• Light/Dark

Controllers: Do you prefer non-removable batteries (PS4) or removable AA/lithium-ion (Xbox)

What kind of battery option do you prefer in controllers?

  • Non-removable batteries

    Votes: 1,043 52.0%

  • Removable AA/lithium-ion pack

    Votes: 964 48.0%
  • Total voters
    2,007
Falconbox

Falconbox

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
4,600
Buffalo, NY
Saw a question on Reddit on how to improve the Dualshock 4 next-gen and got heavily downvoted (nearing -100 right now) for suggesting that they ditch the non-removable battery and give us the option for a battery pack or AAs.

Right now PS4 uses a non-removable battery that lasts about 10 hours brand new. If it begins to die, you plug it into a USB to continue playing. It can also lose charge over time (I bought a new one after my old controller died after 4-5 hours). That's a new $60 controller.

Meanwhile my Xbox can use 20+ hour rechargeable AA batteries that cost $13 for a 4-pack. If it begins to die, you swap 2 out for 2 that you have on standby charging. Once they lose charge permanently, that's just another $13 for 4 more. It also has the option for the rechargeable Play-N-Charge battery pack.
 
Much

Much

The Gif That Keeps on Giffing
Member
Feb 24, 2018
6,069
Non-removable 100%. No unnecessary faffing with batteries. They need to improve the battery life though, even though I sit right next to the screen when playing, so I normally have a cable in anyway.

EDIT: literally charge the controller when you're not playing and it's pretty much a non-issue.
 
Last edited:

Deleted member 5491

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
5,249
Non-removable, rechargeable.
Switch Pro COntroller lasts around 40h or so, why would I want to fiddley and buy AA batteries?
 
udivision

udivision

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,041
The battery life of the Wii U Pro Controller is 80 hours so... yeah I think non removable is too appealing at this point.
 
Sabretooth

Sabretooth

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,111
India
I don't care as long as the controller can charge via USB cable. As it turns out, the Xbox controller cannot unless you buy the Play-n-Charge Kit, so I'm going to side with the DualShock on this.
 

Deleted member 1413

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
8,617
Switch Pro controller lasts like 40 hours and is rechargeable. I prefer that, I'm not sure why the PS4 one doesn't last as long, having to buy batteries feels pretty archaic now a Days.
 
nib95

nib95

Contains No Misinformation on Philly Cheesesteaks
Banned
Oct 28, 2017
18,498
There isn't such a thing as a non removable battery really. It only takes a couple of minutes or less to open up and remove or replace the Dualshock 4 battery should you ever need or want to. Hence I prefer in-built batteries as it saves me having to routinely swap them out. DS4 battery life isn't exactly great, but the Switch Pro pad lasts forever.
 
Apath

Apath

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,149
Non-removeable, but keep away the gimmicky features that make the controller last as long as a cell phone.
 
sleepnaught

sleepnaught

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
4,538
non removable if the battery life is as good as Nintendo's Pro Controller. The DS4 battery life is just downright awful.
 
Rei

Rei

Member
Nov 1, 2017
200
Kuala Lumpur
Non-removable. The longer it last the better like the Switch Pro Controller for 40-50h and the Wii U Pro Controller could last like 80 hours on a single charge. I wish the DS4 is like that as well..
 

Deleted member 29249

User requested account closure
Banned
Nov 1, 2017
3,634
Removable. Hate having to plug in my controller when not using it. Rather have a few extra AAs in a wall charger ready to go.
 
Silky

Silky

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
10,522
Georgia
Removable battery packs so I can fuckoff with generic ones and just buy the best to offer on the market

Eneloops waoh
 
senj

senj

Member
Nov 6, 2017
4,561
Neopolitan said:
Rechargeable with a lengthy life.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
That can go either way though. It's kind of weird to me that people equate rechargeable and non-removable.

Personally I prefer removable. Controller dying? Instead of having to fuck around digging out the micro USB cable and USB extender, stringing the mess across the room and play tethered for several hours I can just swap the set of Eneloops on the charger for the set in the pad.

Takes two seconds, and no stupid USB tether.
 
blizzink

blizzink

Member
Oct 27, 2017
174
Most of my gaming right now is using 360/Wii controllers, so I love my store-bought rechargeable batteries.
 
Much

Much

The Gif That Keeps on Giffing
Member
Feb 24, 2018
6,069
GHG said:
This.

The first thing I did when I got may xbox one was get play and charge kits for the controllers. I'm not fucking around with AA batteries in this day and age.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

It really does feel archaic to be using batteries in a case of removing them from a controller now, at least for gaming. I'm not sure why that is. Maybe it's because I mostly have played on PlayStation, but the only problem with non-removable is lower battery life, though it's to be expected.
 
