MBP C2D Battery Life

[kerisimasi]

Hi, I know there are many threads out there about battery life, however, i haven't really found a good answer. I am aware of how to calibrate the battery and have done so 3x since I have received my mbp about two weeks ago (Week 43 model - 2.16GHZ 2GB RAM 120GB HD). I just finished charging the battery and I wanted to see what kind of time would show in the menu bar... 2 hours and 57 minutes remaining. That is with 50% screen brightness, just this website open, airport of course, no BT, no backlight, or any other programs. Although I need to get used to a shorter battery life (upgraded from macbook), this seems too short to me.

Another red-flag is that when I take out the mag-safe, Expose is very choppy and sluggish. Immediately after I plug in the magsafe, it is smooth again much quicker. I never had this expose issue wiht the macbook, which is odd to me since there were no dedicated graphics on that laptop....and this one shouldn't be worse. Should I take it in and have it looked at??? Or am I over -reacting? Like many others have stated, we pay good $$ for these things, they should be semi-flawless.

 

[Josias]

Hi, I know there are many threads out there about battery life, however, i haven't really found a good answer. I am aware of how to calibrate the battery and have done so 3x since I have received my mbp about two weeks ago (Week 43 model - 2.16GHZ 2GB RAM 120GB HD). I just finished charging the battery and I wanted to see what kind of time would show in the menu bar... 2 hours and 57 minutes remaining. That is with 50% screen brightness, just this website open, airport of course, no BT, no backlight, or any other programs. Although I need to get used to a shorter battery life (upgraded from macbook), this seems too short to me.

Another red-flag is that when I take out the mag-safe, Expose is very choppy and sluggish. Immediately after I plug in the magsafe, it is smooth again much quicker. I never had this expose issue wiht the macbook, which is odd to me since there were no dedicated graphics on that laptop....and this one shouldn't be worse. Should I take it in and have it looked at??? Or am I over -reacting? Like many others have stated, we pay good $$ for these things, they should be semi-flawless.

Hmm, my MB estimates 5 hours on that, and you only get 3?

Try actually just running it through. Sit on MR like that for 3 hours, and see if you wouldn't get a little more. I can usually milk up to 6 hours with min. brightness, AirPort and MacRumors only.

 

[jasonyz]

my battery life

Hi,

I have owned 2 Macbook C2Ds.... one got returned due to heat/fan issues (running too hot, loud fans). The 1st one consistently got 2:20 min with the screen 3 empty notches below max, with 802.11 and bluetooth on, doing light work (web browsing).

My New one gets 3hrs 10 minutes on the exact same settings as above! Also, my new one runs about 10 degrees CELSIUS cooler than my old one (idle temp is around 50C vs 60C for the returned one).

Jason

 

[Westside guy]

My impression of my C2D Macbook Pro is that the battery life is closer to three hours than to five. That's using a bluetooth mouse, wifi connection and the screen close to full brightness. When i unplug it the estimate given is 3:30, which may be correct - but I don't really trust estimates all that much.

 

[Jiddick ExRex]

I have heard about the exposé choppiness when not plugged in before. Just to let you know you're not alone.

 

[ZballZ]

I have heard about the exposé choppiness when not plugged in before. Just to let you know you're not alone.

Exposé runs fast and smoothly both ways on my C2MBP - plugged or unplugged - I really cant seem to see any difference!

Also its cool, nice lcd, quiet. Pretty much perfect. Only pretty much, though, a shame I am returning it since the superdrive doesn't work at all

Now I am worrying about getting another one with some of these flaws!!

 

[saxondale.]

Airport on, Bluetooth off, msn, safari, brightness about 70%, i get just under 3hrs

 

[Eraserhead]

I find with my Macbook I get about 3.5 hours, though it depends on what brightness settings I have, this is on "Longer Battery" mode too.

Turning off bluetooth gives about 1 extra minute of battery, wireless off gives about 5 extra minutes (over 3 hours).

