[MacBook Air 2018] With only 10 cycles, battery at 96%

[Populus]

Hello, I've been using my MacBook Pro since I purchased it, and after 10 cycles of being charged and used, It fell down first to 98% and now to 96%. This has been more noticeable when I've stressed the computer with games like Fortnite or installing Windows 10. But I am back to MacOS and I'm worried by how the battery has weared down.

It has gone from slightly more than its original capacity to 96% of capacity in just a month and 10 cycles. Its original capacity is at 4381 mAh, and now it is at 4199 mAh of capacity. In few charges more I'll be at 90% of maximum capacity! And I'm worried that stressing the machine can cause this degradation.

Have you experienced such a fast degradation on your new Air?

Thank you.

 

[lpolarityl]

I haven't noticed any significant degradation. I've charged mine a decent amount, but I tend to plug it in as soon as I'm done using it. I also don't have percentage enabled as I'm a bit OCD and it would be a useless worry. I always get AppleCare on my MacBooks so I can just use it without worry.

 

[Howard2k]

Battery degradation isn’t linear. Install Coconut Battery and track it for a few months.

 

[Populus]

I know those programs, right? If I say it is at 96% of it's original capacity it's because I've used this kind of software.

Anyway 96% in just 10 cycles seems pretty bad in my opinion. My previous MaxBooks have been at 99 or 98% months after I purchased them.

Somehow it seems batteries are worse quality each year. But that's only based on my limited experience and I might be wrong.

 

[ZipZap]

I know those programs, right? If I say it is at 96% of it's original capacity it's because I've used this kind of software.

Anyway 96% in just 10 cycles seems pretty bad in my opinion. My previous MaxBooks have been at 99 or 98% months after I purchased them.

Somehow it seems batteries are worse quality each year. But that's only based on my limited experience and I might be wrong.

Degradation, as Howard2k pointed out, is not linear. You have to review it over a much larger amount of time and use.

 

[aakshey]

I know those programs, right? If I say it is at 96% of it's original capacity it's because I've used this kind of software.

Anyway 96% in just 10 cycles seems pretty bad in my opinion. My previous MaxBooks have been at 99 or 98% months after I purchased them.

Somehow it seems batteries are worse quality each year. But that's only based on my limited experience and I might be wrong.

All posts in this thread are correct.

Yes, battery degradation isn’t linear.

But yes, Apple’s QC becomes worse yet with each passing year. And not just for batteries. But batteries are the worst affected.

 

[1146331]

Do you leave it plugged in? How far down do you let it run before you charge it?

 

[Populus]

Sorry guys, I appreciate your answers to this old thread, but after the christmas season I ended up returning the 2018 Air. Don't get me wrong, it was a pretty good product, but I think the Air was not the suitable laptop for me. We'll see if the new nTB MBP that's coming this fall will meet my expectations.

As for the battery on this Air, honestly I barely remember the details. But it was strange to lose so much of my total capacity in such a small window of time.

@SpeedyTheSnail Just to provide some extra info, I'll say I don't leave it plugged for too long (several days). And usually I try to make complete cycles. I know there's the people that will come and tell me it is not a problem to charge it when it is at 50%, and the best I can do is plug it at 15-20% and unplug it at 80-85%. I completely disagree with this, based on my own experience: using an iPhone, a Mac or even an iPad, if I routinely make complete charges from 0 to 100% and use until it reaches 1% again, my battery health keeps on its best values. And if some day I need to make a partial charge -because I need the device- that's when magically my total capacity drops. Each ******* time, that happens.

I won't go into a debate here about which charging method is the best, I'm solely based on my experience, and with complete charges and discharges all the iPhones on my life have had great battery health, so for me that's the best way to do it, and I won't change it.

 

[0906742]

But yes, Apple’s QC becomes worse yet with each passing year. And not just for batteries. But batteries are the worst affected.

Based on my personal experience, I concur. Buying this brand gear has changed from pleasant experience to nightmare. In these days I will from now on buy only from dealers how offer no questions asked easy returns. Actually my Air is from one of those and I'm still occasionally thinking about taking an easy way and just return the unit and cross my fingers second unit or different models would be better, But realizing my usual luck, I'm not hesitating yet because I've seen in the past that in many cases exchanging units can lead to even worse faults.

 

[0906742]

Mine after 6 charge cycles already down to 97.x%-98%... It was not 100% even on the very first charge. I received my brand new MBA 2018 with empty battery.