JP
The much-welcomed announcement of the 17-inch MacBook Pro did not come without a little bit of bad news, mainly about the battery. The new MBP’s battery will boast an impressive 8 hours of use, but will unfortunately be non-removable. Apple’s hope is that you’ll never need a battery replacement, but if you do, plan on dropping $179 to get it.
According to Apple, the battery should be good for about 1,000 cycles. It is estimated that, at 200 cycles per year, it would take approximately five years for your battery to need replaced. It’s likely Apple is hoping that, in five years’ time, the itch to buy a new laptop will be too much for you to bear and battery life won’t even be an issue.
If you’re the type that buys a new MacBook every time one comes out, this battery issue won’t really affect you. If you plan on making the MBP last a few years or if you experience battery issues, you can head to any Apple retail store or Apple-authorized dealer to get your MacBook Pro’s battery replaced.
[via Gizmodo]
2 Responses to “Battery replacement in the 17″ MacBook Pro will cost $179”
Wayne January 7, 2009
Re: ” little bit of bad news”. Considering that the current 17-inch battery costs $129.00 and lasts approximately 300-400 cycles, the announcement of the new 17-inch battery configuration is good news, and a great deal. My current 17-inch PowerBook G4 is 3 years old. The battery has survived 366 cycles and is good for approximately 30 minutes. In other words, practically useless. I am ready to upgrade, so I will not be buying another battery for this otherwise perfectly good, albeit, slow laptop. What I wish they would address is the weight. At 6.6 lbs. it is too heavy. Hey Apple, how about a 17-inch MacBook Air?
NeutralShawn Farner January 7, 2009
Touche, Wayne, touche. I just wonder down the line, if Apple ever stops offering replacements, what happens to your MacBook? At least third parties could sell you a replacement external. Who’s going to perform surgery on your 17″ MBP?
Neutral