GamePro tests console controller battery life

by Alexander Sliwinski { Feb 1st 2008 at 7:00AM }

GamePro got all scientific and decided to test the battery life of the current-gen wireless controllers. As we've learned over the last year, the hidden cost in this generation's consoles is the money spent on batteries and/or charge kits. For GamePro's testing it used only "out-of-the-box hardware" and followed various reasonable rules in its procedures. The results:

PS3: The Sixaxis died after about 19 hours and doesn't have an auto-off feature. The upside is that the controller recharges through USB connection to the console and doesn't require purchasing batteries.
Wii: The Wiimote lasted almost 37 hours, but depending on what games are played the rumble and audio within the controller can drain the battery faster. Although the batteries won't last as long, consider rechargeable batteries or the Nyko Wii-charge Station.
Xbox 360: Lasting almost 57 hours the controller was the winner in the battery life test. Just like the Wii, consider getting the first-party Xbox 360 Quick Charge Kit to save cash in the long run.

All the controllers have their good and bad sides. Although the Sixaxis allows gamers to plug in and charge while playing, for those who have their PS3 more than a few feet from where they actually sit and go on gaming benders, it may be worth investing in a USB extension cable. As for the Wii and Xbox 360, investing in charge kits (or rechargeable batteries) will definitely save cash and avoid the awkward situation of a dead controller with no AA batteries in the house.

Tags: battery, battery-life, batterylife, controllers

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

freddy @ Feb 1st 2008 7:07AM

And the PS3 controller doesn't even have rumble... I wonder why it has such a short battery life. Another point for the lovely, comfortable 360 pad!

ssuk @ Feb 1st 2008 8:01AM

The controller is incredibly light, so it probably has a ridiculously small battery inside it. One would hope Sony realises the potential which rumble has to drain batteries very quickly and implemented a good, big battery in the DualShock 3.

Stumper @ Feb 1st 2008 8:05AM

Here's the deal, they tested the wiimote and the 360 controller with 2 AA batteries, not the rechargeable pack. It's a completely inane test. Yes, AA alkaline batteries will last much longer than a rechargeable pack. No, nobody uses them.
"We only used out-of-the box hardware -- that means no charger packs for 360 and Wii, which must be purchased separately."
and
"We used Duracell CopperTops for 360 and Wii testing."

rdj75 @ Feb 1st 2008 8:37AM

@Stumper

Maybe its just me but when I use my battery pack for the 360 controller, it seems like I get better performance out of that when compared to AA batteries. Now when it comes to using rechargeable AA batteries I think I get the worst performance but it still lasts for a week playing everynight for several hours per night.

rdj75 @ Feb 1st 2008 8:38AM

Viridium @ Feb 1st 2008 8:57AM

It's not just you rdj75; I last longer on the battery pack than I did on AAs, rechargeable or otherwise.

Arno @ Feb 1st 2008 9:11AM

I'd have to agree with rdj75. I too used double-A batteries when I first got the console, once I got tired of swapping them out I went and got the rechargable docking station and I too believe the battery pack actually lasts longer.

deaftly @ Feb 1st 2008 9:35AM

This chart is about right, my wiimote always dies the quickest and my ps3/360 controllers are about the same even with the dualshock3.

GRANTED @ Feb 1st 2008 9:57AM

6axis is fully recharged in 30-40 minutes, ~an hour while playing a game. quick turnaround time = shorter battery life i guess.

why not the LS2LS7? @ Feb 1st 2008 11:38AM

19 hours is not short.

And the other two units used AAs. A 360 with rechargeables doesn't last as long as a SIXAXIS in my book. But still both last a very long time, plenty long enough for me.

Surprisingly, my Dual Shock 3 seems to have similar battery life to the SIXAXIS, despite the rumble. Perhaps they made the battery bigger inside?

The Wii remote is the real crime. It doesn't last nearly as long as they say here in my experience, and if the Nunchuk is attached, it's noticeably shorter again, I'd say well under 10 hours. And the worst part is it says in the manual not to use rechargeables.

