MacBook Neo Gets Same Battery Cycle Rating as MacBook Pro, Air

Apple has updated its battery cycle count support document to include the new MacBook Neo, revealing that the entry-level laptop has a maximum cycle count of 1,000.

A battery cycle is completed when you've discharged an amount equal to 100% of the battery's total capacity, but not necessarily in one go. For example, if you use 60% one day and 40% the next, it still counts as one cycle, even though you recharged in between.

First spotted in the updated support document by 9to5Mac, the 1,000-cycle limit puts the MacBook Neo right in line with every MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and standard MacBook that Apple has sold since 2009. Older models from the pre-unibody era had limits as low as 300 cycles.

In real-world terms, even someone who burns through a full cycle every day would take nearly three years to hit the 1,000 count cap. More typical usage patterns could well stretch that beyond five years.

Apple says its lithium-ion batteries are designed to hold up to 80% of their original capacity at the maximum cycle count. After that, the battery is considered "consumed" and a replacement is recommended, but that doesn't mean it will simply stop working.

Launching today with a $599 starting price, the all-new MacBook Neo ships with a 36.5-watt-hour lithium-ion battery, which Apple rates for up to 16 hours of video playback and up to 11 hours of wireless web browsing.

• Check Your Mac's Battery Cycle Count

Every new Mac bought from Apple comes with a one-year warranty that includes service coverage for a defective battery. If your Mac is out of warranty and the battery hasn't aged well, Apple offers battery service for a charge. In this case, a MacBook Neo battery service costs $149.