 

[4np]

I have heard about the exposé choppiness when not plugged in before. Just to let you know you're not alone.

Maybe you pressed the shift key when doing some Exposé action?

 

[weckart]

After only 3 charge cycles, Coconut battery is reporting my maximum capacity at 97% already. Not good. And, yes, I did calibrate.

My Powerbook has been through umpteen cycles over 32 months and is still at 92% of original capacity, only trumped by my iBook which has had close to 200 charge cycles and still at 100% of original capacity. Of course, the iBook has one of the deadly Sony batteries (and I am STILL waiting for the replacement you promised in August, Mr Jobs).

 

[iBorg20181]

MacBook PRO

kerisimasi, you are asking about MacBook Pro battery life, and some of the responses are for MacBooks - which, of course, get much higher battery duration.

My MBP gets about 3 1/2 hours with full brightness, airport, iTunes and Safari running - on 1/2 brightness, running only Safari, I get over 4 hours.

iBorg

 

[kerisimasi]

kerisimasi, you are asking about MacBook Pro battery life, and some of the responses are for MacBooks - which, of course, get much higher battery duration.

My MBP gets about 3 1/2 hours with full brightness, airport, iTunes and Safari running - on 1/2 brightness, running only Safari, I get over 4 hours.

iBorg

I guess this is my concer - of you can get that much out of your battery - I am thinking that most should as well. There shouldn't be that much of a deviation...I only use 50% brightness and barely get to 3 hours with light browsing. Is it worth taking in to an Apple store to look at....also considering the expose issue?? Thanks everyone for your posts.

 

[kerisimasi]

I have heard about the exposé choppiness when not plugged in before. Just to let you know you're not alone.

do you know if there is a resolution? It annoys me onlu because my old macbook was so much better with no dedicated graphics. thanks

 

[e12a]

I believe applications running through Rosetta may slow down Expose.

 

[miniguu]

I get about 3-3.5 hours on battery running Airport, VPN, Word, Firefox and Mail. Mostly alternating between web surfing and word processing. Brightness usually set to 50%.

Expose looks smooth to me on battery and power.

 

[iñaki'sonMac'87]

I get, watching DVD (almost 2 hrs) and some web browsing and MSN, between 3 and 3,5 hrs, 80% LCD, with iliminated keyboard.
ANyway, my MBP don't get hoter than 55ºC

 

[The Stig]

Battery

I'm getting around the same 3.5 hours with wifi and half brightness and firefox running.

I don't know. I think it should be more. I would hope for more like 4.5 hours. I calibrated my battery and it seemed to of helped. Coconut battery says I'm running at 98% capacity. If there was a bigger battery I could buy I would.

The Stig

 

[macman2790]

kerisimasi, you are asking about MacBook Pro battery life, and some of the responses are for MacBooks - which, of course, get much higher battery duration.

My MBP gets about 3 1/2 hours with full brightness, airport, iTunes and Safari running - on 1/2 brightness, running only Safari, I get over 4 hours.

iBorg

id have to say that your the only one i've heard not complain about their macbook pro. I hope i'm just as pleased as you are with yours.

 

[iñaki'sonMac'87]

id have to say that your the only one i've heard not complain about their macbook pro. I hope i'm just as pleased as you are with yours.

If you want, I could start singing aleluyahs to my MBP C2D
I have read a lot of Iborg's arguments, and I fully agree, not even displays problems, just some wi-fi problems, but, due to that I "borrow" wi-fi from the neighbourghood, can't complain

Anyway, before this, I couldn't see a whole movie on my former laptops (Vaio and PB G3) so, I'm happy all the same

 

[vader26]

on my 2.16 c2d i get about 3.5 hours with just itunes and safari running + airport, and 1/2 brightness... Would like more, but so long as I get at least 3 hrs I am ok with it.

 

[ZballZ]

Would there be any significant difference in battery-time between the 2,16 GHz and 2,33 Ghz model ? (15 inch only of course), and which one would get the longer battery-time you think?