PowerA Play And Charge Kit Review

Love it or hate it, Microsoft’s continued decision to use AA batteries in their controller leaves many players seeking a rechargeable option. While Microsoft offers a play and charge kit with one rechargeable battery and a USB cable, third-party and alternative options typically suit the needs of players better. Whether they be rechargeable AA batteries, docking solutions, or third-party play and charge kits, the choices are endless.

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One such option is PowerA’s Play And Charge Kit which offers both Xbox One and Series X/S controller owners a rechargeable power solution. Usable with both a wire or optional PowerA dock, players are given the flexibility to choose the option to better suit their needs. With an advertised 20-hour battery life, there is a ton of gaming to do!

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PowerA Play & Charge Kit

$15.79 $17.99 Save $2.2

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Brand: PowerA
Connectivity: USB
Battery: NiMH
Capacity: 1100mAh
Battery Life: 10-20 Hours

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PowerA's Play And Charge Kit comes with two batteries and will save you money over buying traditional AA batteries. Four battery doors are included in the box allowing compatibility with Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S controllers.

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Pros & Cons

Rechargable
Save Money Over AA Batteries
Charge While Playing
Compatible With PowerA Docks
Usable On Xbox One And Series X/S Controllers

Still Using Micro USB
Battery Door Hard To Remove From Controller
Will Wear Out Between 2-5 Years

$15.79 at Amazon

Aesthetics And Build Quality

Being a rechargeable battery pack, there really isn’t much to look at with PowerA’s kit. The two included battery packs are an Xbox-like green with power contacts on one side and a plastic divider on the other that lines up perfectly with an Xbox controller's battery compartment.

These kits are not charged by the controller when it is connected via USB however and instead feature an offshoot Micro USB port and LED charging indicator. An additional charging port is available along the surface of the battery pack if it is to be paired with PowerA’s Xbox charging docks.

PowerA Play And Charge Kit Battery With Door

Because of these additions, the original battery door found on Xbox controllers will not be usable with these batteries, so each kit includes four replacement doors. Each door includes the window needed for the ports to be usable. They are made out of strong plastic and the ridged design is sleek. They attach firmly to the controller of choice and will ensure the battery is held in place properly.

Gameplay

Since the Xbox One and Series X/S controllers use a different door design, PowerA including 2 doors for each system is a major benefit, especially if using a mixed controller setup. Both of the batteries included with PowerA’s Play And Charge Kit are 1100mAh NiMH and rated to offer roughly 20 hours of gameplay per charge.

Pre-charging the batteries before diving into games saw one pack last roughly 14 hours spread across 5 days of play before needing a charge. In the same timeframe, the second battery has lasted 11 hours and is still registering over half a charge on the Xbox dashboard.

Plugging in the included Micro USB cable at any point allows the packs to charge. The LED above the port changes colors depending on the charging status, with orange meaning in progress and white meaning completed. Charging the depleted battery took roughly 3 hours.

The Micro USB cord stays in place during play, but it can be disconnected with excessive movements. As mentioned previously, both packs are compatible with PowerA docking systems for Xbox, making the Play And Charge Kit ideal for adding more batteries to a previous dock purchase.

What It Could Have Done Better

While the PowerA Play And Charge Kit does its job, it could benefit greatly from an updated design that relies on USB-C instead of Micro USB. USB-C is the standard for newer Xbox controllers and most electronics while the older Micro USB continues to be phased out.

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In case the cord is damaged, it would be nice to use something more readily available as a replacement. The NiMH batteries will also need to be replaced over time with a general life expectancy of 2-5 years. The NiMH standard is also prone to self-discharging, so going a while without playing could potentially lead to a dead pack upon returning.

Conclusion

PowerA Play And Charge Kit In Xbox One Controller

For the cheap asking price, the PowerA Play And Charge Kit offer players a way to break free from AA batteries and maintain good battery life in their Xbox controllers. The ability to be charged either with the included Micro USB cable or with a PowerA Xbox dock is a plus and gives users more flexibility when the need for charging arrives. While it is annoying that the batteries are still using Micro USB, it isn’t a deal-breaker. The NiMH batteries will likely need to be replaced after a few years, but it is still a far cheaper solution to constantly swapping in AAs. For any players in the market for a new power solution for Xbox controllers, this is a good one!