http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/Nov 22nd 2008 4:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/Nov 22nd 2008 11:11AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/Nov 22nd 2008 12:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/Nov 22nd 2008 3:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/
Why include a powersupply for a laptop that it cant guarantee to give it all the power it needs?]]>Nov 22nd 2008 4:31AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/Nov 22nd 2008 4:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/Nov 22nd 2008 5:08AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/For that price he should offer two power supplies.]]>Nov 22nd 2008 5:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/
I have to agree, That is a weak defence.]]>Nov 22nd 2008 6:24AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/Nov 22nd 2008 6:58AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/Nov 22nd 2008 7:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/
This sort of slow-down occurs on most systems - but on many windows systems it is implemented badly and merely causes system instability and malfunctions.

Remove the battery and you remove some of the power regulators, and therefore some of the supply capability, and therefore system processing power.

--neg]]>Nov 22nd 2008 7:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/
This wont' affect the majority of most users since they're not likely to run their laptop on AC only. In any case, with the magsafe connector it'd be easy enough to just drop the power by mistake and lose everything you had running.

However.. the power consumption ranges from around 20-50W i believe. They provide a 60W adaptor, so how can it draw more than the adaptor can handle?
]]>Nov 22nd 2008 8:02AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/
Hate to disprove your theory, but I've run my dell e1705 rendering videos in AfterEffects overnight on just AC power. There was no system instability whatsoever, nor was there a performance drop.

Steve's excuse here only serves to justify that Apple suppliments macbooks with poor power supplies.]]>Nov 22nd 2008 9:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/
That is terrible, absolutely terrible. Does running windows XP/vista in bootcamp remove the underclocking? A lot of that kind of stuff is done in software.]]>Nov 22nd 2008 12:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/]]>Nov 22nd 2008 12:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/
Someone needs to add up the power consumption of the components and compare it to the wattage of the power supply. Or compare the MacBooks to PC laptops with the same specs, and see what wattage power adapters are available with both.

I have the opposite problem -- the 90W power supply on my Thinkpad charges the battery like no other, but I can't use it on Virgin America. If I plug in the laptop with the system powered off, it seems to charge. But if I try to run the system at the same time, it keeps tripping the automated circuit breaker and takes out power for the whole row of 6 seats.]]>Nov 22nd 2008 12:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/Nov 22nd 2008 12:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/Nov 22nd 2008 12:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/That is all I have to offer on this subject.]]>Nov 22nd 2008 12:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/Nov 22nd 2008 12:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/
I'd also love to see the tone this post would be written in if HP or Dell had a laptop that did this.]]>Nov 22nd 2008 1:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/
This IS a feature, the feature being that you dont have to lug around a heavy bulky AC adaptor everywhere you go, these are portables after all. the only tradeoff is that you have to leave the battery in which for 99% of users is not a problem at all.

]]>Nov 22nd 2008 2:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/Nov 22nd 2008 2:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/
I turn on my dell computer 24/7 without battery and don't turn it off...
But I've never seen instability or a slowdown. So why should a laptop that that costs 100s of dollars more do that?

I say that's crappy design disguised as another 'apple innovation'. ]]>Nov 22nd 2008 3:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/Nov 22nd 2008 3:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/Nov 22nd 2008 4:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/Nov 22nd 2008 4:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/Nov 22nd 2008 4:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/Nov 22nd 2008 4:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/Nov 22nd 2008 11:07AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/Nov 22nd 2008 3:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/Nov 22nd 2008 4:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/Nov 22nd 2008 4:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/Nov 22nd 2008 11:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/Nov 22nd 2008 12:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/
Seriously Apple... I love the new look of these Macbooks but the mounting list of problems is just getting to the stage where it looks like you didn't put any thought into anything but the looks.]]>Nov 22nd 2008 4:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/Nov 22nd 2008 8:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/Nov 22nd 2008 10:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/
I would prefer that Apple provided a 90 watt PS, but Apple is by no means unique in this department. Engineers design this stuff to be used in specific scenarios, and that's the way it is.

Anyway, the replacement battery for the current 17inch MBP is $129 from the Apple store, and I figure the one for the new Mac Book will be about the same. Based on the spec of this machine and what I do with it I expect it to last me about 4 years. In a couple of years I might need a new battery. Its going to cost me about $130 from Apple, or probably less than $100 from a 3rd party. This would be the same for a Dell or HP, etc, so why is everyone bitching about this?]]>Nov 22nd 2008 10:47AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/
Regardless every laptop I've owned from Toshiba, Asus and Samsung came bundled with an AC adapter that didn't impact performance if it was used to solely run the machine.

It's a little illogical to use battery + AC adpater to run a laptop anyhow, since if the AC adapter can't supply the laptop with enough juice to run at full tilt, how could it be expected to keep the battery at a level to run the laptop as such? Since if that was the case the battery would eventually run out of charge even when plugged into mains.]]>Nov 22nd 2008 10:53AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/
This is a good question. I believe that the Power Management system will only allow the battery to get down to about 20% (or there abouts, maybe 10%?) actual charge before it shuts down the system to avoid completely draining the battery which would damage it. Since there is always a charge in the battery, and since the computer doesn't pull peak wattage all the time, the PM system will pull a little extra juice from the battery when needed, but charge it when the system is using less that peak power. None of this really impacts the life of the battery significantly. What impacts the battery life more is the heat generated by the system.

I don't like to run my laptop without the battery installed because, well, it's a laptop. If it's AC only I'd need to shut it down to move it, or (put the battery in hot which is probably a bad idea) Of if it some how gets unplugged it will crash which a lot more likely with a laptop, especially with the mag safe adapter, which is a feature I like.
]]>Nov 22nd 2008 11:28AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/
Besides, if the power brick was bigger, it would be annoying to carry with.

And thinking of the MagSafe it's a bad idea to run the laptop without the battery in it.
]]>Nov 22nd 2008 4:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/22/macbook-and-macbookpro-suffer-performance-anxiety-once-the-batt/
And thinking of the battery's life time in my desktop-replacement laptop that runs on AC 98% of the time, it's certainly a bad idea to keep the battery always in it.
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