Xbox S controller: Play and Charge or rechargeable AA?

[dizmo]

Over the past couple of weeks I've gone through 4 pairs of AA batteries in my Xbox One S controller. They're not super batteries or anything, Amazon Basics, but I still find it a little hard to swallow. So, I've decided to upgrade to something better.

 

I have two choices, a Play and Charge kit, or an AA battery charger with 4 batteries.

The cost is the same, unless I get a cheap Play and Charge kit (Insignia), then it's half the price.

 

I've never owned a Play and Charge kit, but my roommate has one and it seems pretty handy. I'd just have to plug in a cable, instead of taking up another outlet spot.

I'd be worried about the quality of the cheaper Play and Charge kit.

 

The rechargeable battery option lets me also have batteries for other things, though I only have one or two other toys that use batteries, and they last forever.

However, it does let me use higher capacity batteries. The Enerloop batteries, for example, are 2000mah. I think the typical Xbox battery is 1200mah.

 

Are there any pros/cons I've missed? What would you get, and why?

Any real advantage to getting a more expensive AA battery charger? Above and beyond the Energizer/Enerloop ones?

[saladcrack]

I use rechargeable AA batteries for my Xbox controller and I like it a lot more than plugging into a cable.  I have multiple (like 10) rechargeable batteries so if some run out I just switch real quick and keep playing, never have to worry about a cable. 

[Mira Yurizaki]

Rechargables. You can get an 4xAA Eneloop Kit for about the same price as a plug and play charge kit. The Eneloop batteries have about the same capacity too, if not a little less. Plus when those go bad, you just buy more batteries. And you can use the batteries for something else too.

 

Also most third party charging kits don't actually charge through the USB cable.

[bgibbz]

I use an Xbox 1 controller on my pc, and I think the play and charge kits are much better. If the batteries run out mid game, rather than scrambling around for batteries, I simply plug a cord in. 

[Guest]

You have 4 batteries. 2 for xbox one S controller. So you can charge the remaining while playing and then once the current batteries run out you get the charged one and use it again. Pretty handy right?

[pwn_intended]

I like the official play and charge kit. The unofficial ones aren't allowed to use the controller's usb port for charging, they will have their own micro usb jack on the batty pack itself.

 

I say either go with the play n charge kit (I highly recommend it if you have the cash for it)

Or go for some eneloop rechargables and you have batteries for all your devices.

Don't bother with the 3rd party crap.

[SteveGrabowski0]

I'd rather use rechargeable batteries. I hate that my Dualshock 4 on my PS4 has to be charged via the micro USB. So much nicer just swapping batteries and putting the dead ones back in the charger on my XBox 360 controller I use for PC gaming. Plus I have had a couple of plug and charge kits die on my 360 controller.

[dizmo]

51 minutes ago, Gamessys said:

I use rechargeable AA batteries for my Xbox controller and I like it a lot more than plugging into a cable.  I have multiple (like 10) rechargeable batteries so if some run out I just switch real quick and keep playing, never have to worry about a cable. 

How long do you find they last you?

40 minutes ago, bgibbz said:

I use an Xbox 1 controller on my pc, and I think the play and charge kits are much better. If the batteries run out mid game, rather than scrambling around for batteries, I simply plug a cord in. 

Yeah, that'd be useful but my Xbox is too far from where I sit to run the cable, so that feature would be useless to me.

29 minutes ago, pwn_intended said:

I like the official play and charge kit. The unofficial ones aren't allowed to use the controller's usb port for charging, they will have their own micro usb jack on the batty pack itself.

 

I say either go with the play n charge kit (I highly recommend it if you have the cash for it)

Or go for some eneloop rechargables and you have batteries for all your devices.

Don't bother with the 3rd party crap.

Hmm interesting, didn't know that. Definitely has me reconsidering the generic version then.

I think the rechargeable batteries might be the way to go, with their higher capacity.

[pwn_intended]

3 minutes ago, dizmo said:

How long do you find they last you?

Yeah, that'd be useful but my Xbox is too far from where I sit to run the cable, so that feature would be useless to me.

Hmm interesting, didn't know that. Definitely has me reconsidering the generic version then.

I think the rechargeable batteries might be the way to go, with their higher capacity.

Play and charge kit also comes with a nice long usb cable. It charges just fine from my PC, and I would assume that any USB power source would be able to charge it, but not 100% on that...

[dizmo]

11 minutes ago, pwn_intended said:

Play and charge kit also comes with a nice long usb cable. It charges just fine from my PC, and I would assume that any USB power source would be able to charge it, but not 100% on that...

Sadly not long enough, it's just a 9' cable and I'm about 12.5' of cable away from the box.

[saladcrack]

45 minutes ago, dizmo said:

How long do you find they last you?

Depending on how often, how long and what I'm doing they could last a day or a week.  If I'm playing CoD for 10 straight hours they die pretty quickly but if I'm watching Netflix or YouTube they can last forever.