For Apple, the glory of a successful laptop developer is firmly entrenched. And yet, the company's engineers cannot work miracles - they largely depend on component manufacturers, primarily on Intel. Indeed, thanks to new chips with low heat dissipation - Intel Sandy Bridge, then Ivy Bridge and, finally, Haswell - Apple developers, as well as other manufacturers of portable PCs, were able to create thin laptops ( in fact, Apple had thin laptops before - the first Air dates back to 2008, and it had a Core 2 Duo in it, but the fan in it howled incessantly, and it heated up so that it was hard to keep it on your knees. — approx. ed. ).

The fact is that it is the cooling system that determines the minimum thickness of the laptop: the thinner and smaller the radiator, the smaller the laptop will turn out. Due to the fact that the heat pack mobile processors Intel Haswell, installed in last year's Retina, was reduced by 7 W relative to the appetites of Ivy Bridge, Apple engineers managed to reduce the thickness of the 13-inch Retina case and abandon the use of a second turbine in the cooling system. In the updated Intel Haswell Refresh processors (at least in those used by Apple), the heat pack remained at the same level - 28 W - so the new MacBook did not have the opportunity to lose weight.

Most likely, we will see a global and more interesting update of "macbooks" either at the end of this year or at the beginning of the next, because that's when Intel should finally introduce Intel Broadwell processors. These chips will be produced on the basis of a new 14 nm process technology, which will further reduce heat generation. Who knows what Apple designers will be able to achieve with such a serious “weapon”? However, for now we have to return from heaven to earth: no matter what the wizards from Cupertino prepare for us in the future, on this moment we are dealing only with a slight update of the old model.

⇡ Specifications

As we have already said, outwardly the new "poppy" has not changed at all. The case, keyboard, touchpad and connectors remained the same as before - and did not change the location by a millimeter. Here, Apple engineers did everything right - they did not change the very successful design of the "apple" laptop in vain. Although few people could refuse the third USB 3.0 connector ...

The new 13-inch "Retina MacBooks" are available in three main versions. They differ from each other in the volume of the drive and, quite a bit, in the clock speeds of the processors. Minimum Volume random access memory now the same - 8 GB. The 4 GB version of the laptop has disappeared from sale - and rightly so, for such high definition 4 GB screen is not enough.

In addition, you can configure your own laptop model in the Apple online store, but it will cost much more than ready-made solutions, and Apple won’t give much scope for customization. Of the harsh "hardware" modifications (in addition to replacing the processor), only an increase in RAM up to 16 GB is available, and for perfectionists, the possibility of replacing the Russian-language keyboard with an international, English one is left. As for increasing the size of the SSD, you can expand it to 1 TB only on the most expensive version of the laptop.

It was she who got into our test laboratory - the most pumped Apple version MacBook Pro With Retina Display Mid 2014 without any additional customization. Let's take a look at her specifications and compare it with last year's model.

Judging by the specifications, in addition to CPU in the "iron" part, nothing has changed. This is understandable - after all, this update of "poppies" appeared only thanks to the release of new Intel processors from the Haswell Refresh line, one of which is installed inside our test subject. In the older version, this is an Intel Core i5-4308U with a clock speed of 2.8 GHz, which can go up to 3.3 GHz in TurboBoost mode. It has a 3MB L3 cache and a TDP of 28W. Judging by the specifications, the new "Mac" should be faster than the old one, but we will find out from the tests how high the increase in power will be.

As we wrote above, 8 GB of RAM is installed in our test subject, and this is DDR3L-1600. The memory is soldered on the motherboard, so after the purchase it will not be possible to increase it.

The processor is still responsible for the graphics component, or rather, built into it. graphics core Intel Iris Graphics 5100. Last year's laptop had exactly the same graphics - there is nothing interesting here.

The volume of the solid state drive of our test subject was 512 GB. When ordering this configuration, as we have already said, you can use the "apple customization" and expand the storage capacity up to 1 TB. True, for one drive alone you will have to pay 22 thousand rubles. In other modifications, the volume of the SSD can be 128 or 256 GB.

