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How best to charge macbook pro. Do I need to unplug my MacBook or how to properly charge Apple laptops. Reset controller errors, on battery

Charger for Apple Macbook Air (Macbook Air, Macbook Air) is a very reliable thing. However, since nothing is perfect in nature, this accessory may fail and you will need to purchase a new one. In addition, the user can easily lose the charge and then, again, it will be necessary to purchase a replacement. In this article, we will cover the basic rules for buying a Macbook Air charger.

In fact, there are no set rules for Macbook Air charging life. The cable and adapter should serve the user flawlessly for many years of operation, regardless of the number of recharges.

Some owners of Apple laptops mistakenly blame charging for poor performance at the moment when the battery goes bad. Here there are certain restrictions on the number of Macbook recharge cycles. However, there is no exact answer to the question of how many recharge cycles the battery should work properly, but it is known that after a couple of years of operation, the battery takes longer to charge and discharges faster.

However, as you probably understand, replacing the charging cable in this case will not help, it is the battery change that is needed.

But back to the question of when to change the charger. This accessory should be replaced only if the charging process either does not go at all, or is constantly interrupted, while it is diagnosed that the laptop battery has nothing to do with it. How to check who is to blame - the battery itself or the cable? Very simple! Try to charge the device with another charger - if everything is in order, run for a new adapter, otherwise - for a new battery. However, sometimes with the described behavior, it’s not even the battery that is to blame, but other “iron” malfunctions, the service center will help to calculate the specific problem.

Rules for Buying a Macbook Air Charger

Buying the right laptop charger is very important - non-certified accessories may not work correctly and render the device unusable.

First of all, before buying, you need to determine the model of the laptop. In order for the consultant in the store to sell you the correct accessory, he may need either a serial number, or a model ID, or its article. You can view these parameters on the laptop itself, on the box from under the device, or in the device menu (Apple section, hereinafter “About this Mac”).

If you are going to purchase a charger in a specialized store, then the preparatory work is completed. Then you just go to the store, the found information is provided to the consultant and you should be sold the correct charge.

If you want to order an accessory yourself via the Internet, you will need to independently determine which type of adapter suits your model. But there is nothing complicated here, do not be alarmed, your main guideline is the power of the adapter - they exist in six types - at 29, 45, 60, 61, 85 and 87 watts (W). For each group, the MacBook has its own power. For example, a 45W adapter is suitable for a 13-inch Macbook Air A1466, while the newest Macbook Pro will need 87W. However, if we talk specifically about chargers for Macbook Air, and this article is devoted to them, it is important to note that 45W is the power that will suit all “air” laptops, and not just the A1466. The only point is that for models released after mid-2012 (A1466 refers to them, for example), you will need a 45-watt adapter with a Magsafe 2 magnetic connector, for the same ones that were released earlier, you will need an L-shaped Magsafe connector, but also at 45 Watt.

For more information on how to determine the Macbook model and the adapter it needs, read the special section of the official Apple website - here and here.

Where is the best place to buy a charger?

Well, now about the most important thing - where is the best place to buy a new charger for Macbook Air. This is a very important question, and here's why. A network adapter for a MacBook is not a car charger for an iPhone - the device is not cheap, and therefore you should only trust trusted resources. However, it is also not worth overpaying unnecessarily.

The official charger, which you can buy, for example, on the Apple website will cost 6490 rubles! Not a lot, agree. At the same time, in the Chinese store on AliExpress, adapters are sold at prices of about 1000-1500 rubles.

However, we do not recommend either the first or the second. "Golden mean" - the cable is not original, but certified. Such an accessory is guaranteed not to ruin the laptop, which you are not insured against when purchasing Chinese cheap stuff, but it will not ruin it either. Prices for certified chargers, depending on the model and store, range from 2000-4500 rubles.

