Decent replacement Retina MacBook Pro batteries - do they exist?

[primarycolors]

I am hanging onto my Late 2013 15" Retina MBP until the new Airs come out. The previous owner changed the battery but that replacement is now shot as well. Ideally I'd like to bring it to the Genius Bar but because the previous owner replaced the battery DIY I am almost certain they would reject it.

Reviews on the two reputable Mac parts sources I can think of (iFixit, OWC/NewerTech) say their replacement batteries fail within months to a year! And I really am not sure I trust random eBay batteries.

Has anyone replaced their Retina MBP battery in the last year or two? If so, where did you buy from? Is it reliable? Share your experience.

 

[mgwebb]

I am hanging onto my Late 2013 15" Retina MBP until the new Airs come out. The previous owner changed the battery but that replacement is now shot as well. Ideally I'd like to bring it to the Genius Bar but because the previous owner replaced the battery DIY I am almost certain they would reject it.

Reviews on the two reputable Mac parts sources I can think of (iFixit, OWC/NewerTech) say their replacement batteries fail within months to a year! And I really am not sure I trust random eBay batteries.

Has anyone replaced their Retina MBP battery in the last year or two? If so, where did you buy from? Is it reliable? Share your experience.

I’m curious about this as well. Looking to replace the battery in my 2014 15” but am concerned by the reviews from those places as well. Found a better price at macbookbattery.com but know nothing about them. Nothing but 5-star reviews on their site, but very minimal text and similar sounding.

 

[wilberforce]

I went cheap with this, lasted fine until I traded in the MBP 18 months later, with no signs of issues or battery capacity loss. I wasn't up for spending much on an older MacBook:

13" version (that I bought):

Puredick A1582 A1502 Battery, Replacement Battery A1502 for MacBook Pro 13 inch Retina [ Early 2015, Mid 2014, Late 2013 ] A1493 - High-Performance and Longevity [11.36V 74.9Wh 18Months Warranty]

Puredick A1582 A1502 Battery, Replacement Battery A1502 for MacBook Pro 13 inch Retina [ Early 2015, Mid 2014, Late 2013 ] A1493 - High-Performance and Longevity [11.36V 74.9Wh 18Months Warranty]

www.amazon.com

15" version:

Puredick A1494 A1618 Battery Only for (Mid 2015, Mid 2014, Late 2013) A1398 Replacement Battery for 15-inch A1398 - [Upgraded A1494/A1618 Universal Version]

Puredick A1494 A1618 Battery Only for (Mid 2015, Mid 2014, Late 2013) A1398 Replacement Battery for 15-inch A1398 - [Upgraded A1494/A1618 Universal Version]

www.amazon.com

If you have damage from battery swelling, people have reported that the $199 Apple charge for battery replacement included replacing the keyboard/trackpad/shell. Not sure how true/universal that is, though.

Amazon reviews are not worth much. Many are either fake positive or ranting negative; you need to read between the lines to discern real reviews coming from reasonable people, and YMMV.

btw, getting the old glued-in battery out is a bit difficult, but doable. Need to be careful. Watch youtube videos.

 

[primarycolors]

Update on this: I decided to go through Apple since this is probably the last shot this Mac has at official service.
They required me to bring it to a store since the mail-in centers wouldn't have the part. The previous DIY repair was not a problem (since it would void the warranty but the device is already out of warranty).

The nearest Apple Store actually had the part in stock and finished it in a day. Indeed it is a full $199 top case replacement which includes the keyboard, trackpad, and shell.

I was worried about old dry stock, but to my surprise the battery was manufactured as recently as August 2021!

I think it was worth the extra money. It should last me well until the new Airs come out.

 

[calliex]

I was told by Apple my 2012 retina MBP was too old and they could not replace it. That was about a year ago. I use it plugged in and works fine. I am getting a new M1 by the end of the month. I would like to replace the battery on 2012 but most reviews are not good about replacements.