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Hey Guys,

Lately it seems like the life on my macbook has been getting dramatically shorter over the past couple of months. Just today I opened it up, and overnight w/out being plugged in it went from 99% to 54% . Furthermore, the thing will just abruptly drop somewhere around 28-30% to 0% without warning . Is it time for a new battery? I've had this battery since I got it--back in May of '07.

If it's time to get a new battery, what's the most cost-effective way of getting one? I couldn't find one on the 'egg but I did see some "white macbook" batteries on eBay. How do I know which is the right battery for me? (intel C2D 65nm merom core on Napa chipset, GMA950)

The only white Macbook battery on the store appears to be for all white Macbook models. MA561LL is the part number on the one on the store.

You don't need the "right" battery; you need a battery that fits (and all plastic Macbooks have used the same size battery IIRC) and provides the right voltage (which is probably the same across all Mac laptops, though I don't know).

However, a battery dying that quickly after less than 1.5 years is a bit odd -- how many charge cycles have you put it through?

SNM wrote:

However, a battery dying that quickly after less than 1.5 years is a bit odd -- how many charge cycles have you put it through?

iStat widget says 259. With 53% Battery Health.

I'd take it to an Apple Store -- I think that they say your batteries should last through 300 cycles without appreciable damage (generally meaning at least 80% capacity should remain at 300 cycles). It isn't under warranty but if you take the trouble to go see them the Geniuses are apparently pretty forgiving.

This supposedly only applies to systems sold through April '07, but I'd arm yourself with it when talking to anybody.