13" Macbook Pro Mid-2014 Battery Replacement + SSD Upgrade
- News
- 03 Mar, 2022
Introduction
This 13” Macbook Pro came in with a very short battery life, making it not very portable, needing to be close to a mains when used. A quick test showed that the battery health was poor and it had surpassed 1,200 cycles! On average, these batteries last around 1,000 cycles. On top of a short life when unplugged, a failing battery can also have a negative impact on performance, slowing the machine down in an attempt to make the battery last longer. If this had kept on being used, the performance would have kept deteriorating. In some cases when the batteries start failing, they begin to expand! This creates pressure on the trackpad which desensitises them, creating a dead spot and in some cases, makes them pop out of the machine!
Luckily for the MacBook being repaired in this blog, it hadn't gone that far!
The MacBook was also close to reaching the capacity of its 256GB SSD. This again can negatively impact performance and can prevent the machine from running any updates.
In this repair we will be replacing the battery and fitting a larger SSD. We will be replacing this battery with a brand new Apple one. We will be upgrading the MacBook with a larger 500GB Samsung SSD.
Repair Process
To start off the repair, the original battery will be removed. Unlike the older non-retina MacBooks, which are screwed in, this battery is sealed in place with adhesive. The speakers are unscrewed and moved to the side for better access to the battery. The seal is then carefully broken for each of the 6 cells, then the battery can be removed.
With the battery removed, a mess of adhesive is left on the case, which then is cleaned off ready for the new battery.
After test fitting and checking the battery health to ensure it is okay, the battery is then sealed.
The design capacity indicates the current health of the battery, which is at 100%!
Next, the SSD can be fitted. We will be using a 500GB Samsung Evo 970 Plus. The old SSD is removed and the new one fitted in its place.
The fan and heatsink have also been cleaned out of all the built up dust!
With the battery sealed and the SSD fitted, now it is time to install the operating system. With this Macbook being a mid-2014 model, the latest operating system it supports is 11 Big Sur. Once the operating system has been installed, any remaining updates are ran to bring this as up to date as possible. The battery is also calibrated, letting it run through an entire cycle to ensure proper functionality.
With the MacBook up to date, the customer’s data is then restored, setting the Macbook up just as they remember it!
With the data restored, this MacBook is ready to go!
An added bonus to fitting this Samsung SSD is that it operates much faster than the original Apple SSD. The speed test below of each SSD shows this difference!
This repair and upgrade will help keep this MacBook running strong for years to come! If you have a MacBook you would like repairing, you can book an appointment here!