myndark

Q: Why would a brand new MacBook have a charge cycle count of 18

I just bought a brand new MacBook(early 2016) last week and immediately noticed that the charge cycle count was 18. Is this normal or have I been handed a return or a refurb? Thanks!

MacBook, OS X El Capitan (10.11.5)

Posted on Jul 9, 2016 12:12 PM

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Q: Why would a brand new MacBook have a charge cycle count of 18

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  • by sberman,Solvedanswer

    sberman sberman Jul 9, 2016 1:55 PM in response to myndark
    Level 8 (39,033 points)
    Jul 9, 2016 1:55 PM in response to myndark

    If you purchased your Mac from an Apple Store or Authorized Apple Retailer, I wouldn't worry.

     

    Otherwise, I would.

     

    You might ask the same question when purchasing a brand new car:  "Why does this car show 15 miles (or 15km) on the odometer if it's brand new?"

  • by myndark,

    myndark myndark Jul 9, 2016 3:44 PM in response to sberman
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Notebooks
    Jul 9, 2016 3:44 PM in response to sberman

    Many thanks. I did indeed buy it from an apple store. This makes me feel better

  • by sberman,

    sberman sberman Jul 9, 2016 4:12 PM in response to myndark
    Level 8 (39,033 points)
    Jul 9, 2016 4:12 PM in response to myndark

    Glad that helped!  Enjoy your brand new Mac!

  • by AstroMacMan,

    AstroMacMan AstroMacMan Jul 12, 2016 8:10 AM in response to myndark
    Level 2 (312 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 12, 2016 8:10 AM in response to myndark

    My reaction is quite different.   A new machine should have *ZERO* battery cycles.  It's clearly a demo, a refurb, or a returned laptop.  It's been used--  at 10 hours+ a cycle, it's been used for roughly 180 hours.   If someone uses it 6 hours a day-- and that's a lot-- it means it's been used for a *month*!

     

    We just got a brand new MBP and it had 0, that is, ZERO, as in NO battery cycles on it.

     

    So, definitely return it.  As to the car analogy, dealers often give a discount for cars that have been driven around for test drives.  Newly delivered cars start with zero miles on them!

     

    Bottom line:  Take your laptop back and exchange it for a new one,

     

    Be sure to back up your drive if you have important stuff on it, encrypt your drive first (if you have private info on it and had not done that already), de-authorize it, then reformat it, reinstall the OS, encrypt it again, and decrypt.  See Apple's guidelines on selling a Macintosh.

  • by Toptechnical,

    Toptechnical Toptechnical Jul 12, 2016 9:19 AM in response to myndark
    Level 1 (104 points)
    Jul 12, 2016 9:19 AM in response to myndark

    I would personally take this MacBook back, on principal, assuming you don't have to far to travel to the store that is

     

    Mine is 3 weeks old and is still only showing 6 cycles.

     

    I accept, before anyone else chimes in that your Macbook will almost certainly be no worse than a brand new one over the years, but I don't think its right for it to come with cycles on it like that, and to me thats more like a car coming with 500 miles on it from new not 15.

     

    Just my opinion