Its Dead Jim

Its Dead Jim

Member
Jan 11, 2018
339
Ceti Alpha V
Removable AA is always the correct answer to this question. The performance and lifespan you can get from specialist AA batteries (Eneloops et al) can't be matched by non removeables.

I bought an 8 pack of Eneloops on Xbox launch, still going strong. Last way longer than friends with Play N Charge kits. Friends with PS4s from a similar time have either had to replace their pads or have them almost permanently plugged in.

Just wish I could buy some Astro cans with removeables too. My A50s from launch last about 4 hours now.
 
Echo

Echo

Banned
Oct 29, 2017
6,482
Mt. Whatever
Removable. Never have to be charging or wired since I have an entire rack of Eneloop rechargeable AA's.

Kinda shoots the shit out of the "buying batteries" excuse too. Buy a starter kit of Eneloop batteries and you're good for 10 years or more lol.
 
Nintendo

Nintendo

Prophet of Regret
Member
Oct 27, 2017
13,391
Non-removable all day.

Having batteries laying around is annoying.
 
Helios13

Helios13

Member
Nov 3, 2017
1
The Sun
So, I like the ability to just invest in a replacement pack ie: Nyko rechargeable battery kit for Xbox one controllers. With the DS4, you have to either, as you said keep it plugged in, or buy a whole brand new controller due to the loss of hours worth of power over time.
 

Deleted member 2109

User-requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
3,927
Removable and recharchable. I use eneloop and plug and play kits and my Xbox One lasts forever while my DS4s last hours.
 
Bessy67

Bessy67

Member
Oct 29, 2017
11,725
I prefer removeable. That way I don't have to worry about what to do if the battery stops holding a charge, and I prefer just being able to swap in a new set of eneloops and continuing wirelessy rather than tethering myself to the console.
 
DesiacX

DesiacX

Member
Oct 27, 2017
381
Removable. Ill take the option of easily replaceable rechargeable/AA-Batteries over being locked into something that requires disassembly to replace.
 
Ghostbound

Ghostbound

Member
Oct 25, 2017
449
Florida
It depends on the controller. The DS4 has garbage battery life (among other things) so I'd definitely prefer being able to use a pair of Eneloops instead.

The Switch Pro controller meanwhile lasts for a ridiculously long time so I don't mind the batteries being non-removable.
 
Vagabond

Vagabond

Member
Oct 26, 2017
3,392
United States
Kinda like the choice that Xbox gives you. You can do either. I don't want to be stuck with just non-removable (PS4)

And Xbox controllers are cheap too. I wonder if that's why.
 
sleepnaught

sleepnaught

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
4,538
senj said:
That can go either way though. It's kind of weird to me that people equate rechargeable and non-removable.

Personally I prefer removable. Controller dying? Instead of having to fuck around digging out the micro USB cable and USB extender, stringing the mess across the room and play tethered for several hours I can just swap the set of Eneloops on the charger for the set in the pad.

Takes two seconds, and no stupid USB tether.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I find it easier to just plug my Pro Controller once a week into the USB C cable already plugged into my Switch Dock then to change out batteries between the controller and the charging station. No convenience is lost here.
 
Flame Lord

Flame Lord

Member
Oct 26, 2017
2,807
I prefer removable ones. Rechargeable AAs work just as good, and when they die on me I can just change to another pair and charge the old pair for the next time. Also, when my DS3 charge started getting worse I just had to replace it completely. Yeah, I'm sure I can open it up and go find some generic battery to put in it, but it's a hell of a lot easier to just use AAs.
 

Deleted member 2254

user requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
21,467
Removable all the way. I can just switch it in seconds and keep on playing wirelessly, not having to charge the controller as I go. It is especially important on the Switch, and it's too bad the Pro controller went for the non removable option: having to account for the need to charge the console and the controller at the same time is a pain in the ass.
 
Drksage

Drksage

Member
Oct 30, 2017
1,302
Not having to worry about batteries is a blessing. I love how the switch joy cons rarely need to be charged since I do like 75% gaming while on portable mode.
 
Pixel_Cowboy

Pixel_Cowboy

Member
Feb 4, 2018
74
Non-removable battery clearly. Dealing with replaceable batteries in my steam controller is less convenient than my DS4 controller.
 
ArrogantBastard

ArrogantBastard

Member
Oct 25, 2017
12,244
Removable, PS4 battery life is atrocious. I would much rather have the ability to buy quality rechargeable batteries than deal with non-removable garbage.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.