The battery capacity remained unchanged at 71.8 Wh (6600 mAh, 11.4 V). The power of the complete power supply is still 60 W (16.5 V, 3.65 A).

As before, Apple laptops continue to cost more than their Windows counterparts. So, the cheapest version of the 13-inch "Retina" costs 56,990 rubles, and the most advanced - 79,990. More stuffed "custom" versions, of course, are even more expensive. For example, if you try to choose the most expensive of the three available modifications of "Macbooks", then install the most powerful processor(dual-core Intel Core i7 with a frequency of 3 GHz), 16 GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD, then the price of the laptop will increase by one and a half times and reach 120,000 rubles.

But some categories of buyers have the opportunity to save. Apple has an additional discount for university students and their parents, as well as for employees of educational institutions. As a result, the most affordable 13-inch "Retina" can be bought for 53,570 rubles, and the most expensive - for 75,190 rubles.

⇡ Internal arrangement

As before, the bottom of the laptop is secured with 10 screws with a proprietary Pentalobe slot. However, suitable screwdrivers can be found on sale for a long time, and their price is not so high.

As we already wrote, the new "Macbook" differs from the old one only in the processor. But, even after disassembling the laptop, you won’t be able to notice this difference - the silicon heart of the laptop is securely hidden from the eyes with the help of a cooling system.

Theoretically, the user can independently change the solid state drive. However, there are two nuances. First, doing so will void your warranty. Secondly, it will not be easy to find such a drive for sale, and its price can be quite impressive.

Last year, after leaving for a long time in the Crimea with my MacBook Air and writing lyrics for "Zuckerberg will call" in a cafe on the seashore (this is what it looked like), I was sad that the charge was not enough for a full working day: Wi-Fi in Crimean cafes there are everywhere, but with sockets it’s more difficult, and you don’t want to constantly carry a thick power supply with a thin laptop. This summer, by giving the Airs new Intel processors, Apple promised a gigantic jump in operating time from 7 to 12 hours, which was hard to believe. At that time, I was more looking forward to updating the retina MacBook Pro - but since it still hasn't happened, Air turns out to be the main laptop for startups, journalists and hipsters. Therefore, “Zuckerberg will call”, not blindly trusting loud statements, took the laptop for a test to personally check how long it would run out.

Battery life is generally a sore point of modern gadgets, but if smartphones do not see a solution to the problem in the near future, then everything is changing in laptops: Intel said that the Haswell microarchitecture will allow them to work up to one and a half times longer. And Apple, using Haswell processors among the first, promised even more than a one and a half difference: new macbooks Air with a 13-inch screen should work up to 12 hours for Internet surfing, and up to 10 hours for video playback (previously the declared time was 7 hours, in life it usually turned out even less). Is it really true that a startup that has come to Starbucks now will have to finish the work only when it is driven out of there with a mop, and not when the laptop sits down?

I tested it personally by recharging the latest generation 13-inch Air twice from full to zero. Each discharge occurred with pauses, during which he was put into sleep mode. The first time it was used only for internet surfing at medium screen brightness, the only running applications were browser Google Chrome and fixing the operating time of the Battery Logger. The second time the laptop was used for various activities: in addition to simple surfing, Yandex.Music played in Google Chrome, Skype was launched, correspondence was conducted in iMessage, video was played for two hours in VLC application, and the brightness varied between 50% and 75%.

During the first discharge, according to Battery Logger, the laptop spent 10 hours 42 minutes in active mode and 28 hours 43 minutes in sleep mode. Apple says that the new generation Air can spend up to 30 days in sleep (that is, it spends 3-4% of the charge per day) - it turns out that without going to sleep, the operating time would be about 11 hours. The second discharge took 8 hours 52 minutes in active mode and 15 hours 7 minutes in sleep mode - probably, without going to sleep, the laptop could overcome the 9-hour milestone.

