MacBook Pro 16 inch battery life

16'' - i9 2.3 - 16gb ram - Radeon 5500 - 1TB ssd

Catalina 10.15.2

There's an entire thread on Macrumors where a lot of people is experiencing the same problem.

forum/macs/notebooks/macbookpro and search the topic Battery Life on MacBook Pro 16.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/battery-life-on-macbook-pro-16.2212813/

I am experiencing a terrible battery life too. Using my Mac with regular tasks (like web browsing, mail etc) it is around 1% of battery usage every 2 minutes.. do de math to understand my battery life. I can also tell you that in 8 hrs of standby (no tasks open) the battery have drained 7% of its charge.

So I went to the Apple store here in Milan (Italy) and the guy told me that I was basically his first case on a Mac Book Pro 16, because it's a new product. He also told me that he had no papers from Apple regarding this problem. He started the battery test using his iPad and the result was ok. Then he searched with me on the internet for other people having the same trouble and he came to the post I've linked before (the one on Macrumors), so I decided to share with all of you my experience.

Oh, a couple of things:

- He told me to test if it was related to a certain app with a higher battery consumption, so we erased the Mac and restored to factory default. I've tested it for 6/8 hours, the problem was still here even with the Mac brand new "out of the box".

- He also told me to try to reset the battery, discharging until 0% (let the Mac shut down by itself) and then recharge to 100%. Same story here, the problem is still there.

I also don't know if Battery Health 3 is very reliable, because the app is telling me that I have 18hrs remaining after 5min of typing (while in the screenshot, 5 mins ago, was 20hrs). Oh, display brightness 35%

This is not my first Macbook, I had a white unibody in 2013 and an Air in 2016... but I never, ever, experienced such a terrible battery.. It's like a windows laptop, probably worst compared to a Dell XPS.

Another example from this morning

• 9 AM battery 84%
• 10 AM battery 64%
• 10:23 AM 59%

Only browsing the web, no apps open in background, brightness 70%, wifi

Thanks for replying, Michael, and that additional info, it really helps! Next, you can figure out if unexpected behavior is related to a user file or setting by trying to reproduce the issue from another user account. This process includes creating a new user account, logging in to it, and testing for the issue.

How to test an issue in another user account on your Mac

Another step you can do is use safe mode to start up your Mac as it does the following things:

• Verifies your startup disk and attempts to repair directory issues, if needed
• Loads only required kernel extensions
• Prevents Startup Items and Login Items from opening automatically
• Disables user-installed fonts
• Deletes font caches, kernel cache, and other system cache files

Log in to your user account and test the issue while in safe mode and then restart normally and test the issue again.

Use safe mode to isolate issues with your Mac

Graphics performance limited in macOS Recovery, safe mode, or Guest User mode

Have a great day and thanks for using the Apple Support Communities!

"But on one is getting this values and not even specs for dGPU use?

how do we let apple reply on this problem?"

I had said I was going to stop posting here simply because I'm tired of getting emails updates on replies I can't stop, plus a lot of FUD is spread on this discussion board due to people not taking the time and getting the proper information. There is absolutely no problem with how the MacBook Pro 16" manages battery. It's the AMD 5000 series dGPU that drains the battery. I generally get 5+ hours when I'm running apps that require the use of the dGPU such as Pixelmator, Adobe CC, Final Cut Pro, iMovie and such. You can easily check in the "About this Mac" section to see if the dGPU is activated or not. If it's listed on the "About this Mac" screen it's activated by one of the apps and battery will drain as well as the computer getting hot. I don't understand anyone using power apps on battery anyway.

Those battery times you listed are accurate. I get the full 11 hours battery when I'm using non-dGPU apps and the screen brightness is at 60-70% and that is what Apple is talking about when referring to those battery times shown. Please see my attachment. You could've easily found it on Apple's website by Googling "Apple Mac battery management". Here is the link to this page as well. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204054

Hello Michael,

Thanks for that info and for choosing the Apple Support Communities. If I understand correctly, you are not getting the battery performance on your new MacBook Pro that you're expecting. Based on your screenshot, please see if this is related to graphics performance with the steps from these Apple resources:

About Mac notebook batteries

Set graphics performance on MacBook Pro

Cheers!

Others have reported an SMC reset helps new Macs see a better battery runtime. See this:

How to reset the System Management Controller (SMC) on your Mac - Apple Support

Your MacBook Pro has the T2 Security chip. Make sure you use the special instructions in that section.

I have that same Config (2.4Ghz 8 core i9, 32Gb Mem, Radeon Pro 5500M 8GB, 2Tb SSD), MBP 16" 2019. I didn't really think about it much until now, but it seems like even turned off the unit is draining to zero overnight. However, I might have left something like Avast on to run a virus scan before I went to bed, so maybe that was it.

Will do some more testing. Hope all is well, will advise.

One thing I was surprised to notice is that the new chargers are 96W versus 87W. Also there is this literature about whether you have the right USB-C cord,

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201700

but the one that came in the MBP 16 inch box has no writing or serial number on it at all, from what I can see, and yet the literature seems to imply that if you don't have a serial number on the USB-C cord, it is the wrong one.

The issue described here is very similar to what i experience. MBP16 (MVVK2), serial C0***D6N, bought 2 days ago. 3 cycles.

1. Battery just drains during night. When you open the laptop the percentage in the morning it is lower ~10% lower
2. 2 hours of normal use drop the charge from 80% to 20%.

