Xbox 360 Controller Has Best Battery Life? Maybe.

[Shrygue]

via Kotaku


GamePro tested all the latest wireless controllers to discover which had the best battery life, the Xbox 360 pad, the Wiimote or the SIXAXIS. After playing a variety of titles, they found that the Xbox 360 controller's battery life of 56 hours and 56 minutes bested the 36 hours and 43 minutes of the Wiimote and the 18 hours and 41 minutes of the SIXAXIS.

If the numbers appear tough to swallow, that's only because they are. Not to insult GamePro's testing methods, but our readers should know that one attempt at a control skewed these results in a major way.

In order to offer each console a fighting chance, testers installed nickel cadmium Duracell batteries...minus the SIXAXIS, which has Lithium Ion built right in.

The problem here is that NiCd batteries will get far superior runtime over their Li-on counterparts because NiCd has a higher energy to weight ratio. From Wikipedia:

Where energy density is important, Ni-Cds [sic] batteries are at a distinct disadvantage over Ni-MH and Li-ion batteries.

So Sony's controller never had a chance. But the numbers are still pretty interesting if you siphon away the contest aspect.

[ketchup]

Oh c'mon!!!

Read what you put again. One second you say:
"NiCd batteries will get far superior runtime over their Li-on counterparts because NiCd has a higher energy to weight ratio"

Then you say (poor attempt at a quote I guess):
"Where energy density is important, Ni-Cds [sic] batteries are at a distinct disadvantage over Ni-MH and Li-ion batteries"

Which is it?

According to the second statement it makes the six axis controller look really really really bad, (I can't emphasize just how bad). Even if it's the first statement I can't believe for one moment that Li-on are over twice as bad as NiCd batteries.

One point to add is that the Li-on batteries WILL die and need changing one day, (new controller).

- Personally I think that MS's solution is best as the type of battery you use is up to you.
- You can change batteries at anytime you want.
- You can use a stand alone charger if you want

QUOTES from Wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_ion_battery

1. "A unique drawback of the Li-ion battery is that its life span is dependent upon aging from time of manufacturing (shelf life) regardless of whether it was charged, and not just on the number of charge/discharge cycles. So an older battery will not last as long as a new battery due solely to its age, unlike other batteries. This drawback is not widely publicised."

2. "However, the bulk of the electrodes are effectively "housing" for the ions and add weight, and in addition "dead weight" from the electrolyte, current collectors, casing, electronics and conductivity additives reduce the charge per unit mass to little more than that of other rechargeable batteries."