Why in the first case, when only Internet surfing took place, the result did not reach the declared 12 hours - although the screen brightness was at 50%, and Apple set it to 75% in their tests? We think this is largely due to Google Chrome: Apple uses its own Safari browser for testing, which wins in energy efficiency (the combination of a browser, an operating system and a laptop from the same company obviously outperforms a third-party browser, opening up more opportunities for optimization). That is, the user needs to be prepared for the fact that during real use, the conditions of which differ from the standard ones, the operating time may be significantly lower than the declared one.

But this is not surprising - the difficulty of achieving the declared operating time is typical for most devices from any manufacturer. More interesting is whether there really was a leap with the introduction of Haswell processors. And here the answer turns out to be unambiguously positive: in practice, the previous generations of Air also, as a rule, did not reach the declared 7 hours, and 11 hours were obviously unattainable for them, so the increase really amounted to more than 50%. MacWorld.com compared video file playback on the previous generation Air and the new one and found that the new one lasted 65% longer. Engadget, running its standard test, discharged new Air for 12:51, while a year ago the same test on the previous generation showed 6:34 - that is, in their measurements, the increase turned out to be almost twofold.

How did you manage to achieve this, even if Intel predicted less? Partly helped by increasing the battery capacity from 6700 mAh to 7150 mAh (since the SSD drive has decreased, the overall dimensions of the laptop have remained the same). Part of the role could be played by the same optimization: the company that controls the laptop and components, and software, is able to get the most out of their combination.

How much does Haswell processors help in this case on Windows laptops, where they are responsible for the device and software different companies? We didn’t personally check it here (as you know, it’s difficult for us to touch something with the word “Windows”), but judging by other people’s reviews, there is also large-scale progress there. At AnandTech, running on two ultrabooks Acer Aspire S7s with different processors in the Home test in PC Mark 8 found a 40% increase in runtime for the Haswell model. Ultrabooknews.com, comparing two Dell XPS 12s, claimed a 24% increase in battery life when surfing the Internet and 63% when playing audio files. Engadget by testing the new gaming laptop Razer Blade, discharged it in 84% longer than the previous version.

But with impressive relative results, nothing comes close to the MacBook Air in absolute terms. The new Razer Blade in the Engadget test, nearly doubling its predecessor's result, while running out of battery in 6:24 - faster than the previous generation Air without Haswell. It is logical that a gaming laptop with powerful components quickly sits down. But the authors of various publications agree that now in the segment “to work without an outlet as long as possible” the only competitors Air - laptops with additional capacious batteries (either external or installed in place of the original and thickening the device). And the need for long work without an outlet often arises in cases where a laptop needs to be carried with you for a long time - that is, just in those cases when an increase in weight and dimensions is undesirable.

Possibly comparable results without additional batteries will appear later, now not all laptop lines have switched to Haswell (sadly remember the same retinal MacBook Pro - there, however, the screen eats a lot of energy, so the processor should have less influence). But Air has its trump card up its sleeve: it will be released in the autumn a new version OS X Mavericks, where special attention is paid to energy efficiency. It is not yet certain how much the OS update will affect, but the very fact that Air can start working EVEN LONGER in the future is impressive.

Yes, at the same time I tried the webcam in Air - together with the PhotoBooth filters it turned out so well (for a camera squeezed into a thin frame of the screen) that even on the VKontakte avatar it

Many Apple laptop owners complain over time after years of using it. This is not surprising: over time, battery life is depleted, so after two years your MacBook Pro will no longer “keep” 8 hours, as after purchase. How to determine when the battery (well, or the laptop itself) is time to change?

To find out the number of recharge cycles (this is how the "health" of the battery is determined), you need to go to the Apple menu - "About This Mac" - "System Report" - "Power Options". Here you will find all the information you need, including battery data.




How to calculate one recharge cycle? For example, if your MacBook is fully charged and you use up 50% of the charge, then charge it back up to 100% and use up 50% again, that will be one cycle. Such a system allows Mac computers to last for many years - many do not gain more than 300 cycles during the entire period of use. Let's talk about what value of the cycle can be considered optimal.

