Experimenting with power

by Chris Greenhough { Jan 31st 2008 at 8:00PM }

Christmas 2006 will always be remembered at Casa de Greenhough for this blogger's second Wiimote running out of juice just ten minutes into the family's first (and last) Wii Tennis session of the day, and for the tears that followed from younger relatives (okay, and me).

That minor black mark aside, the battery life of the trusty Wii Remote has always seemed quite respectable, but GamePro decided to get its science on and test exactly how quickly each home console sucks the life from batteries.

The results proved surprising, with the Wiimote (36 hours and 43 minutes from each set of batteries) almost bang in the middle of the PlayStation 3's Sixaxis (a piffling 18 hours and 41 minutes) and the Xbox 360 controller (56 hours and 56 minutes). As GamePro notes, the presence of so many extras (speakers, gyroscopes, etc.) make the Wiimote's performance all the more impressive.

[Via Go Nintendo]

Tags: ps3, wii-remote, wiimote, wireless, xbox-360

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

AnOffday @ Jan 31st 2008 8:14PM

Wow. The PS3 just keeps looking better all the time, huh?

Delvis343 @ Jan 31st 2008 8:25PM

The PS3 just happens to be the only on with a rechargeable controller. And yes the PS3 does look better and better every second doesn't it.

Disco Ball @ Jan 31st 2008 9:05PM

Last time I checked the 360 has the option of AA's or a rechargable battery pack.

emaxximus @ Feb 1st 2008 3:30AM

PS3 can charge while you play. Can Wii and 360?

Will fn b @ Jan 31st 2008 9:18PM

I've gotten much higher results with my Sixaxis, I'd say somewhere in the 25 - 30 hrs range.

Alex @ Jan 31st 2008 9:01PM

How'd they test?

Because I sure as hell know I've definitely more than 18 hours on my sixaxis.

sn1per @ Jan 31st 2008 9:51PM

Usually these tests leave the controller on constantly until the batteries die. I've found that normal usage (a couple hours at a time) yields much better battery life.

Eric @ Jan 31st 2008 9:53PM

Maybe I've got lousy batteries, but I don't think I get 30 hours from my Wii remote... maybe I just don't have a sense of time... which is also possible.

Lilinka @ Jan 31st 2008 10:51PM

All I have to say is... "Yeah... Right."

I've played RE4 and run down the Wiimote batteries in under 5 hours, and that was a fresh pair.

Likewise, I've played Dead Rising for the "seven day survivor" achievement (or whatever it's called, it's been awhile) and the batteries went dead on me halfway through.

I can't attest to the veracity of the sixaxis batteries; I always plug my sixaxis in and set it on top of the PS3 when I'm Folding... which is basically when I'm asleep or at work. So yeah... no real worries about the Sixaxis anyway.

3cubed minus 3squared plus1 @ Jan 31st 2008 11:11PM

Neither my Wii's or 360'S controllers eat up batteries.
But I'm also a little on the casual side and its rare for me to play for more than 2 hours at a time.

Brett from Atlanta @ Feb 1st 2008 1:02AM

Don't get me wrong, but the Wii remote eats batteries. I really can't believe this graph. My xbox last longer and I think I recharge my sixaxises about once every couiple of weeks (yes I do play my ps3 enough to notice). I 'm not sure about this one. One of the biggest pains of the wii is its lack of a really good rechargeable controller.

hvnlysoldr @ Feb 1st 2008 1:19AM

They forgot something important. Nunchuks suck up battery from the wiimote.

TD @ Feb 1st 2008 1:43AM

I've got one of those Nyko Wiimote charger thingabobs. So instead of batteries, there are little rechargable battery packs you put inside. And I love mine. The Wiimotes sit in their charger when I'm not using them, looking pretty. And I can't recall the last time I worried about power.

Wow, I sound like an ad. You can have all this for the low low price of 5 payments of $5.99!

emaxximus @ Feb 1st 2008 3:35AM

...but wait! theres more! If you order now we will include the egg slicer for no extra charge...

BDR @ Feb 1st 2008 3:01AM

The variables in this test would've all been controlled. If you're using $1 batteries in the Wiimote, you obviously WILL get around 5 hours of battery life. However I only use top notch batteries in my sensitive electrical equipment, and I get excellent performance from my Wiimote, something like 45 hours upwards, depending on the attachments i've used (i've recently noticed that the nunchuck sucks more juice than the classic controller).

JaffaBoy @ Feb 1st 2008 8:15AM

I got one of those charging stations for my wiimotes (with the replacement battery holders) but after hitting the tv with the wiimote... got too close,, smashed lcd :-( they are now in those jelly covers... and now they dont fit in the docking/charging station... argh!!

nintendo1889 @ Feb 1st 2008 9:05AM

With the Nyko battery pack/charger for the Wiimote, I usually get around 30-40 hours on a single charge. People should consider getting one saying as it saves you from buying a million batteries a year.

Gareth @ Feb 1st 2008 9:54AM

Wii users everywhere, have you heard of rechargeables??

with a couple of 2500Mah AA's in there, you get WEEKS of play, I change mine very very rarely and thanks to Super Mario Galaxy telling me when they're getting low, I can set up the charger for when they actually die.

but considering the PS3 has no vibration (which must drain quite a bit, as its a moving part) I'm a bit shocked at those results, I'll ask my bro what he gets from his - not that he'll care because he can charge and play at the same time (which the Wii should do really, they have USB, all we need is a cable!)

G