Let's summarize

If your Macbook Air laptop charger is broken or lost, you will need to purchase a new one. The adapter type depends on the device model. The model is indicated in the device menu, on its case and on the box in which it was supplied. Having determined the model, you should either go to a specialized store and ask a consultant to sell a charger suitable for your model. If you want to order an adapter via the Internet, two parameters will help you make sure that the accessory suits you - the required power, for all Macbook Air is 45 watts and the type of connector - for older models, Magsafe L type, for new ones - MagSafe 2.

Important! Buy a certified cable, it is cheaper than the original one, but it guarantees quality!

Tips for new MacBook owners.

Although lithium-ion batteries sometimes explode, in general they are safe, unpretentious and do not need any special operating conditions. Do not test them for strength, heat them up or use cheap Chinese adapters and cables. If these simple rules are not enough for you, today we will tell you in detail how to charge your MacBook so that the battery lasts a long time.

When using MacBooks and other devices with lithium-ion batteries, you need to be aware of cycles. One cycle - battery discharge from 100% to 0%. If during the day of work you put the battery, and the MacBook turned off - this is one cycle. If the device was discharged by 25% for four days, but put on charge in the evening, this is also one cycle. It turns out that the more often you charge the device, the better.

According to the specifications, the batteries in Apple devices normally last for 1000 cycles. After this mark, they begin to lose capacity. This does not mean that as soon as the cycle counter shows 1000, you need to change the battery or throw away the old MacBook. If the laptop holds a charge, and the operating system does not show messages about the need to replace the battery, everything is fine. After a month of using the 12-inch MacBook, I had only 23 cycles.

There is no harm from the fact that the laptop is constantly connected to the electrical network either. You're just not using one of the coolest things about a MacBook - autonomy. In technical terms, everything is safe: a special controller regulates the speed and time of charging and stops supplying current to the battery when the charge level reaches 100%. If you are bored with life, you can calibrate the battery once a month - discharge it “to zero”, and then connect it to a power source and fully charge it. Then everything will be fine with the component.

Apple is talking that MacBooks and other devices with lithium-ion batteries will last longer on a single charge if you install the latest software updates. Although this is not always the best solution (hi, iOS 11!), in general, it is worth listening to.

Another important factor is comfortable temperature conditions. In cold weather, the device often turns off, even if the battery is charged, and in high temperatures, the component may overheat and explode. Apple recommends using your MacBook between +10 and +35 C. Keep your laptop partially charged between -20 and +45 C.

Separately, it is worth mentioning cheap non-original batteries. They are not safe: you never know what the Chinese have put in them. If you put such a battery in your MacBook, at least try not to use a fake power adapter and cable with it.

Apple produces high-quality and expensive products, and their technologies are quite different from the competition. Therefore, Apple gadgets require a slightly different approach than similar devices from other manufacturers. In this article, we'll answer the most frequently asked questions about charging your MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptops, as well as provide tips to help you keep your MacBook battery in top condition.

How to save and extend battery life - in our new article

The most important criteria for every portable device are battery life, battery life and charging speed. Of course, Apple products are one of the most reliable, but improper or careless operation will shorten its life. Let's figure out how to increase and extend the battery efficiency for the maximum time.

  • When you turn on your laptop for the first time, Apple recommends that you leave it plugged in until the setup process is complete, as this process requires more power than normal operation. The charge indicator should reach 100%.
  • For daily use, it is recommended to work on a battery charge for several hours, and then charge your MacBook from the mains.
  • If you prefer to keep your laptop connected to the network all the time, then take another tip from experts: once a month, completely discharge the device. This monthly discharge and charge cycle will prolong its life.

Battery life extension

We remember important information: on average for 1000 cycles. The maximum performance lasts about 500-700 cycles, after which it wears out, which leads to a decrease in the operating time from it. A run of 200 cycles is a lot, so let's see what needs to be done to make the gadget last as long as possible.