The MS Play n Charge kit is a ripoff. $70 for a controller and play n charge kit (there's even a retail pack of it now). I got a (rechargeable) DualShock 3 from Japan for $50. You can get one from Play Asia yourself for $62 including shipping! The Wiimote is even worse, $60 when you include the Nunchuk which is required for most games, and it's STILL not rechargeable!

GreyFox @ Feb 1st 2008 12:40PM

@ why not the LS2/LS7?: the charge pack lasts longer then using AA's dude. Mine take well over a week to drain when I'm playing it all the time and other people above you have said the same.

ThornedVenom @ Feb 1st 2008 7:08AM

Although the PS3 recharging solution is definitely the best (recharging + still playing it), I still can't believe that the Sixaxis' battery drains faster than the Wiimote's.

I mean, come on, both have accelerometers and buttons, but the Wiimote has an IR camera and rumble.

Neptune @ Feb 1st 2008 7:14AM

yeah I have two Sixaxis controllers so I can recharge one while playing wireless with the other. Still it the battery could last longer..

FOXHOUND @ Feb 1st 2008 7:20AM

That, and you can set the idle time on the PS3 too, which will shut off the SIXAXIS controller as well, I've noticed. As for charging the controller, like the other systems, I just let them charge overnight when I'm not using the console.

B1gC72 - PSN: KillaKornbread @ Feb 1st 2008 10:01AM

huh. i didnt know that the idle time turns off the controller too. i may have to set that when i get home from class today then.

Sain @ Feb 3rd 2008 1:38PM

My friend has a Wii and the batteries have been running out very fast for him......also GamePro lets the SIXAXIS sit IDLE while they are watching a movie.

They are fully aware of the fact that the SIXAXIS won't turn off, why should it since if you have to pause the movie you would have to turn it on again which is stupid....

DrXym @ Feb 1st 2008 7:10AM

The PS3's solution is extremely elegant. I have no trouble with the battery life, and when eventually the controller needs more juice, just plug it in to a standard USB / mini-usb cable. Charges fast too. If the cable in the box is too short, just buy a longer one from virtually any electronics store.

I have no idea what rumble controllers will be like but I expect they pack a battery with more amps.

Real Gambler @ Feb 1st 2008 7:13AM

I really can't believe that someone in this world is still using Alkaline batteries for game controller. Good bye world, it was nice knowing your before you became a huge dump site.

Heck, based on those rating, if I was stupid enough to use Alkaline batteries, I would likely spend about $150 a year on batteries alone! Bring me a new console every two years instead!

I guess I should worry a lot if an author compare rechargeable batteries with Alkaline batteries and think it's fine (not even a warning). If this guy use Alkaline batteries, I guess there's still many players who do not care about money, let alone about the world pollution.

Easo @ Feb 1st 2008 9:10AM

Alkaline batteries are sifted out of the garbage and recycled by waste management. Your discarded ps3 controller, will not be.

@Stumper
I don't know what your talking about. There is nothing unfair about the test. I use a rechargeable battery for the 360, and I get a similar battery life from them. For example, I got Assassins Creed at about the same time I got Mass Effect. I charged the controller in the middle of Assassins Creed (play and charge cable) finished playing through it, played all the way through Mass Effect (game save clocked in at a little over 30hrs) And even got in a few nights of Halo before it needed another charge. So I only got about 45hrs off the rechargeable battery, but that still kicks the shit out of 19.

Also, I use AA batteries in my Wii. Mostly because I didnt know they made rechargeable batteries for the controller, and because I dont play it enough to warrant the purchase of a recharge kit.

B1gC72 - PSN: KillaKornbread @ Feb 1st 2008 10:11AM

well Easo. you can send your spent PS3 controllers back to Sony for replacements when the battery finally kicks the bucket. i think it's free but i wouldnt be surprised if it did cost something. either way, it would be cheaper than buying a new controller all together.

and i dont play 360 so i dont have any personal experience with battery life on it. but my Wii on the other hand is a battery gobbler. i cant even count how many times i had to change the batteries while completing Twilight Princess and Super Paper Mario. and also, i dont have anything to prove this, but i think the Wiimote still sucks juice from the batteries when it's off cause whenever i go back to my Wii after a long time of non-use, the batteries are almost always near dead and i never play with them in the red.

i do plan on getting a rechargeable dock for my Wiimotes when SSBB comes out here but as of right now, i dont play it enough to warrant the purchase.

cynic79 @ Feb 1st 2008 7:20AM

As far as the Wii is concerned, I cannot recommend the Nyko charging station enough. Not only do you save money on batteries, but the rubberized grip on the included battery door makes the remote much easier to hold.

