whats the best battery solution for a 360?

[kenshin-dono]

Im just wondering what the best bet for batteries is. Ive had my 360 for years (well this is my 3rd one.. what  a quality piece of hardware =P) and my batteries aren't holding a charge very well anymore. I need to get some new ones.

thing is i was never impressed with the 360 batteries. At a full charge when they were new they would give me about 25 hours or so of play. Ok thats not too bad.. But thats if i was playing ALL the time. IF you just let them sit for about a week without using them they will be dead when you pick them back up. Thats just pathetic. Even when they were new they would  usually do that. At best they wouldn't be stone dead after a week or so of inactivity, but theyd be flashing at 1 bar.

Do the nyko battery packs work better than the xbox ones? I just find it stranget hat they just lose a charge so quickly. I just want something that wont go dead if i leave it sitting for a week. My ps3 controller lasts the same amount of time regarless of whether i play it all the time or let it sit for weeks without use. Thats what i want for my 360!

Im not even sure if my quick charge kits working right anymore. It seems to say the battery is done when its really not. But that might just be because the batteries are old. Though taking them out and putting them right back tends to work most of the time, at least for the newer one of the 2 i got. The older one is really wonky and takes a lot of finagling between the plug and play, quickcharge, and running it down over and over to get it to charge up

So what should i snag? A 10 dollar nyko battery pack? is it possible my quick charge kit is breaking down and i should get a new one? Maybe give the official microsoft one another shot? Im wondering what you guys all use

The thing that really irks me is the battery discharge when not in use. I really am wondering if you all get that too

[fohfoh]

I wouldn't bother... but it's up to you. Nyko is probably the cheapest alternative, but if you're annoyed at the discharge part, you're screwed either way. You're seriously better off with a good USB extender cable and a wired controller so you can run around with like 40 ft of cable. On my brother's and my 360, we just use cheap batteries. Gets the job done. I use this method on the PS3 though, but the PS3 attaches to the controller on the top and isn't in the way. I don't recall how the cable hooks up on the 360. I'd expect it to be quite annoying if it was on the bottom though.

[XinWind]

Do you use a wired headset for your 360? Since wired headsets for the 360 drains battery power badly.

For me I have used the battery pack you get with the controller and it lasts a good 18hrs still. First day I used it lasted a good whole 24hrs of actual use. As for picking it back up after a while of not using it mine still has its battery power as if I just charged it o.O Only time I see mine burning fast is if I use my wired headset.

[samfisher1]

the plug n charg kit. but have 2.

 one charges while the other is used  .

 but dont charge your batteries while they still have 10% or more power. it stuffs em up good.

other wise the old USB will do the trick

[Sosseres]

other wise the old USB will do the trick

I agree that that is the best solution. If you buy a wired one you can also use it to play ps2 games and similar on your PC.

[sephiro499]

The 360 batteries are total garbage.  I don't know where they source their cells from but they don't last for jack.  If you don't use your 360 for a few weeks they will die and be uncharagable.  I use high quality recharagable batteries and I always have a spare set ready to go. 

[logos]

ummm, unplug the battery pack when you arent playing.  Theres a constant drain on the power otherwise.  My battereis always last the same amount of time, with casual play maybe a month.  And like someone else said only charge when they're almost our, as for brands, I'd get microsofts cuz they look better...doubt theres a difference in the actual batteries though.

[fohfoh]

The 360 batteries are total garbage.  I don't know where they source their cells from but they don't last for jack.  If you don't use your 360 for a few weeks they will die and be uncharagable.  I use high quality recharagable batteries and I always have a spare set ready to go. 

Umm... because rechargeable are always more expensive for the good ones? The 10 dollar ones are probably some old cordless phone battery left overs that were cheap and easy to convert.

[samfisher1]

they are only garbage if you dont charge them right. allways do full charges when the battery is flat. none of this. ive played 1 hour ill charge it again when there is still 90% + power left.

[kenshin-dono]

i actually heard your not suposed to use regular rechargable batteries in it. Something to do witht he voltage difference. 1.5v vs 1.2v i think.

so really is just the regular old xbox battery pack the way to go? I'll try unplugging it from the controller when not in use and see if that helps. Im guessing ALL of you have the discharge problem? The only person who specifically said he doesn't is logos who says he unplugs them. Even so i hear the discharge rate on these things suck. I do have a corded controller but i enjoy the cordless one. It lets me play from my massage chair instead of the regular recliner.

Oh ya, i never use a headset. I dont got xbox live gold.

Im surprised some of you are recomending the plug n play. I have that and always found it kinda wonky.