Is it better to leave the MacBook Pro...

[DeuceDeuce]

plugged in at all times (even when it sleep mode) or should I occasioanly drain and recharge the battery?

 

[siurpeeman]

apple recommends you calibrate your battery every month or two. instructions here.

 

[DeuceDeuce]

apple recommends you calibrate your battery every month or two. instructions here.

Right on, thanks! Does it hurt the battery to keep it plugged in at all times though? Should I disconect it when I go to bed or just leave it plugged in as much as I can?

Thanks again for the help!

 

[squeeks]

i leave mine plugged in all the time

 

[TomGolden]

At work we have IBM ThinkPads, but we leave them in their docking stations 7x24 unless taking them home at night or to meetings - neither of which I do very often. Our IT people do recommend completely draining the battery at least a couple times every year though.

 

[amusiccale]

I think leaving it plugged in with the battery is a better idea than the alternative--a hole and open contacts on the bottom of a computer (not to mention the moody magsafe connection to the wall) just worry me.

 

[klymr]

Direct from Apple themselves:

Standard Maintenance

For proper maintenance of a lithium-based battery, it’s important to keep the electrons in it moving occasionally. Apple does not recommend leaving your portable plugged in all the time. An ideal use would be a commuter who uses her MacBook Pro on the train, then plugs it in at the office to charge. This keeps the battery juices flowing. If on the other hand, you use a desktop computer at work, and save a notebook for infrequent travel, Apple recommends charging and discharging its battery at least once per month. Need a reminder? Add an event to your desktop’s iCal.

On a side note, I checked the MBP's at my school bookstore, and the new 17" that they had was only on it's 3rd charge cycle (it is always plugged in).

 

[BioChron]

What you could do, is take out your battery and run your laptop on the AC Adapter when your at home, and throw the battery in when your out and about. I'll usually take the battery out of my MacBook when it's fully charged and I'm at home.

- Daniel

 

[aliquis-]

What you could do, is take out your battery and run your laptop on the AC Adapter when your at home, and throw the battery in when your out and about. I'll usually take the battery out of my MacBook when it's fully charged and I'm at home.

- Daniel

Lithium-Ion batterys ideal storing charge is 40% thought, and I don't know if charging it more often (as in connecting it more often) is better than always keeping it charged (always connected.)

 

[MadGoat]

What you could do, is take out your battery and run your laptop on the AC Adapter when your at home, and throw the battery in when your out and about. I'll usually take the battery out of my MacBook when it's fully charged and I'm at home.

- Daniel

Doing so will hamper the performance of that machine. Taking out the battery causes the system to reduce the speed of your MB(P)
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=305336

You want to keep the battery in at all times and do a full drain once a month. keeping it plugged in or not makes no difference.