How do I buy a non-Apple battery for my 2008-era Macbook Pro and ensure it's the right one?
June 27, 2011 6:46 AM Subscribe
How do I buy a non-Apple battery for my 2008-era Macbook Pro and ensure it's the right one?
The Apple store told me it would be $100 for a new Apple replacement battery (the old one swelled up and won't fit in the machine), so I'm trying to find a cheaper alternative. I found some on Amazon, but don't know what specs I need to know about the laptop to ensure I'm getting the right battery. Or are they all the same?
The Apple store told me it would be $100 for a new Apple replacement battery (the old one swelled up and won't fit in the machine), so I'm trying to find a cheaper alternative. I found some on Amazon, but don't know what specs I need to know about the laptop to ensure I'm getting the right battery. Or are they all the same?
Response by poster: Go back to the Apple store and ask for a non-explosive battery.
(It's out of warranty though)
posted by critzer at 7:35 AM on June 27, 2011
(It's out of warranty though)
posted by critzer at 7:35 AM on June 27, 2011
Did you tell the Apple store folks that your battery had swollen up like that or did you just ask them the cost of a replacement? They will almost certainly replace it for free, even if you're out of warranty.
posted by bcwinters at 7:36 AM on June 27, 2011
posted by bcwinters at 7:36 AM on June 27, 2011
Response by poster: Go here and pick the appropriate model.
Where would I find my model number (or whatever that number is)? The MBP is aluminum, is there only one kind of those from 2008?
They will almost certainly replace it for free
They wouldn't :P
posted by critzer at 7:49 AM on June 27, 2011
Where would I find my model number (or whatever that number is)? The MBP is aluminum, is there only one kind of those from 2008?
They will almost certainly replace it for free
They wouldn't :P
posted by critzer at 7:49 AM on June 27, 2011
We recently had a 2008 MacBook Air develop a swelling battery. This resulted in the Air becoming this ridiculous, pillow-like, puffy metallic thing with the case bending out to support the swell of the battery -- and yet, like critzer experienced, the Genius Bar wouldn't replace the battery for free.
critzer, while you can save money by getting batteries for MacBooks from someone other than Apple or OWC (who generally sell only third-party items of substantial quality), my experience is that cheap third-party batteries either have less capacity than the genuine Apple ones, or they have trouble with the battery reserve that allows the Mac to sleep / deep sleep gracefully. Caveat emptor.
posted by eschatfische at 8:14 AM on June 27, 2011
critzer, while you can save money by getting batteries for MacBooks from someone other than Apple or OWC (who generally sell only third-party items of substantial quality), my experience is that cheap third-party batteries either have less capacity than the genuine Apple ones, or they have trouble with the battery reserve that allows the Mac to sleep / deep sleep gracefully. Caveat emptor.
posted by eschatfische at 8:14 AM on June 27, 2011
Best answer: Where would I find my model number (or whatever that number is)? The MBP is aluminum, is there only one kind of those from 2008?
My MBP is a from Spring 2008 and has a square battery. The newer unibody ones have more a of a rectangular shaped battery and the first of those came in in the Fall of 2008.. All MacBook Pro with the square battery use the same battery. I'm not so sure about the unibody ones.
From the Apple Menu, select "About this Mac" and then "more info." In the hardware info at the to you'll see something like MacBookPro4,1. From there, you can go to a site like EveryMac and see what its part number is.
posted by birdherder at 8:51 AM on June 27, 2011
My MBP is a from Spring 2008 and has a square battery. The newer unibody ones have more a of a rectangular shaped battery and the first of those came in in the Fall of 2008.. All MacBook Pro with the square battery use the same battery. I'm not so sure about the unibody ones.
From the Apple Menu, select "About this Mac" and then "more info." In the hardware info at the to you'll see something like MacBookPro4,1. From there, you can go to a site like EveryMac and see what its part number is.
posted by birdherder at 8:51 AM on June 27, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by birdherder at 7:11 AM on June 27, 2011