Data about the maximum number The recharge cycles for your computer can be found in the table below. If for a new one this value is, for example, 1000, then the 2009 MacBook boasts only 300.

By checking periodically, you will be able to adjust optimal use your MacBook and maybe work more often with a power connection.

Apple laptops have good time performance battery life, but MacBook batteries don't last forever, unfortunately. After a certain number of charging cycles, they lose their capacity and subsequently require replacement. The macOS operating system continuously monitors battery status, so Mac users can always determine if a battery is worn out and needs to be replaced.

Why Check Mac Battery Status

The more you use your MacBook battery, the faster it wears out. It is very important to be aware of its condition and technical serviceability, otherwise the user risks losing a working laptop at the most inopportune moment.

The check will be especially relevant in cases where the battery life of the device has decreased or when the cable is connected, the charging process does not start.

How to check the health of your Mac battery

To open the battery information menu, press the Option (Alt) key on your keyboard and click the battery gauge icon in the OS X menu bar.

As you can see, the system displays the current state. The status "normal" means that the battery is functioning without any abnormalities. If your computer is far from new, then you can only rejoice at this state of the battery. Most likely, you use your laptop carefully and there is nothing to worry about.

The battery can have one of the following states:

Normal. The battery is functioning normally.

Service life expires. This means that the battery is already worn out. It is likely that in this state it works on a single charge for less time than initially. If you see this warning, you can not worry, because the battery is working properly. However, the battery will need to be replaced in the near future.

Replacement required. The battery functions normally, but retains a charge much worse than new battery. Before replacement, such a battery can be used without harm to the computer.

Service required. It is best to replace the battery in this condition immediately. It may be damaged and subject to overheating. A defective battery can harm other MacBook components.

What about battery cycles?

Mac laptop battery usage is quantified by the number of recharge cycles. One recharge cycle corresponds to the full use of the battery, but this does not mean that the battery was charged exactly once. For example, a laptop may have been used for one hour or more during the day before running out of half its charge, and then fully recharged. If you did the same the next day, it counts as one charge cycle, not two. It may take several days to complete one cycle.

Mac keeps track of the number of recharge cycles. Batteries in most modern MacBooks, MacBook Airs, and MacBook Pros last around 1,000 cycles, but depending on specific device and the conditions of its operation, their number can be reduced to 300, after which the battery needs to be replaced. You can find out how to find out the number of recharge cycles for a MacBook battery.

Now you know how to check the battery status of your MacBook. Regularly check the condition of the battery to protect yourself from unexpected and unpleasant breakdowns.

Apple is very particular about the quality of the components in their products, and this also applies to batteries. offline time MacBooks have a lot more work than other laptops, however, over time, it slowly begins to decline. To make this moment come as late as possible, there are several simple tips, following which you will be able to maintain the battery in excellent condition throughout its life, up to the purchase of a new MacBook.

We will divide all the recommendations into two categories, the first will help take care of your battery in the short term, that is, aimed at extending the battery life from a single charge; the latter are more far-sighted and more concerned with maintaining battery life over a long period of time.

Part 1: Increase battery life

Using Power Saving Options

Power saving settings in OS X are essentially minimal, but they work and are also one way to increase battery life.

We open system settings and go to section Energy saving. Use the sliders to set the time after which the display will turn off and your Mac will go to sleep. You can also specify here whether to wake the computer from sleep mode to access the network and slow down disks, which also affects energy savings.

In addition, you can use the scheduler to set up automatic on / off, sleep or reboot at a specified time and on specified days. This will be useful to keep your Macbook on all the time, for example if you need to remotely connect to it when you are away from home.

Turn off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and dim the brightness

Wireless interfaces are those features and technologies that continue to work in the background even when you are not using them, so you can safely turn them off if you do not need them at the moment. Thus, you can save some half an hour or an hour of battery life for tasks that do not require network activity. Power Users they know how to turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, but for beginners, I will remind you that this can be done by clicking the corresponding icons in the menu bar (they can also be turned back on there).

