If your MacBook Pro 15″ 2016 or 2017 barely makes it through three to four hours on a charge, or you’ve noticed the bottom case starting to bow outward slightly, you’re far from the only one. Many owners of these Touch Bar models describe exactly this pattern, and some have found the cell has physically swollen inside the chassis, pushing against the trackpad or bottom cover. It’s frustrating, especially when the machine itself still feels capable and you’d rather not replace it. The good news is that the hardware underneath is solid, and in most cases a battery replacement is all it takes to get things back to how the laptop felt when it was new.

At ALVA PC, we replace the built-in A1820 battery — the single 76 Wh lithium-polymer cell used across all A1707 configurations — and hand the same laptop back to you, just with a battery that holds a proper charge again. Your files, your logins, your desktop, your setup: all exactly as you left them. We don’t reimage, wipe, or reconfigure anything. The process is straightforward: we remove the glued-in cell carefully using adhesive remover, fit a replacement, and test the machine before it goes back in your hands. For most owners using these machines docked or on the charger much of the time, we’d also recommend updating to at least macOS Catalina if you haven’t already, as it introduced smarter charging behaviour that helps the new battery last longer day to day.

If you’d like to understand more about what’s involved — including pricing across the full MacBook Pro range — our MacBook Pro battery replacement guide covers everything in plain terms. When you’re ready to book, you can reserve your repair slot on our MacBook Pro battery booking page with a £10 deposit that comes off the total cost. Slots fill up, so it’s worth securing yours sooner rather than later.

The good news is that the battery in your MacBook Pro can be replaced in a workshop setting, and in most cases this is the single change that makes the biggest real-world difference to how the machine feels day to day. Many owners report noticeably longer runtime, fewer unexpected shutdowns, and a laptop that no longer feels tethered to a charger after this work is done. ALVA PC will assess your specific unit — including checking for the swelling and degradation patterns common on this generation — and let you know what it finds before any work is agreed.

You do not need to research parts, worry about compatibility, or make any technical decisions yourself — that is handled entirely by ALVA PC. This is a hardware service only — it doesn’t involve your storage drive at all, so your documents, photos, and settings stay exactly where they are throughout. There is no pressure to commit upfront: ALVA PC will tell you exactly what it recommends and why, and you decide from there.

The name ‘Apple MacBook Pro 15″ 2016–2017’ covers a family of machines that share the same chassis but differ in processor speed, graphics configuration, and internal revision — so the exact upgrade route can vary between units. ALVA PC checks your specific model before confirming anything, so you can be sure the assessment and any work quoted applies to your laptop precisely, not just the family in general.

On the 15″ MacBook Pro from this period, feeling unreliable day-to-day is frequently associated with battery condition rather than the processor or memory. These packs are now several years past their original install date, and many owners report runtime dropping well below what the machine offered when new, along with unexpected shutdowns under load. There is also a separate, well-documented pattern worth knowing about: batteries in this generation often degrade or, in some cases, physically swell over time, which can affect both runtime and the physical fit of the bottom case — something ALVA PC checks for at intake.

The encouraging part is that the rest of the hardware holds up well. The quad-core processors in this family remain capable for a wide range of everyday and creative work, and the displays, keyboards, and build quality are unchanged. Many owners report that once the battery is replaced, the machine feels meaningfully more dependable in day-to-day use. Separately, original storage can also degrade in speed over time on machines this age — if that’s the specific symptom you’re seeing rather than runtime or shutdowns, it’s worth mentioning at intake so ALVA PC can assess whether it’s a factor alongside the battery.

The 15-inch MacBook Pro sold between late 2016 and mid-2017 falls under one model identifier, A1707, split across two internal generations: EMC 3072 (Late 2016, Skylake) and EMC 3162 (Mid-2017, Kaby Lake). The 2016 generation shipped in two standard configurations — 2.6 GHz and 2.7 GHz Core i7 — distinguished mainly by their discrete GPU tier (Radeon Pro 450 or 455/460). The 2017 generation added a Kaby Lake refresh at 2.8 GHz and 2.9 GHz, with a build-to-order 3.1 GHz option. All five configurations share the same chassis design and, critically, the same battery: a single integrated 76 Wh lithium-polymer cell (part number A1820, rated at 11.4 V and approximately 6,670 mAh). There is no capacity split between sub-models — the same unit appears across both the 2016 and 2017 variants.

On the upgrade and serviceability front, this generation is notably constrained. RAM is soldered LPDDR3 and cannot be changed after purchase. The SSD uses a proprietary blade connector and is technically removable but not practical to swap for most owners. The battery, while glued in rather than screwed down, is the one component routinely replaced in a repair context — though removal requires adhesive remover and careful prying to avoid damaging surrounding components. The 15-inch Touch Bar models were not included in Apple’s formal battery service programs, which covered the 2015 15-inch and the 2016–2017 13-inch non-Touch Bar machines, so owners of swollen or degraded cells on this family have generally needed to pay for out-of-warranty service.

A few software and firmware details are worth knowing for owners keeping these machines running. macOS Catalina 10.15.5 introduced optimized battery charging, which caps sustained charge around 85–90% and frequently reduces long-term capacity degradation — particularly relevant for machines used primarily plugged in or in clamshell mode. Earlier builds handled charging more aggressively, and a number of swelling complaints in the community are associated with units that spent years at full charge. Thermal throttling is another practical concern on commonly sold 2017 variants: under sustained GPU and CPU load, many configurations drop below rated turbo speeds, and the 2016-and-later chassis design requires logic board removal to fully access the heatsink — making preventive fan cleaning more involved than on earlier models.

Our Apple MacBook Pro 15″ 2016–2017 battery replacement service removes the uncertainty: we check your exact model, confirm the layout, select a suitable route, carry out the work, test the laptop and send video proof before any remaining balance is due. For a wider explanation, visit our main service page.

Common concerns. We’ve written a detailed guide that addresses every one of these worries honestly, with research to back it up.