Don't remove laptop batteries

Although Macbooks are portable computers, they aren't always used away from the office or home and you might occasionally, or even permanently, use one as a neat and compact desktop computer. After all, ignoring the Mac Mini, which isn't even a complete computer because it doesn't have a keyboard, monitor, mouse, or speakers, it is actually the cheapest way to buy a Mac.

Macbooks, being portable laptop computers, have a battery installed so that they can be used away from the home or office, but if you use it as a desktop computer that is permanently plugged into the mains power supply the question is whether to leave the battery installed or to remove it. Will it damage the battery? Will it over charge? Will it reduce its efficiency? These are important questions for people that use Macbooks as their main desktop computer either temporarily or permanently.

There is a very brief article in Apple's support section that says "MacBook and MacBook Pro: Mac reduces processor speed when battery is removed while operating from an A/C adaptor." So the Mac's speed is limited without the battery and it will run more slowly than normal. This is because it is supplied with a pathetic power supply that is not beefy enough to supply the Macbook with all the power it needs. Hey, but it looks cool and it has that clever connector. This is clearly a case of looks being more important than function, something that Apple is occasionally guilty of.

Another reason for keeping the battery in place and not removing it even though it is not needed is because one of the Macbook's feet is on the battery. There are four small feet un the underside, one in each corner, but one of them is on the battery. If you remove the battery then the Macbook wobbles! Not badly and you can live with it, but it definitely isn't as stable with the battery removed.

Will it damage the battery leaving it in and with the Macbook permanently plugged into the mains? Once a battery has been fully charged the power is cut and it stops charging, so you can't over charge it. Batteries leak charge slowly and eventually the charge will fall and the Mac will top it up, but it stops as soon as it is done.

A rechargeable battery can only be charged a certain number of times, so it makes sense to charge it up as infrequently as possible, but there's no evidence that leaving it in the Mac and letting it be topped up as and when required does any harm. Even if it does reduce the life of the battery, it is an easily replaced component and a disposable one that isn't meant to last as long as the computer anyway, so leave it in and don't remove it. You mac will be more stable and it will run faster.