FidliousWong @ Feb 1st 2008 9:32AM

But the charging cradle lacks space in it's design for the wrist strap. Which to me is hilarious.

I have the nyko for the Wii and the four controller charging station for the PS3. Both fit my needs perfectly. I had real bad luck with the rechargable batteries on 360, as in I went through at least three of the official brands dying or getting ridiculously low charges (they would die within 30 minutes of DOA4) before I finally gave up and switched to AA.

Emophia @ Feb 1st 2008 7:34AM

I have no battary time problems with my Dual Shock 3, it's the only one of my 3 PS3 controllers I use when I game solo, and I just plug it in when I've downloading or installing something.

Battary has never gone below 3 bars, and at no extra cost too.

LaughingTarget @ Feb 1st 2008 7:40AM

40' USB extension cable + PS3 controller = who cares about battery life?

The 360 play and charge cable is plenty long as well, though my charger is on its last legs and dies after a couple of hours. Got the thing on the first day it showed up.

The Wii...well, I hate buying batteries, though the Li^- batteries last a bit longer than the chart above.

dan stabbingworth @ Feb 1st 2008 9:22AM

Yeah, the 360 play and charge kit is just two AA rechargeable batteries, so you could just buy rechargeables and use the original AA battery case that came with the controller. And since you have the cord, no need to buy a separate recharger.

jynxycat @ Feb 1st 2008 12:40PM

Working with PS3 controllers 12 hours a day, 7 days a week for QA Testing, I can say this, the PS3 sixaxis charges up very quickly from empty.

We had to share probably 3 USB cables between 20 testers, and once empty, it took probably less than an hour to bring it back to full.

FreeCajunLove @ Feb 1st 2008 1:03PM

40' USB cables don't exist. Not unless you use two 16' cables, and even then one of those has to be a repeater cable.

Zarifus @ Feb 2nd 2008 12:44AM

I have a question, since the PS3 controller recharges through USB, could I just use the charger for my RAZR (it has a mini-USB plug). If so, then i can just charge while playing using the power outlet.

Brucie B @ Feb 1st 2008 7:43AM

Not Only The Best Controller Period, but also the Best Battery Life! Sweet!

Nigeria @ Feb 1st 2008 7:55AM

According to that chart, the Wiimote was second.

:)

Burnt Meatloaf @ Feb 1st 2008 7:46AM

I like that I don't have to buy anything separately for my PS3 controller, and I can charge it easily by plugging it into my PC during the day. It charges from any USB source.

But, it SUCKS that the controller won't charge on the PS3 when the system is in sleep mode, and if I forget to charge it on my PC, the battery life is way too short. As much as I want rumble, I don't know if I should bother with a DualShock3.

mattclarkie @ Feb 1st 2008 7:53AM

I have the 360 plug and play. I can recharge and play at the same time, but I only get 30 hours make out of the batteries, and with the headset that drops even lower.

The PS3 controller, with the motion controls off can last about the same, 30 hours, but unless I use a longer cable I have to stop playing to recharge.

I have no idea about the Wii.

I think that the Wireless controllers are one of the best parts of this gen of consoles. Even the Xbox 9' cable wasn't long enough, and the 6' of the PS2 and GC was far too short.

I think the 360 controller is the best of the lot. The large illuminated guide button, the ability to connect a headset, 4 shoulder buttons 2 of them being triggers. The downside is the appauling D-Pad which is not really usable, yet some Developers insist in giving it a vital role such as in GoW.

tuaamin13 @ Feb 1st 2008 7:57AM

Well, over on PS3forums, we've been having reports of 15+ hours with the DualShock 3, and upwards of 25-30 hours on the SixAxis. Sony claims the SixAxis is good for 30-35 hours on a single charge.

How many tests did Joystiq do? Just one controller for each system, or multiple?