  • Sudden changes in temperature adversely affect the properties of the battery. Try to keep your laptop at room temperature as much as possible.
  • If you do not plan to use a laptop for some time (for example, you are going on vacation), you should bring the charge rate to 50% - these are optimal conditions for maintaining battery capacity. Leaving the device fully charged is not worth it: this negatively affects the battery, and a gadget that has been turned off for a long time may not turn on at all.
  • The MacBook battery does not like to be idle, it works much more efficiently with regular use.
  • To increase the idle time of your laptop, use the Energy Saver panel in System Preferences.
  • The MacBook Pro has a handy "Dark screen slightly when on battery" setting that reduces screen brightness by up to 75% - use it.
  • It is recommended that you keep the display brightness at a level that is as comfortable as possible for you. The lower the constant brightness, the longer the battery will last.

Charging a MacBook without charging

As we have said, Apple technology is significantly different from analogues in many respects. This also applies to laptop chargers: they have a completely different connector and power than laptops from other companies. This begs the question: how to charge a MacBook if there is no branded charger at hand?

There are several ways to do this charging. Let's consider the main ones.

Method 1. Dangerous

Precisely because it is dangerous and, with the intervention of an inexperienced user, will simply “kill” the battery, we will not dwell on it in detail. It consists in the fact that you need to connect the battery contacts with unbranded wires. If you are an electronics repair specialist, this method will suit you, we do not advise everyone else to conduct such experiments. The curious can watch a video on this topic on YouTube.

Method 2. Safe

For it, we need BatteryBox - a portable external rechargeable battery for Apple products with a capacity of 50 Wh. It comes with a branded MagSafe cord with the necessary connector. With this device, you will be able to charge your laptop without charging and even without access to a power outlet.

BatteryBox - external battery for Macbook

BatteryBox Performance:

  • MacBook Pro - 6 hours of work,
  • MacBook Air - 12 hours of work.

The BatteryBox weighs 300g, looks almost like an Apple charger, charges via MicroUSB, and is rated for 3,000 cycles - that's at least 3 times more than a laptop battery. Charging time is about 9 hours.

As you can see, charging your MacBook and taking care of its batteries is easy. The main thing is to follow the manufacturer's recommendations and use branded chargers, and in their absence, specialized devices. If you have any other interesting information about the correct charging of the MacBook - welcome to the comments!

For any portable device, maximum battery life, charging speed and battery life are among the most important criteria. However, not everything depends on the manufacturer - proper operation and storage of the device will help to significantly increase battery efficiency. And so, how to properly charge laptops Apple?

In contact with

Apple uses chemical batteries in its laptops, designed with industry-leading technology. According to the assurances of the developers, after 1000 full charge / discharge cycles, such a battery will reduce its maximum capacity by only 20%. In addition, with the transition to adaptive charging technology, the company's engineers managed to increase the overall battery life up to 5 years. However, as mentioned above, these indicators imply the correct operation of the device.

Common use

So, the first time you turn it on or fully charge the battery and update the software (Apple quite often releases its devices that optimize their power consumption). When using your notebook further, please note that the batteries extremely harmful prolonged downtime. Apple describes the ideal user as someone who works on a device for part of the day on battery power and then sets the batteries to charge. Apple does not recommend keeping the laptop plugged in at all times. If you rarely use a laptop without being connected to the mains, then it is recommended to perform a complete discharge / charge cycle at least once a month.

Long term storage

If you need to "mothball" your MacBook for 6 months or more, it is recommended to discharge its battery by half. With a long downtime with an “empty” battery, the device may stop charging (we will not mention folk methods of “resuscitation”), and long-term storage with a full charge can reduce the maximum battery capacity. In addition, you need to remember about the ambient temperature - in theory, apple laptops can be stored at temperatures ranging from -25 to +45 degrees Celsius, but the ideal temperature is close to room temperature.

Operating system settings

As mentioned above, Apple software developers are constantly trying to improve the energy efficiency of the system, but the user himself can affect the battery life of the device. The following are settings that can be adjusted to help conserve battery power.

