Hello

I'm presently using the AA Energizer batteries but now looking at the ones that just pop in the 360 controller. However I'm seeing several different styles and manufactures from a simple USB plug-in to some holding up to four controllers.


I know sometimes you get a better deal with a third party model and sometimes it's more pain than savings. I really need something for mainly one controller but besides the offical MS models are there others to consider or worthwhile? And just how long does most of these last, 6 months or a year or what? The Energizer batteries hold up ok but I'm close to getting a new set of four once a year. Thanks

I tried the Nyko Charge Base for the Wii, and it was a waste of money. Never held a charge. I ended up going back to standard batteries.

For the 360, I use the Xbox 360 Quick Charge Kit from Microsoft. It's very convenient. I always have batteries charged and ready to use. They hold a charge for a long time if you ever go a couple weeks between gaming sessions. And the batteries last a while. I can go a week of daily play between battery swaps. Of all the accessories I've bought for gaming, this it probably the best.

On the downside, it just comes with one battery. You'll probably want to pick up an extra battery so you can quickly swap and always keep one charged.

I just use Rayovak AA rechargeables for all my controllers and haven't regretted that at all. I don't think I've ever had to replace any after about 2 years of use, but admittedly I don't play a ton of xbox.

My experience (and those of my friends as well) with those quick charge battery packs for 360 is that they work well at first but they don't last. They start holding inconsistent charges and eventually won't even charge at all. I have some Duracell and Rayovak rechargables like starman mentioned above and have never had an issue with them yet.

Enloop AAs. That's all you'll ever need.

Are you sure those were official 360 batteries? I've seen a lot of 3rd party 360 batteries being sold on Amazon with horrible reviews.

Maybe I've been lucky. I've been using the charger with 3 batteries for the past four years without a problem.

Eneloops FTW!

I've been using Eneloops and a cheap-but-kickass Duracell charger for a couple of years now and couldn't be happier. So much better than the Microsoft batteries and Play & Charge kits I was using before.

Model number on the Duracell charger is CEF23 DX4N. I paid around $20-25 for it in 2010 but Duracell stopped making them for some reason. There are still some on Amazon, but they're running around $55 or so. Some Canadian dude's been occasionally selling them on eBay for around $37 shipped.

I've wanted to upgrade to Eneloops due to reviews, but figured I'd wait until my Rayovaks kick the bucket so I can change them all at once. It's taken longer than I planned. I too have a Duracell charger, which is odd, because I don't seem to have any Duracell batteries to go with it (I assume they are in some toy).

Eneloops.

Have been using them for more than 2 years. They have good packs in Costco, if you are a member.

I have 6 (official ones) that I have never had a lick of trouble with. I use the Quick Charge Kit though. I think I've used the Plug & Play cable maybe once. I'm not sure if that would make a difference in durability.

Another vote for Eneloops. Mine have lasted years. Energizer and Sony rechargeables never lasted for me. I recently bought a giant pack of Eneloops at Costco to satisfy all my remotes/controllers/Rock Band stuff.

A few years ago I found Rayovac hybrid rechargeables at either Target or Walmart for probably a few bucks less than the Eneloops. They've held up well, too. Can't seem to find them in-store anymore though.

Yea...I've seen the reviews of the Eneloops over at Amazon an figure that many cannot be wrong. I did want some input on the actual recharables for the controller itself. For around $16.00 for the charger and four AA batteries that's still good in my book. Plus we use a lot of he AA and AAA around the house.

Yep. I eventually went back to a corded controller.

I just use AA batteries most of the time and they seem to work well. I'm not a person that games a ton but at least a couple times a week for a few hours or more and they usually seem to last around a couple months or so. Usually just use Energizer batteries. I also have the X-Box Play and Charge kit which has the rechargeable battery plus a cord that you can use to charge the controller or just play with it wired in but I don't use it as much anymore.

Off topic, but if I buy one of those charging cables, can I use that for my wireless controller to connect to my PC even if I don't have the xbox battery? (basically, I'm looking for the cheapest way to connect to my PC without buying a wired controller)

Common question on CAG. The answer is "No". Those carry charge, not input signals.

Amazon sells a few third party wireless recievers for 360 controllers. The $16 got good reviews. I use the MS one and it works fantastic, but they only sell it with a controller now for some odd reason.

Thanks Decker, I don't play much on PC, so it's one of those things I just check prices rarely on and those chords came up for me sort of randomly today.

Same here.

Got tired of buying new batteries so I acquired a used quick charge kit from a friend. I bought 2 new xbox battery packs to go with it.

After my battery packs have charged is it ok to just leave the spare in the charger until it's needed or should I take it out of the charger?

I'm interested in some rechargeables for my controllers as well. Seeing all the eneloop talk got me looking and, tbh, I know nothing about them.

Is this what I would want to buy?

http://www.amazon.com/Sanyo-Eneloop-...0034875&sr=8-4

(basically it is a pack of 8 AA, some AAA (which I don't think I use) and a charger for like 32$)

That is probably what most of us with Eneloops have, but most of us probably got it from Costco. I don't remember exactly, but I think the pack is/was around $25.

Alright, fantastic. No Costco around here and 32$ shipped seems doable compared to what I have paid for standard disposable batteries. The talk about Duracell chargers though made me wonder if the stock one was garbage or something.

Good to hear it isn't!

I'd recommend reading the top review from "NLee the Engineer." He posts reviews for a lot of the batteries and chargers and really knows his shit. I used his reviews to help me buy my stuff.

On this one, he seems to like the batteries (and he usually does recommend the Eneloops quite a bit), but doesn't seem to like the charger very much.

There's a Sony smart charger which seems to be pretty good. It sells for around $25 and comes with four AA rechargables that are similar to the Eneloops.

Sony Cycle Energy BCG34HRE4KN Quick with Refresh Charger and 4 Pre-Charged 2000 mAh AA Batteries

If it were me, I'd go with the Sony charger and maybe pick up a four-pack of Eneloops for around $10-11. It'd be slightly more expensive but you'd be getting a lot better charger.

Not sure if it's still the case, but there used to be eneloops out in the wild disguised as Duracell rechargeables. IIRC, depending on where they are made gave them away (China vs. Japan). I don't recall which country was home of the eneloop/duracell.