But yes, the PS3 controller does charge pretty darn fast. An hour, tops, and that's while you're using the controller.

tuaamin13 @ Feb 1st 2008 8:07AM

Sorry, it's GamePro's test, not Joystiq's.

My B.

ssuk @ Feb 1st 2008 8:07AM

I have a Xbox 360 Plug and Play kit and a third party recharger kit for one Wii controller, then USBcell batteries for the other Wii controller. Works out quite well.

Jeff @ Feb 1st 2008 8:30AM

Is this a joke? My PS3 controller lasts longer than 20 hours, and there is no way in hell my 360 controller lasts 57 hours.

FOXHOUND @ Feb 1st 2008 8:35AM

PROTIP: Gamepro has no earthly clue what they're talking about. Press A to jump.

Greyseal @ Feb 1st 2008 8:33AM

With four Wiimotes and two XBox360 controllers to feed, I just grabbed an Energizer charger and a bunch of 2500mAh batteries. Haven't regretted it since. They last plenty long, they can be used in any controller, and they'll probably work just fine in future generations as well.

No sense in buying brand-specific "charging solutions." Just more junk lying around.

Tridus @ Feb 1st 2008 9:07AM

Agreed. I do the same thing, works great. Best of all you can use the same charger for other things that also take AA's and get used frequently.

Certainly beats having all kinds of battery packs and specialized chargers around.

Killer Loki @ Feb 1st 2008 8:33AM

What did you expect. This is GamePro - a magazine that goes wild eyes and frothy at the mouth whenever anything with PS3 is mentioned. GamePro is biased, always has been, always will be.

Pete @ Feb 1st 2008 8:38AM

Erm, question. Was the sixaxis controller tested on a game using the motion sensors enabled? Or was it used as a standard controller - i.e. 360 controller. Or even a mixture of both? Oh and DualShock3 - thats a completely different issue! lol
Having motion sensing enabled is sure to drain the battery - personally happy with my ps3 controller's battery life - and having two means you dont even need to think about battery life when you're the only person playing.
It's pretty ridiculous to have to buy a charging solution - its a vital requirement for a 'rechargeable' controller :)

ScottyGEE32 @ Feb 1st 2008 8:46AM

This is pretty kool...But really there are way too many variables for each controller to get through to make it a fair and concise test.

I have the play and charge kit for my 360...Best $20AUD spent. There is seriously weeks in between each charge which is great. And it seems that way for both the ps3 and wii. So it all seems win win.

Just something to note though, I think the 360 has the best control (minus the dpad) out there. I used to love the ps controllers...When I had smaller hands.

Ralph @ Feb 1st 2008 8:55AM

I'd like to see the numbers for a Wavebird. That controller seems to last forever. Granted, it doesn't have rumble or accelerometers but it made my last-gen gaming experience an enjoyable one.

Brian @ Feb 1st 2008 9:06AM

This article didn't even take into account M$ X360 Play and Charge Kit. This kit includes a rechargeable battery and allows the player to play even if the battery dies. This is comparable to PS3 usb cable to charge its controller while playing.

Dr. @ Feb 1st 2008 9:09AM

I find, though, that the Wii controllers eat up batteries when they aren't in use, unlike the other two.

Crash Happy @ Feb 1st 2008 9:10AM

I find my Wii lasts longest (batteries), then the PS3 and lastly 360 (recharger). Bit of a stupid test this one.

horngreen @ Feb 1st 2008 9:30AM

This is the sixaxis WITHOOUT rumble? Nice Sony

FidliousWong @ Feb 1st 2008 9:35AM

Easo, Sony has stated they'll replace the batteries in controllers free of charge. I don't think ANYBODY has gotten to the point of needing to test this statement yet considering the 500+ charges...

Inect @ Feb 1st 2008 12:20PM

Sony has already clammed that they will replace battery's in the sixaxis. Woo they solve problems before they exist to bad M$ doesn't. But who can hate M$ for waiting 2 years to admit there is a problem?

Wii controllers last 37hours NO F***ing WAY. That don't even last 9h. What was that guy smoking?

Can't comment on the 360 controller don't have it but I don't care since I bought a 30' usb extension cord off ebay for 3$.