  • Energy saving. This section of settings allows you to define a number of settings that automatically take effect when your MacBook is disconnected from the mains. For low battery consumption, the device may reduce screen brightness, performance, resource consumption, etc.;
  • Brightness. Apple developers recommend using the minimum comfortable level of screen brightness even when it is important to keep the laptop working for as long as possible;
  • AirPort and Bluetooth. Wireless modules are constantly looking for connections and consume battery power even when it is not needed. Disable these features to reduce the power consumption of your computer;
  • Applications and Peripherals. Turn off all unused devices (acoustics, external keyboard, Bluetooth-manipulator, etc.) and close unnecessary applications - even in the background, they can affect the battery life of your MacBook.

Apple laptop users sooner or later face the need to purchase a new charger for their Macbook. There are several types of chargers. How to understand which one is right for you?

Apple currently (end of 2018)* has four types of Macbook chargers in its arsenal: Magsafe (2 types), Magsafe 2 and USB Type C.

*If the information is out of date, write to us about it.

As shown in the photo, Magsafe has two types of connectors, Magsafe 2 is presented in only one version.

TIP: The T-shaped Magsafe and Magsafe 2, despite their external similarity, are easy to distinguish from each other. The first is plastic and white, the second is aluminum and silver.

It is worth mentioning that the Magsafe T-connector was used in notebooks from the year of manufacture until mid-2009. To date, Magsafe chargers with a T-connector are no longer available. However, if you have a Macbook released at that time, then you can safely buy an L-shaped connector. They are fully compatible.

As for the Type C connector, it is easy to distinguish it from previous Macbook chargers. In addition, it is only used in the new line of devices (Macbook Pro 13/15 2016 and later), as well as with Macbook Retina 12 (since 2015).

There are several ways you can determine which Macbook charger you need.

1. To determine as accurately as possible which charger you need to purchase, just look at your old charger. On the case of the charger you will see the exact name of the charge you need and its power.

2. You can also choose a charger based on your Macbook model. Do you remember which model you have? It's very easy to find out. Look under the laptop. Each Macbook is marked with its model on the case.

After that, find your model in the table below. Opposite each model is the name of the charger suitable for it.

Our site presents original chargers and their analogues. What is their difference? Apple products come with a 1-year warranty, while similar products have a 3-month warranty. We ourselves selected the best examples of analogue chargers among dozens on the market today. They are of high quality and absolutely safe for the device. It is possible that they will serve you a little less than the original products. However, in other properties, analogues are in no way inferior to the originals.

Model

A type

Power

Original

Analog

A1304

Magsafe

45W (L-shaped)

A1181

Magsafe

60W (L-shaped)

A1342

Magsafe

60W (L-shaped)

A1278

Magsafe

60W (L-shaped)

A1286

Magsafe

85W (L-shaped)

A1297

Magsafe

85W (L-shaped)

A1369

Magsafe

45W (L-shaped)

A1370

Magsafe

45W (L-shaped)

A1369

Magsafe

45W (L-shaped)

A1465

Magsafe 2

45W (T-shaped)

A1466

Magsafe 2

45W (T-shaped)

A1425

Magsafe 2

60W (T-shaped)

A1398

Magsafe 2

85W (T-shaped)

A1502

Magsafe 2

60W (T-shaped)

A1534

USB Type C

A1708

USB Type C

A1706

USB Type C

A1707

USB Type C

*Type C adapter does not include cable. The Type C cable must be purchased separately.

3. The model name and year of manufacture may also help identify the charger.

How to find out the name of the model? In the Apple menu, in the upper left corner of the screen is an apple, by clicking on which you can find the About This Mac menu. Here you can find all the information you need.

Now you just have to find your Macbook model in the pictures below. Next to each Macbook charging model, you will see the name of the laptop models.

CLUE : The Magsafe T-connector was used in notebooks manufactured up to mid-2009. To date, Magsafe chargers with a T-connector are no longer available. However, if you have a Macbook released at that time, then you can safely buy an L-shaped connector. They are fully compatible.