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Is it worth paying $99 to replace the battery of my 10.5in IPP until a mini-led 11in IPP comes out?

  • Yes

    Votes: 8 53.3%
  • No

    Votes: 5 33.3%
  • Buy an iPad mini 6

    Votes: 2 13.3%

  • Total voters
    15
  • Poll closed .

Phineasgage1848

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 26, 2016
73
119
The battery on my cellular 10.5in IPP is in pretty rough shape: I have to charge it almost every other day with very light use (less than 1.5hr screen time) / cellular off. I love the device and was trying to hold out until mini-led comes to the 11in iPP considering I have the smart keyboard and 1st gen Pencil and it suits my needs. Should I spend the $99 to replace the battery assuming I'll be upgrading in Mar or Apr if those new iPads arrive? The 10.5in IPP is a supplemental / lightweight travel device because my 13in m1 MBP is generally docked with my external display. I was also considering picking up a new iPad Mini 6 since I've never used that form factor and the 10.5 is a bit larger than I need for general couch browsing etc.
 
10.5 pro is still a good ipad. I would definitely get the battery replaced if you want to keep using it until a better 11 pro is released.
After I sold my 2020 11 pro I used my 10.5 pro just fine. I used it until I switched back to a 12.9 pro (2021).
 
What's the cycle count and charge capacity like on your iPad as that battery life sounds terrible? You can use the coconutBattery app to check it if you've got a Mac -

I've noticed with several iPads that when I've updated to new versions of the OS, the battery life has taken a significant hit. I wonder if that could have happened with your iPad? The solution has been to erase all content and settings and set it up as new device rather than from an iCloud backup.
 
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What's the cycle count and charge capacity like on your iPad as that battery life sounds terrible? You can use the coconutBattery app to check it if you've got a Mac -

I've noticed with several iPads that when I've updated to new versions of the OS, the battery life has taken a significant hit. I wonder if that could have happened with your iPad? The solution has been to erase all content and settings and set it up as new device rather than from an iCloud backup.
Good idea! 392 Cycles, 72.8% Capacity. I was running the iOS 15 beta all summer and switched to the standard release. Maybe I should erase.
 
I’d replace the battery and see how much more use you get out of it.
If in doubt or meanwhile interested in an iPad mini, order one from Apple and test it during the two week return period for comparison.
 
Where are you seeing $99 to replace the battery? 3rd Party? Last I knew Apple charged a much larger fee to replace the battery because you essentially get a refurbed device.
 
Apple charges a flat fee of $99 for battery replacement out-of-warranty, see link below (scroll down to see battery pricing):


It's irrespective of whether or not they actually replace the battery in your device or swap it for a refurb model. That is just how they handle it.

You could also see if there is a local repair shop that would do this work, in which case you would actually get the battery replaced in your own device. And it will likely be $99 or even slightly less. That is what I did recently for our older 5th gen iPad. The alternative would have been to wait for it to be sent to Apple and then returned, which would have taken a couple of weeks.
 
Good idea! 392 Cycles, 72.8% Capacity. I was running the iOS 15 beta all summer and switched to the standard release. Maybe I should erase.

You could try erasing and restoring from an iCloud backup, that won’t take you long. If that doesn’t work, then try erasing and setting up as a new device. It’s a hassle, but I found the problem was still there when restoring from a backup.

I think I first encountered the issue with the iPad 4. That had legendary battery life, something like 16 to 18 hours after adjusting the settings, but after updating, I was only getting 6 hours.

I’ve had similar issues with subsequent iPads and I’m not doing anything unusual with them.

The battery capacity reading will vary, but if 100% was good enough for 10 hours, 70% should be enough for 7 hours, which I would have thought was acceptable. You can also use a guide like the following to improve things -
https://www.lifewire.com/best-ipad-battery-life-tips-1999807

I think that could get you through to next March or April and it won't cost you anything to try it.
 
I would not want to pay it due to the White Spot issue - you appear to have been lucky in avoiding it, but may not be so with the refurb replacement. I can't remember what the warranty on an OOW service is but it's unlikely to be enough for the spot to develop if it was going to.

I would suggest trying the Mini 6 in a few weeks which would give you the extended returns period until January.
 
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Apple charges a flat fee of $99 for battery replacement out-of-warranty, see link below (scroll down to see battery pricing):


It's irrespective of whether or not they actually replace the battery in your device or swap it for a refurb model. That is just how they handle it.

You could also see if there is a local repair shop that would do this work, in which case you would actually get the battery replaced in your own device. And it will likely be $99 or even slightly less. That is what I did recently for our older 5th gen iPad. The alternative would have been to wait for it to be sent to Apple and then returned, which would have taken a couple of weeks.

Thanks, I guess I was conflating memories.
 
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