AlDente: battery saver for mobile Macs
Charging Macs with battery is an art in itself – at least if you want to use your battery as long as possible. Although macOS has some on-board tools for this, including the so-called optimized loading, which is also available for the iPhone, the setting options are quite limited. This can be remedied by the AlDente charging tool, which in the Pro version can even take control of the MagSafe charging LED in order to use it for various displays.
If the routine is not recognized
AlDente comes from a team in Austria and is also available as a free version with limited functions for testing. Among other things, with the Pro version you can set the level up to which the battery should be charged – and only fill it up completely when needed. The idea behind it: The user probably knows (even) better than the routine recognition of macOS when he or she needs a full battery and when not. So you don’t end up with an empty battery if Apple’s optimized charging doesn’t work as desired.
Also useful: AlDente Pro allows the definition of a maximum temperature up to which charging is allowed. Furthermore, the battery can be automatically discharged when it is connected, which also works when it is closed. “This feature allows your MacBook to run entirely on battery power, even when plugged into AC power. This allows you to actively discharge your MacBook to a healthier percentage,” the makers explain. So users no longer have to think about disconnecting their MacBook from the network.
Sailing and “Top Up”
The so-called sailing mode is also included. Instead of just staying at a certain charge level, this allows you to switch between healthy charge levels. After charging to 80 percent, AlDente then automatically lets the charge level drop to 75 percent over time, for example. When the 75 percent is reached, it is charged again to 80 percent. Various statistical functions are also integrated, so you can display the data from the Battery Management System, some of which differ from those from macOS. A “Top Up” feature allows you to charge completely to 100 percent (which is actually not conducive to battery health) if you are facing a long session without power access.
AlDente Pro can automatically stop loading when the computer is in sleep mode. The app can also be controlled via Apple shortcuts. An exclusive function concerns the MagSafe LED: This uses the light integrated in the magnetic connector to display various statuses. This works for both MagSafe 2 and MagSafe 3 machines. For example, the green LED indicates that the charging limit has been reached, charging pauses are shown in orange. You can also activate flashing when discharging or turn off the LED completely. AlDente Pro costs 11.30 euros per year or 23.80 euros as a single purchase. The tool is also part of the Setapp subscription.
(bsc)
