Macbook Pro Battery Replacement in Singapore for $43.99

Recently the battery on my mid-2010 Macbook Pro died. The Macbook Pro was about 2 years and 10 months old and had 1056 cycles on it. After some research, I found that Apple had released an SMC Firmware update (This update addresses a rare issue on some Apple notebooks where a battery that has accumulated more than 1000 charge cycles may unexpectedly shut down or stop functioning) for exactly the issue that I faced. I applied the updated, but it didn't revive my dead battery. During the process, I also learned that the battery in my Macbook Pro is non-user replaceable.

I called up Apple customer care even though I had not purchase the Apple Care with my Macbook Pro. I told that this is a known issue for Apple, and they should help me. They said them that the update should have been applied while the battery was still working. Once dead, there was no way to revive the battery. Moreover, according to them, since the battery had already completed more than 1000 cycles, it was time to replace it anyway. I told them that my battery was giving a good 3-4 hrs on each charge before it suddenly went dead. They listened to me patiently, but didn't offer much help, other than providing contact numbers for all the authorized Apple Service Centers in Singapore. Since I didn't have Apple Care plan, I didn't see a point in arguing with them further.

The real shocker came when I started calling up the authorized Apple Service Centers. All of them quoted SGD 280 (about USD 220) for the battery. But that was not the shock. The real shock was the service charge for replacement - another SGD 120-130 (about USD 100). On top of that, they offered just 3-month warranty for an SGD 400 purchase. I decided that I would rather donate my computer to a charity instead of feeding 400 of my hard-earned dollars to the Apple mafia.

Even though I was told that it was non-user replaceable battery, I decided to go DIY. I googled for Macbook battery replacement and found several good videos on YouTube for battery replacement. After watching couple videos, I opened up the back cover on my Macbook Pro and learned that even my 8-year old son could replace that battery. The only problem - I needed a tri-wing screw driver. I went to eBay and found that the battery was being sold for SGD 129 by a Singapore based seller, and the screw driver was on sale for USD 0.99 by a Hong Kong based seller. But I wasn't confident of purchasing a battery from eBay. I also found that original Apple OEM batteries were on sale on Amazon for under USD 50, but unfortunately Amazon does not ship batteries to Singapore. BTW, I have been buying things on Amazon for years, and have good faith in them.

Luckily for me, one of my friends was going to the US for a 2-week business trip. So, I approached him for help and he obliged. I ordered the battery from Amazon for USD 43, and the screw driver from eBay for USD 0.99 (a total cost of USD 43.99 including shipping). The screw driver was shipped to me within 5 business days, much before I got the battery. I tested the screw driver by opening the 2 screws holding the old battery in place, and they came off easily. About 10 days later, my friend returned from the US and handed me the new battery. It came in a good packaging and looked brand new, and exactly like my old battery. It took me 5 minutes to replace the battery, with my Made In China screw driver (an effort worth SGD 120 in Singapore).

I pressed the power button on my Macbook Pro (without the power adapter of course), said a little prayer in my mind, and it instantly came to life. After it booted up, the first thing I did was to check the cycle count and it had just 4 cycles on it. I charged the battery to full, removed the power adapter, and let it run it on battery until it was completely drained. On the first charge, it gave me 4+ hours running Windows 7 under Boot Camp and that is as good as it gets. It's been nearly 2 months since I replaced the battery and my new battery has been holding up pretty well.

I wanted to share my experience with other Macbook users, especially those in Singapore. I understand that not everyone can order a battery from the US (like I did), but at least it should help you know that more economical alternatives to authorized Apple Service Centers exist. Good luck!

Disclaimer: Please use this information at your own risk. What worked for me may not work for you. Your mileage may vary.