All MacBook Pro laptops with built-in batteries require a replacement battery two or three years down the line. Since all of Apple’s latest models do not feature a user-serviceable battery slot, you have to take it to the Genius Bar to get it serviced. This usually cost $129 for 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pros, but for the Retina MPB, this will be significantly more.
The teardown of the $2,200 Retina 15-in MacBook Pro gives a few hints on the reasoning behind the price increase. The battery has 95 watt hours (Wh) at 10.95 V compared to last year’s 77.5 Wh battery, and it is not screwed into the machine anymore. Instead, it is glued into it, making it difficult to replace.
When Should Your MacBook Pro Battery be Serviced?
Assuming at least a daily recharge, this suggests that the battery should hold more than two and a half years before you should consider servicing it.
Keep in mind that if the battery is depleted — that is, it has run through the 1000 recharge cycles and it is not holding a proper charge anymore — this won’t be covered by your AppleCare warranty (except if this happens before the 1000 cycles). So you will have to pay the $199 plus taxes to get it replaced. If anything goes wrong before that, then you should be able to get a free replacement.
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