just got a 360 = used regular batteries but was wondering what's the best way? can i use regular rechargables or should i just get the xbox ones? any tips would be appreciated... thanks!

I didn't want the plug and play wire since my controller and headset are wireless. So I got the dual recharger set with 2 batteries. :)

Yeah I picked up the charger that cames with a battery and then bought three more so I could have two in my controllers and two in the charger ready to go.

Ikea sells decent alkaline AAs for like $2 a 10 pack. Sounds like a reasonable way to keep the living room free of extra wire clutter and save me the hassle of going through the recharge process, or picking up a controller to find it dead. :)

all-battery.com

they're the monoprice of batteries, lol

i just got the 24 package of Energizers from Target for $12, and i know it will be a while before i need a new package...

I use the Energizer 15 minute rechargables. I figured if I bought a bunch of the Energizer rechargables I could use them in other household items like remotes.
If you buy the MS controller rechargables you are stuck using them only in the controllers.

true, true.

i got a big pack of aa/aaa's and i keep 4 handy for my 360 (one pair in controller, one on charger) and everything else has went into remotes and kids toys.... some of the best money spent, batteries are so expensive! eventually i'll switch everything over to rechargeable. and all-battery has some pretty crazy sales now and then, and you can get them really cheap.

Sanyo Eneloop is the best rechargables. They hold a charge much better than the energizers when not being used. I get them from Circuit City and Amazon.com.

Im beginning to get pissed off at the play n charge batteries. I now only get about 3-4 hrs of play time if that on a charge. I have had them since launch though. I use my charge cord on the computer and leave it overnite till the light turns green.

Im beginning to get pissed off at the play n charge batteries. I now only get about 3-4 hrs of play time if that on a charge. I have had them since launch though. I use my charge cord on the computer and leave it overnite till the light turns green.

That is just the nature of rechargeable batteries. After a while, they just don't work like new anymore. At least these things are only $12 and not the $100 that laptop batteries cost. :)

2 years of use isn't bad.

I buy regular batteries at costco. I don't have room or want to bother with charging stations. I have 3 360's. Regular batteries are just easier.

High-capacity NiMH rechargeables. Something around 2400mah. Dead easy, super long play times, and good for many, many things. Saves a lot of money, too.

how long do these cheap regular batteries usually last??

I tried the Duracell 15 minute rechareables, and I found that after a few charges the Xbox controller showed them not holding a full charge. Would they have been acceptable? Yes, but the unfull bar bugged the crap out of me, so I bought a charge and play kit for $19.99 and now I never have to worry about dead batteries again.

High-capacity NiMH rechargeables. Something around 2400mah. Dead easy, super long play times, and good for many, many things. Saves a lot of money, too.

This is what I use, and haven't had any problems with them. I've been using the same 4-pack of Duracell 2400 miliamp batteries for nearly a year now.

While the play time per charge has dropped some, I still get over a dozen hours out of each round. Plus, they charge in about an hour. No need to wait the 3-4 hours the play and charge usually takes.

I tried the Duracell 15 minute rechareables, and I found that after a few charges the Xbox controller showed them not holding a full charge. Would they have been acceptable? Yes, but the unfull bar bugged the crap out of me, so I bought a charge and play kit for $19.99 and now I never have to worry about dead batteries again.

The controller likely reads voltage rather than capacity. Different battery types have different peak voltages and discharge curves. A lower peak voltage doesn't mean that the battery isn't charged or has less capacity.

For rechargable NiMH batts, if you get the "ready to use" type, then they hold a charge far longer than regular ones. NiMH that come to you dead (or close to it) self discharge from full to empty in about 3 weeks to a month. The "ready to use" style that have a charge on them when you get them have a far slower self discharge rate, holding a useable charge for at least 6 months. For controller use, they seem like an excellent way to go if you can deal with the whole rechargable hassle. :)

"I now only get about 3-4 hrs of play time if that on a charge"

Googling tells me nothing, but I would hazzard a guess that there are regular AA NiMH batteries inside that pack. :) Maybe pry it open and replace them with the type I mentioned above. The thing is just about useless anyway, so no big loss if you just destroy it. Wear eye protection though! Just in case it is a soft cell and it bursts on you. :)

I use the rechargeable batteries from WalMart. $8 for 4 AA and they last a long time between charges.

