging in when it drops to about 20% if possible. They also tend to degrade faster if always plugged in. That is hard for some folks that rarely leave a desk/workstation; try to exercise (run down) fairly often...down to that 20% range.
 
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Could be. I've never timed the charge speed, but it can vary based on if the machine is in use, the charger, etc. Run it and see how it behaves.

And don't forget: modern lithium batteries last best if not fully run down to zero on a regular basis. Shoot for plugging in when it drops to about 20% if possible. They also tend to degrade faster if always plugged in. That is hard for some folks that rarely leave a desk/workstation; try to exercise (run down) fairly often...down to that 20% range.
Wiil do, thanks for the tip.
 
I followed the calibration steps and let the mac shut itself off and waited 5 hrs before starting to charge up again. It took about 5 hrs to get to 100% so I am guessing this is due to the fact that the battery was completely drained?

The more expensive quality batteries do tend to charge longer as they have a smart circuitry inside to regulate this process. This is why they tend to last much longer than cheap batteries that don't have it.
 
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