I was looking for some advice on getting the most out of my MacBook’s battery. Here is the summary of what I compiled and the corresponding references.
Lithium-based batteries function best when used fairly frequently but lightly.
For proper maintenance of a lithium-based battery, it’s important to keep the electrons in it moving occasionally. Apple does not recommend leaving your portable plugged in all the time. An ideal use would be a commuter who uses her notebook on the train, then plugs it in at the office to charge. This keeps the battery juices flowing.
Ideally we shouldn’t heavily use the MacBook on battery power, instead we should have a balance – and maintain at least 1-2 charge cycles per week (minimum one charge cycle per month)
Long-Term Storage
If you don’t plan on using your notebook for more than six months, Apple recommends that you store the battery with a 50% charge. If you store a battery when it’s fully discharged, it could fall into a deep discharge state, which renders it incapable of holding any charge. Conversely, if you store it fully charged for an extended period of time, the battery may experience some loss of battery capacity, meaning it will have a shorter life.
Additional useful information can be found in the following links:
Mac notebooks: Tips for maximizing your battery charge
Apple notebook batteries – maintenance and troubleshooting