I have both the dual charger and the plug and play. I have 5 Xbox recahargable batteries for my 5 controllers, thus even if 1 battery starts to loose charge I have backups. The advantage is that in midstream if you battery gives out you can temporaily use the plug and play, that way I do not have to run around looking for another conroller, but the pop-in pop-out of the battery packs are really sweat. If I have to spent $11 once a year to replace a weakened battery, that really is not that bad....

Using normal non-rechargable batteries makes me sick I had to stop using them. My controllers used to rip through them so fast, think of the landfills.

I just cracked open my MS rechargable bat pack after in died, lasts about 1min, 2 Sanyo NI-MH 2100 model HR-3U 1.2V, i'm going to see if I can replace them in the pack.

I took the batteries and put them in my digital camera charger and bam they recharged and are working again, i use to use the plug and play, then I switched to the 2 bat dock, maybe i'll just use the camera charge now.

Using normal non-rechargable batteries makes me sick I had to stop using them. My controllers used to rip through them so fast, think of the landfills.

Ditto; I have (we all do) so many items which take batteries I was tired of just tossing the dead ones into the trash. I went and bought a bunch of Energizer rechargeable batteries; to keep my toys powered. As some one else mentioned rechargeable batteries degrade over time so I took the time when I first bought them to match to an item. What I mean is I know I have 3 controls which take AA batteries, so I labled 3 individual sets as control A, control B, control C and will only charge those batteries with others from their set. It keeps the batteries consistent and will help you prevent the slow life creep you get with rechargeable. I've been using the same sets for over 3 years and they all hold a decent charge.

I paid $16 for the the charger (with 4 AA's) and a set of 8 additional AA's & 8 AAA's for $15 each. Total investment $45, and I haven't had to buy any additional since. At the rate of 1 replacement every 3 weeks in the xbox I would have gone through 52 sets of batteries in just 1 xbox controller alone.

Ikea sells decent alkaline AAs for like $2 a 10 pack. Sounds like a reasonable way to keep the living room free of extra wire clutter and save me the hassle of going through the recharge process, or picking up a controller to find it dead. :)

I buy those all the time!! $2 for a 10 pack of AA or AAA

Amazon has a decent deal on the play and charge kit: http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-Black-Play-Charge-Kit/dp/B000OYMYZQ/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1219938968&sr=8-2

It is $6 cheaper (black one) than retail and $2 more than the battery alone. If you can get some filler to hit $25 then shipping is free (I bought the Halo books, a really good read, but that is another thread).

For rechargable NiMH batts, if you get the "ready to use" type, then they hold a charge far longer than regular ones. NiMH that come to you dead (or close to it) self discharge from full to empty in about 3 weeks to a month. The "ready to use" style that have a charge on them when you get them have a far slower self discharge rate, holding a useable charge for at least 6 months. For controller use, they seem like an excellent way to go if you can deal with the whole rechargable hassle. :)


+1

These type of NiMH batteries usually have a slightly lower max capacity than the highest NiHMs (say ~2000 mAh versus ~2400), but they more than make up for that with their low self-discharge rate. I use them in remote controls, cameras, and other devices where the draw on the battery can be slim-to-none for long periods of time, and you want to be able to just pick up the device and 'go' without wondering whether its batteries have discharged.

I recommend them, too. I have Duracell "pre-charged" and Rayovac Hybrids.

They hold a charge for a long time and while their capacity is a bit lower, they last MUCH longer than traditional NiMH batteries which only seem to go 3 weeks max regardless of capacity.

I'm using Eneloops and am very happy with them. I have them in 2 controllers plus a Les Paul, and I have 4 spares that I keep charged. When a controller needs a battery swap I put the old ones in the charger right then.

get a big box of AAs from costco/frys/whatever and keep them handy.

Wii/360/onkyo remote eat them up over time. Rechargeables dont do it for me cause I dont remember to charge spares and I have down time.

Should be significantly cheaper to use rechargeables in the long run. The only slight drawbacks are the higher initial outlay and the roughly 2 watts used (at least by my charger) when charging, but really, that's not much in the grand scheme of things when one can re-use them over and over.

As noted above, Sanyo Eneloop and Maha Imedion batteries hold their charge for quite some time, rather than just going dead after a month without being used, which is otherwise the case.