It’s completely going wrong for a new device.

[louiserose646]

G’day! How are you doing? It’s a pleasure to be part of this community. I’m a newbie to Macs. Bought my MacBook Pro 15-inch (2015) with integrated GPU (only Iris Pro) model very recently. It’s a great machine. But the only thing that disappoints me completely is the battery life. Like many reviewers & tests have reported I’m also not getting the Apple claimed battery life of 9 hours Screen-On time which as mentioned by them is under the conditions below,

Testing conducted by Apple in April 2015 using preproduction 2.2GHz quad-core Intel Core i7–based 15-inch MacBook Pro systems with 256GB of flash storage and 16GB of RAM. The wireless web test measures battery life by wirelessly browsing 25 popular websites with display brightness set to 12 clicks from bottom or 75%. The HD movie playback test measures battery life by playing back HD 1080p content with display brightness set to 12 clicks from bottom or 75%.

But in my case it’s even more worse based on these tests,

Safari Test :
Brightness 35%,
Background apps restricted,
with 7-11 open tabs on average in which most of them were just idling throughout the full discharge session.
Screen-On time I got approx. 7 hour 30 mins
Note: Fair enough which is what the estimate by MacOS(10.12.1) also showed on a full charge.

iTunes video playback test :
Brightness 35%,
Background apps restricted,
Sound 20%
Screen-On time I got approx. 7 hours 23 mins

*Date of manufacture of the Battery was on Dec 2016
*FileVault not enabled, WiFi Signal Strong, Bluetooth Off, OS in Stock configuration (No apps installed)

So considering the brightness was too low compared to Apple’s conditions. Can anybody say whether it’s normal or is there anything wrong with my battery unit when Apple promises 9 hours? I’m supposed to get more Screen-On time for testing it in much more low brightness, Am I right?

 

[honestone]

Two things I see are somewhat "perplexing". You sate that the machine is a 2015 MacBook Pro, but then you subsequently say that the "Date of manufacture of the Battery was on Dec 2016". So one wonders, especially with the date of Dec 2016, if the battery was changed prior to when you purchased the machine, and if so, who is the battery's manufacturer? (By the way, did you purchase the machine brand new, and if so, when?)

Additionally, an update to Sierra, OS 10.12.2, came out about 2 1/2 weeks ago. You can get the OS 10.12.2 Combo Updater from here:

https://support.apple.com/kb/dl1900?locale=en_US

Not sure, though, if it will help with the battery issue. Again, that Dec 2016 date raises some red flags.

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hello and welcome.

Those battery life times are actually very normal. Those tests by Apple were done in April 2015, during which they would have been running OS X 10.10.x Yosemite, not macOS Sierra 10.12.x., which was released in September of 2016. Yosemite would have had longer battery life, due to some of the new features in macOS Sierra. The newer MacBook Pros also have a totally redesigned and better battery. Lastly, Apple's claims are always phrased as Up to 9 hours, which is not a definitive, guaranteed, or promised number.

I think your MBP is totally within the variations of battery life in their spec.

Hope that helps,

C

 

[louiserose646]

Two things I see are somewhat "perplexing". You sate that the machine is a 2015 MacBook Pro, but then you subsequently say that the "Date of manufacture of the Battery was on Dec 2016". So one wonders, especially with the date of Dec 2016, if the battery was changed prior to when you purchased the machine, and if so, who is the battery's manufacturer? (By the way, did you purchase the machine brand new, and if so, when?)

Additionally, an update to Sierra, OS 10.12.2, came out about 2 1/2 weeks ago. You can get the OS 10.12.2 Combo Updater from here:

https://support.apple.com/kb/dl1900?locale=en_US

Not sure, though, if it will help with the battery issue. Again, that Dec 2016 date raises some red flags.

This is a custom configured machine through Apple.com. So manufactured upon demand. The dates are reported by CoconutBattery which has been around for a lot of time. I did also verify with another app. It also reports the same date. Manufacturer is SMP. I just finished testing with the 10.12.2, no changes at all. What to do?

 

[louiserose646]

Hello and welcome.

Those battery life times are actually very normal. Those tests by Apple were done in April 2015, during which they would have been running OS X 10.10.x Yosemite, not macOS Sierra 10.12.x., which was released in September of 2016. Yosemite would have had longer battery life, due to some of the new features in macOS Sierra. The newer MacBook Pros also have a totally redesigned and better battery. Lastly, Apple's claims are always phrased as Up to 9 hours, which is not a definitive, guaranteed, or promised number.

I think your MBP is totally within the variations of battery life in their spec.

Hope that helps,

C

Comparing the brightness I was at, this difference is unacceptable. Correct me If I'm wrong. even time machine wasn't running in the background.

 

[honestone]

Cory is very knowledgeable about battery life (thanks Cory for the clarification above!). I can only assume that SMP is the "usual" company Apple uses for their batteries.

By the way, you still did not say exactly when you purchased the machine, ie, when was the custom configuration done.

 

[louiserose646]

Hello and welcome.

Those battery life times are actually very normal. Those tests by Apple were done in April 2015, during which they would have been running OS X 10.10.x Yosemite, not macOS Sierra 10.12.x., which was released in September of 2016. Yosemite would have had longer battery life, due to some of the new features in macOS Sierra. The newer MacBook Pros also have a totally redesigned and better battery. Lastly, Apple's claims are always phrased as Up to 9 hours, which is not a definitive, guaranteed, or promised number.

