Macbook pro 2015 battery cycle count?

[Mac4EverDrummer]

This macbook im looking at has a cycle count of 478.

15” Macbook Pro Retina mid-2015 2.5Ghz Quad-Core i7 - 16GB RAM - 512GB SSD , good condition

It has a cycle count of 478. Is it worth purchasing $350?

 

[Slix]

Battery cycle counts don't really have any direct correlation between battery health and age. You could have 1 cycle count and it remained plugged in for 3 years straight and then the battery holds 0 charge after all that time. These batteries were rated for 1000 full cycle charges, but every battery has endured different conditions during its life, so it's hard to say if 478 is good or not. It would be worth asking the seller if you can if they can provide you with a better indicator of health, for example, how many hours of YouTube playback it gets before the battery dies.

Looking at eBay prices of sold listings real quick, it seems that $350 is much too high for this model of MacBook Pro. The 15" 2015s seem to go for about $200-$300 right now. Don't overpay!

 

[theMarble]

I'd say that 478 cycles is decent for a second hand 2015 Pro.

I personally would only pay $300 max for that config, but I guess depending on what the used market varies place-to-place.

 

[theMarble]

Battery cycle counts don't really have any direct correlation between battery health and age. You could have 1 cycle count and it remained plugged in for 3 years straight and then the battery holds 0 charge after all that time.

I can attest to that.

A few years ago, I bought a second-hand A1212 that was in excellent condition, both physically and with the battery. The cycle count was something around 20 or 30 and lasted for multiple hours. However, a few weeks after I got it, the battery rapidly started expanding and then died.

 

[Mac4EverDrummer]

Thankx for the heads up !!

 

[Little Endian]

At that age and with 478 cycle counts the battery will need to be replaced about now or within the next year. As others have said don’t overpay as you will need to replace the battery within a few weeks or a year. Regardless of battery life we are talking about an 8 year old laptop. Maybe you can squeeze another 2-3 years max with a battery replacement but it won’t be a stellar experience. I got a 2018 15” MBP and I plan to replace it within the next 2 years. It’s adequate for now but with just 350 charge cycles it’s only at 83% design capacity. ATM I don’t think it will be worth spending a few hundred dollars to replace the battery in a 5-7 year old laptop. Will probably just sell/trade in or keep as a backup.

 

[HDFan]

If you proceed be cautious with seller. Make sure you have a return period. Lots of scams reported on MacRumors where folks lost all of their money.

 

[rovostrov]

This macbook im looking at has a cycle count of 478.

15” Macbook Pro Retina mid-2015 2.5Ghz Quad-Core i7 - 16GB RAM - 512GB SSD , good condition

It has a cycle count of 478. Is it worth purchasing $350?

If it is the original battery, it might be eligible for a replacement due to the battery recall for the 2015's
If you can get the serial number, check here to see if it qualifies for a replacement. https://support.apple.com/15-inch-macbook-pro-battery-recall
I had one done about a month ago and Apple had it back to me within a week.

 

[Grubster]

This macbook im looking at has a cycle count of 478.

15” Macbook Pro Retina mid-2015 2.5Ghz Quad-Core i7 - 16GB RAM - 512GB SSD , good condition

It has a cycle count of 478. Is it worth purchasing $350?

I buy and sell MacBooks as a hobby. What you need to look at is the battery maximum capacity. I believe this unit should be something like 8700mAh. The cycle count on this one is absolutely fine. extremely low cycles on an old machine means the person never unplugged it and burned out the battery. Batteries need to be used to last longer.

I also typically recommend the 2.2 ghz processor for 2015 15” as the discrete graphics cards are known to be problematic and what kind of boost do you expect now on a 8 year old graphic card. I would never myself pay 350 for one of these as I try to make some money on them, but I would also try to sell them, for 350-500 depending on specs and condition, if that helps with price. The 2.2 models did Not have discrete graphics. I will say, for a 15” machine, they are still nice machines. I would try to find a 2017 or 2018 if you wanted something newer that can run ventura, but just beware of display issues, and the displays are pricey to replace.

 

[theMarble]

discrete graphics cards are known to be problematic

The R9 M370X in the 2015 and the GT 750M in the Late 2013 and 2014 Retina's never failed or had graphics issues like the 2012/Early 2013 Retina's.

 

[Mac4EverDrummer]

I got a reply from an ebay seller whrn i adjed what the cycle count was for a MacBook pro 15”. He replied with 184. I asked for MacBooks with 500+ cycle counts. His reply was: Just so you know, the cycle count goes up as you charge and use the MacBook. A 500+ cycle count would be a lot of usage compared to 184.

So im confused with his reply?

 

[rovostrov]

I got a reply from an ebay seller whrn i adjed what the cycle count was for a MacBook pro 15”. He replied with 184. I asked for MacBooks with 500+ cycle counts. His reply was: Just so you know, the cycle count goes up as you charge and use the MacBook. A 500+ cycle count would be a lot of usage compared to 184.

So im confused with his reply?

I'm not sure I understand what is confusing. 184 means the battery has been charged 184 times, which is much better than it being charged 500 times. Why would you want a macbook with 500+ battery cycles over one with only 184?

 

[Mac4EverDrummer]

I'm not sure I understand what is confusing. 184 means the battery has been charged 184 times, which is much better than it being charged 500 times. Why would you want a macbook with 500+ battery cycles over one with only 184?

thankx for clarification. Is best to ask what is the Full Charge Capacity or the lower battery cycles would indicate a good battery life?

 

[rovostrov]

thankx for clarification. Is best to ask what is the Full Charge Capacity or the lower battery cycles would indicate a good battery life?

I usually just ask what the cycle count is. If its over 500, I factor in the cost of a battery replacement with what the seller wants for the macbook. If they are asking too much, I just move on and find another with less cycles

 

[TheEnthusiast]

184 means the battery has been charged 184 times, which is much better than it being charged 500 times. Why would you want a macbook with 500+ battery cycles over one with only 184?

I disagree somewhat because it's not as straightforward as "less cycles means a better battery." By that logic, a 2015 battery with 50 cycles would be better than one with 184 cycles. Age, charging habits, and long-term storage are all factors as well. Assuming it's the original battery and assuming a regular user, a 2015 computer whose battery has only 50 cycles is due to be swollen, if it isn't already.

@Mac4EverDrummer, long story short, for a 2015 computer, assuming it's the original battery, just factor in the cost for replacement (for age reasons, if nothing else). If it's not the original, ask for Cycle Count and the Full Charge Capacity.

 

[rovostrov]

I disagree somewhat because it's not as straightforward as "less cycles means a better battery." By that logic, a 2015 battery with 50 cycles would be better than one with 184 cycles. Age, charging habits, and long-term storage are all factors as well. Assuming it's the original battery and assuming a regular user, a 2015 computer whose battery has only 50 cycles is due to be swollen, if it isn't already.

@Mac4EverDrummer, long story short, for a 2015 computer, assuming it's the original battery, just factor in the cost for replacement (for age reasons, if nothing else). If it's not the original, ask for Cycle Count and the Full Charge Capacity.

Good point but to know the exact history of any macbook on ebay is not something thats going to happen. I've got a 2012 macbook pro with original battery, low cycles and its been plugged in most its life, still holds a good charge and going strong. I had tried to upgrade to a 2019, but it was a disaster! The battery had 375 cycles, was shot and had to be replaced. If you buy a older computer, you should probably just expect to replace the battery sooner rather than later

 

[TheEnthusiast]

If you buy a older computer, you should probably just expect to replace the battery sooner rather than later

Agreed.