Will follow this thread.

[Personal Information Edited by Moderator]

Be sure to leave the power adapter connected all night. You want your MacBook Pro mostly-charged most of the time for long battery life.

Best practice is to use it on power adapter when AC power is available, and otherwise use it on battery BUT do not store it overnight or longer in a discharged state, if possible. Never leave in a hot car.

--------

The Apple USB-C Multi-port Adapter AV used to connect HDMI external displays has a warning NOT to leave it connected when not in use -- it will drain your battery:

Because this adapter draws power from your Mac or iPad Pro even when your Mac or iPad Pro is asleep, you might want to unplug it when it's not also connected to power for charging.

from:

About the Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter - Apple Support

.

FrancescoCinque wrote:

...

- He also told me to try to reset the battery, discharging until 0% (let the Mac shut down by itself) and then recharge to 100%. Same story here, the problem is still there.

...

That was BAD ADVICE. That guy needs to be sent back for re-training.

No recent Apple batteries benefit in the slightest from deep discharge. In fact, the recommended procedure for the 13-in model of that same Mac involves ALL NIGHT charging.

If your MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports) keeps shutting down - Apple Support

.

I am sorry you do not like my response. it is based on experience and recommendations made by Apple.

In particular, the solution described below was made available when there were reported problems with short battery life and too-soon shutdown in the 13-in model:

If your MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports) keeps shutting down - Apple Support

One working hypotheses is that the "full point" of these Macs is not set properly until they have been charged a relatively long time, or charged in exactly the method specified.

"In what way is it against forum rules to complain about a problem? "

He's ranting. Once the company took care of him and he's here bashing them it's ranting. You're going to equate the amount of money spent in terms of how good customer service should be??? Please review the forum rules and I would greatly appreciate it if you move on to another member in the discussion forum. https://discussions.apple.com/terms

How do you contact moderators or forum management for these forums?

Every User can post on the forum referenced below, regarding how to use the forums and issues with using Apple Support Communities:

https://discussions.apple.com/community/using_apple_support_communities

Once you have achieved a certain level of points (level 6) you get access to The Lounge, a restricted forum where other senior contributors can more freely discuss open issues. Occasionally, forum managers will participate there as well. Forum Mangers do not post on the Open Forums:

Build your reputation and get rewarded in the community - Apple Support

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DPJ wrote:

"But on one is getting this values and not even specs for dGPU use?

how do we let apple reply on this problem?"

I had said I was going to stop posting here simply because I'm tired of getting emails updates on replies I can't stop, plus a lot of FUD is spread on this discussion board due to people not taking the time and getting the proper information. There is absolutely no problem with how the MacBook Pro 16" manages battery. It's the AMD 5000 series dGPU that drains the battery. I generally get 5+ hours when I'm running apps that require the use of the dGPU such as Pixelmator, Adobe CC, Final Cut Pro, iMovie and such. You can easily check in the "About this Mac" section to see if the dGPU is activated or not. If it's listed on the "About this Mac" screen it's activated by one of the apps and battery will drain as well as the computer getting hot. I don't understand anyone using power apps on battery anyway.

Those battery times you listed are accurate. I get the full 11 hours battery when I'm using non-dGPU apps and the screen brightness is at 60-70% and that is what Apple is talking about when referring to those battery times shown. Please see my attachment. You could've easily found it on Apple's website by Googling "Apple Mac battery management". Here is the link to this page as well. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204054

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/e712142a-41fd-43c3-b643-19811611e882

As I said as well, I don't like those apple-fan-employee reply. 99% of the people here telling you that the behaviour of this mac is not comparable to other macs. And this is not questionable, at all. 11hrs of usage is pure mirage. In a normal daily activity based on word, safari and mail is less then 5hrs.

Also, answering to Raj Grainger, I do have a lot of crashes with Garage Band. A huge consumption of battery (1,5hrs full charge) and the temperature at 80°C even if I'm not recording, just opening the application. That's not normal.

That information is STALE. If an Apple employee told you that, they were doing so on their own, Not based on Apple technical guidance currently available. I think they need to be sent back for re-training. That has not been good advice or supported by Apple articles since the Mac portable, which had a lead-acid battery.

The MacBook Pro 13-in 2019 model had some issues about knowing where its "full point" was, and Apple published detailed instructions. These tell you to discharge only to the 90 percent level, then fully charge overnight under light-to-no load. I know this is not your same model, but please take a look at this:

If your MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports) keeps shutting down - Apple Support

.

Brightness 75%

Wifi

Chrome web browsing

Mail and few non-massive tasks

Pre resetting-SMC

08:30 100%

09:00 85%

10:00 75%

10:30 65%

11:00 58%

12:00 30%

-70% in 3,5 hrs

After resetting SMC

1. Choose Apple menu > Shut Down and wait for your Mac to shut down.
2. Press and hold the right Shift key, the left Option key, and the left Control key for 7 seconds. Your Mac might turn on and show the Apple logo on its display. Keep holding those keys while you also press and hold the power button for another 7 seconds. If your Mac turned on when you first pressed the keys, it turns off at this point.
3. Release all three keys and the power button, then wait a few seconds.
4. Press the power button again to turn on your Mac.

14:00 100%

14:30 97%

15:00 87%

15:30 76%

16:00 62%

16:30 51%

17:00 45%

-65% in 3 hrs (so probably -70% in 3.5 hrs)