I think your MBP is totally within the variations of battery life in their spec.

Hope that helps,

C

Cory is very knowledgeable about battery life (thanks Cory for the clarification above!). I can only assume that SMP is the "usual" company Apple uses for their batteries.

By the way, you still did not say exactly when you purchased the machine, ie, when was the custom configuration done.

Thanks for the reply. I ordered this on 24th December(apps report a manufacturing date for both the battery & Mac as Dec 1/2 week). As I've mentioned the brightness was too low in comparison and all the extra features like FileVault, TimeMachine Backup & Siri were disabled also I even took care of the atmospheric temperature if in case it affects in anyways. Considering all the factors what I got was pretty bad. Now when I started using Chrome and VLC and almost completely depend on 3rd party app which I was using in Windows I get about 4.5 hours of estimated battery life which I guess is really bad. I'm going for replacement but, Will they offer another one in the name of battery life? How should I approach this?

Thanks!

L

 

[honestone]

OK, I just used the Battery Check feature in TechTool Pro for my mid 2013 13" MacBook Air machine (purchased brand new in October 2013), and the manufacturer of the battery is SMP, so that seems to be OK. I also use Google Chrome (rarely, if ever, do I use Safari) and VLC on both of my Macs, and for the MacBook Air, I don't have the issues you are having. Of course, given that I use my machines almost exclusively at home, battery usage is not much of a concern. However, back in September, my wife and I flew to Seoul, South Korea from Seattle for a vacation. The flight was almost 11 hours long, and I was able to use my MacBook Air to watch some TV series with VLC just about continually for over 9 hours. I still had some battery life left when we landed. Same on the return trip back home. I will say, though, that I was using El Capitan, OS 10.11.6, then, but I really don't think Sierra will make much of a difference.

 

[Ormond]

Lastly, Apple's claims are always phrased as Up to 9 hours, which is not a definitive, guaranteed, or promised number.

So if you got only 1 hour of battery life, that would fall within "up to 9 hours" too. If you got 10 minutes of battery life, that would also fall within "up to 9 hours".

So what's happened here is that you bought a computer from a company who wants to create the impression of promising you something, without actually promising anything at all.

And the reason that happened is because when anyone says the truth out loud in a post like this, they are ignored, or branded as a cranky whiner by the Mac community.

And so Apple has no reason to communicate with you using the straight talk truth. It's more profitable for them to communicate with you using shady fast talking sales hype BS spin, because that's what the Mac community will accept.

We have met the enemy.

And he is we.

 

[Cory Cooper]

So if you got only 1 hour of battery life, that would fall within "up to 9 hours" too. If you got 10 minutes of battery life, that would also fall within "up to 9 hours".

Really...?

 

[honestone]

So if you got only 1 hour of battery life, that would fall within "up to 9 hours" too. If you got 10 minutes of battery life, that would also fall within "up to 9 hours".

So what's happened here is that you bought a computer from a company who wants to create the impression of promising you something, without actually promising anything at all.

And the reason that happened is because when anyone says the truth out loud in a post like this, they are ignored, or branded as a cranky whiner by the Mac community.

And so Apple has no reason to communicate with you using the straight talk truth. It's more profitable for them to communicate with you using shady fast talking sales hype BS spin, because that's what the Mac community will accept.

We have met the enemy.

And he is we.

Hmm, once again, convoluted logic, and dream world "mentality"! His battery life on both of the tests conducted was more than 7 hours and 20 minutes. Yes, that is not 9 hours, but as Cory so correctly stated, the figures are very normal. In my case, I am thinking the promised battery life for my MacBook Air was near 10 hours (UP TO 10 hours), so I should bitch and moan in that I got "only" 9, with still some left? Man, what planet do you come from, or more to the point, live on?

 

[honestone]

Really...?

Yeah, and also one shakes their head, like I'm doing now!

 

[Ormond]

Apple's claims are always phrased as Up to 9 hours, which is not a definitive, guaranteed, or promised number.

If a claim is not definitive, guaranteed, or promised, it can mean anything.

Here's an experiment to illustrate. Go in to the Apple Store, select a machine, and tell the clerk...

"I will pay you up to $2000 for this machine."

So how far you get with that. What will happen instead is that the clerk will require you to pay $1,727.56 and not a penny less.

Just trying to say, all these kinds of problems are best addressed at their source. We're making the problems worse by thinking it's our job to address them one by one by one by one for every person experiencing the problem.

Ok, I'm done and will retire now, as I don't want to hijack the thread.

 

[honestone]

If a claim is not definitive, guaranteed, or promised, it can mean anything.

Here's an experiment to illustrate. Go in to the Apple Store, select a machine, and tell the clerk...

"I will pay you up to $2000 for this machine."

So how far you get with that. What will happen instead is that the clerk will require you to pay $1,727.56 and not a penny less.

Why would I "bid" more than the "sticker price" for a product? That is just another example of convoluted logic.

Just trying to say, all these kinds of problems are best addressed at their source. We're making the problems worse by thinking it's our job to address them one by one by one by one for every person experiencing the problem.

There is the distinct possibility that Apple might replace the battery for free, but who's to say a newer one would perform that much better, in terms of battery life?

A perfect similar situation is car batteries. I'd bet that for a specific model of a battery, longevity will not always be the same, even if one takes the same measures to take care of it.

Ok, I'm done and will retire now, as I don't want to hijack the thread.

Good! As Arnie so well stated, Hasta La Vista Baby!