In addition to this, it is worth mentioning the brightness of the display, which also puts a significant strain on the battery and reduces battery life. If you have the auto-brightness option turned off, I recommend turning it on. Well, do not forget about the manual adjustment of the function keys. Sometimes, in emergency cases, you can reduce the brightness level to the minimum comfortable and stretch for 30-40 minutes longer.

Disabling unnecessary peripherals

It is obvious that food peripherals connected to your MacBook puts extra strain on the battery, reducing battery life. All USB flash drives hard drives, disk drives and other facilities, it is advisable to disable if you do not need them at the moment. If you have an internal SuperDrive installed, also remember to remove the drive from it.

Upgrading to OS X Mavericks

The current version of OS X 10.9 Mavericks, released last fall, is packed full of features aimed at increasing energy efficiency. It makes no sense to list them now, since we described in detail all the Mavericks features in big review, but take my word for it that even old macbooks get a “second life” in terms of battery life after the update.

If for some reason you haven't updated yet, I strongly recommend that you do so, especially since the update is completely free and you can safely download it from the Mac App Store.

Part 2: Extend Battery Life

Battery diagnostics and monitoring

It is very important to monitor the health of your MacBook battery, so you need to take care of this first. For these purposes, any profile utility is suitable, for example, the free Battery Diag, which will tell you literally everything about your battery: initial and current capacity, battery health, number of cycles, and much more. After installation, the application icon will be placed in the menu bar, from where you can find out the most complete information.

Using the Battery Diag, combined with the other tips in this article, will allow you to identify various problems, which in one way or another affect the battery life of the MacBook and the life of its battery.

Temperature effects

Operating temperatures have a significant impact on battery life. They usually depend on how you use and store your MacBook. Apple clearly states these temperatures, for example, for my MacBook Pro (and for yours too), the operating temperatures at which operation is allowed are in the range from +10º C to +35º C. At the same time, it emphasizes that the best temperature is considered to be as close as possible to room, that is, + 22º C. Basically, these recommendations are followed “automatically”, since we are all living people and it is also uncomfortable for us to work at high or low temperatures. However, this should not be completely neglected, because there are people who like to lie with their MacBooks on beds or soft sofas, where they become "hot" surrounded by pillows and due to the lack of natural air circulation. In such cases, it will not be superfluous to use a hard surface, a special stand or table.

Prevention

It is believed that modern lithium batteries do not need care, and therefore do not require special attention to charge-discharge cycles. However, some experts still recommend sticking to reasonable rules, namely: avoid deep battery discharge and prolonged operation from the network. With a deep discharge, I think it's understandable, this adversely affects the battery capacity. But periodic disconnection from the network and work from the built-in battery is necessary because the macbook is constantly connected to the network, the battery works in more difficult conditions than with a slow charge-discharge within 40-80%.

Thus, it is desirable to disconnect the MacBook from the network at least once a week and work on the battery, discharging it up to 40-60%. And twice a year it is necessary to carry out a full discharge cycle up to 20% (when the poppy itself asks for charging) and charge up to 100%.

Long term storage

Poppy owners rarely leave their pets for more than a few hours, but still there are situations when we have to go somewhere for for a long time leaving an aluminum friend with a bitten apple at home. In this case, as in operation, you need to follow simple rules.

First, do not forget about the temperature regime. Apple allows its devices to be stored at temperatures ranging from -25º C to +45º C, however, it is still recommended that the temperature be as close as possible to +22º C. That is, you should not leave them under the summer sun on a windowsill or in an unheated room in winter.

Secondly, you need to remember about the battery, because during long-term storage it is she who suffers the most. Before leaving your MacBook for a long time (more than 6 months), discharge it by about half and store it in such a state, full charge up to 100% is not recommended. And, of course, do not forget to turn it off completely in order to avoid deep discharge and possible loss your data.

Do you have any questions, comments or suggestions? Welcome to the comments - I'm always happy to chat and help. Stay with us, there is still a lot of interesting things ahead!