Ask HN: Replacing a MacBook Pro's Battery

3 points·aoms··3 comments

I'm looking for some advise.

I have a 2018 Macbook Pro (A1990) and the battery has started swelling.. To the point where it's pushing the under-case out a bit.

What is the best way to get it replaced? Without going to an Apple-store and getting them to overprice me on it.

Are there any reputable places online I can buy one and fit it myself? (I'm in the UK)

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IFixit sells the battery [1] for £130, they also have a useful guide [2], though it being Apple, repair-ability is rated difficult and requires many tools, so an independent repair shop is probably your best bet.

[1] https://store.ifixit.co.uk/products/macbook-pro-15-retina-mi... [2] https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+15-Inch+Touch+Bar+2...

I have always thought there is a market opportunity for MacBook batteries. Right now is a mess, no real trusted name brand 3rd party.

Amazon is filled with $50 choices but reviews that are all over the place.

Ifixt, OWC, sell batteries with accessories for $100+ but you have no idea if you are paying more for the same $50 battery. It’s even more of a problem as anything after 2011 is not a simple swap out if the replacement goes bad.

Maybe someone can say why there isn’t a true 3rd party premium battery brand ?

I took a 2015 MBP to an Apple Store and replacing the battery was fairly cheap - about $175. When you consider the amount of labor it takes to access the battery without damaging anything else, that’s not bad. An independent shop estimated over $200 and said they wouldn’t know the cost until they did it.

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