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I wish the Steam Controller used AA batteries (lemmy.world)
submitted 10 months ago by to c/linux_gaming@lemmy.world
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Based on the description on their site, the controller includes a built-in battery: "8.39 Wh Li-ion battery​, 35+ hours of gameplay... "

That was disappointing for me. Specially condidering the Steam Frame's controllers make use of AA batteries: "​One replaceable AA battery per controller, ​ 40hr battery life​"

AA Batteries might not be as convenient to use, but being able to replace them is a great advantage. All my Xbox360 controllers still work fine, but none of my PS3' Dualshock 3s.

The official docking station could be used to recharge (rechargables) AA batteries so the functionality could remain the same.

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[–] 38 points 10 months ago* (24 children)

First thing I did to my Xbox controller: I got a Li-ion battery because I don't always have AA batteries around and recharging NIMH takes forever.

What's wrong with connecting a charge cable to your controller? It does not stop you from gaming.

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  • [–] 25 points 10 months ago (23 children)

    You can buy a pack of 4 NiMH batteries and use the other two when the first two recharge. The problem is not connecting a charge cable, but the fact that all rechargeable batteries eventually die, but NiMH batteries can be bought at the grocery store, and be replaced by anyone.

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  • [–] 7 points 10 months ago (16 children)

    Yeah, but battery replacements, spare parts, and repair tutorials will all likely be provided by iFixit, same as the Steam Deck or (formerly) Index, and even if the battery goes out of production I'm certain a third party can manufacture a similar spec at the same form factor.

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  • [–] 1 point 10 months ago (14 children)

    Great, you can swap those in half an hour. AAs can be swapped in 10 seconds.

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  • [–] 1 point 10 months ago (13 children)

    Swappability is not a matter of the exact size and shape, but how many screws are needed to access it etc.

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  • [–] -1 points 10 months ago (12 children)

    Did you see a battery door on the Steam controller?

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  • [–] 2 points 10 months ago (11 children)

    In your imagined world where the steam controller has AA batteries, the difference you're taking about is the battery door, not the battery firm factor.

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  • [–] -4 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (10 children)

    The difference in my hypothetical world is time. Pretty much all lithium batteries are not quickly swappable.

    And the other difference is I already have a drawer full of rechargeable AAs. It's a standard size thats readily available for purchase from 1000 different places and likely will be indefinitely and I can use the same ones in a dozen different devices.

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  • [–] 3 points 10 months ago (9 children)

    I'm talking about the actual physical object and its characteristics. The part that affects time taken is the access to the battery, not the battery form factor.

    It'll take all of two minutes to swap the battery, chill out.

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  • [–] -5 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (8 children)

    It'll take all of two minutes to swap the battery

    I don't think you understand. This is something I do every few days. Swapping my AA batteries takes 10 seconds.

    When Steam drops a battery door I'll be less concerned. But they didn't. And they won't. And maybe someone else will make and sell them but then I'll have to spend extra money to buy it.

    chill out

    I don't know why you think I'm not "chill"?

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  • [–] 5 points 10 months ago (7 children)

    Ok, and you'll only have to swap this battery out after a couple of years, so what's the problem?

    Glad we're agreed it's about the access, not the battery itself.

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  • [–] 4 points 10 months ago

    I have had discussions with this person before and it's not worth it haha. It doesn't matter that this person will spend arguably more time swapping AA batteries over the years than the time spent replacing the built in batter one or two times during its lifetime.

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  • [–] -2 points 10 months ago* (5 children)

    what's the problem?

    I've already said what the problem is, several times now. I'm not repeating myself. Scroll up and read.

    Glad we're agreed it's about the access, not the battery itself.

    No, it's both.

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  • [–] 5 points 10 months ago (4 children)

    The problem as you've stated it compares replacing an AA battery (necessary very often) to replacing a rechargeable battery (only necessary when it's health depletes after years), so your characterisation of it so far is unreasonable, which is why I asked again.

    If it's both you've failed to explain any inherent problem with non-AA batteries when it comes to the time taken to change them. I can change a the custom battery in my camera as quickly as any AA. Faster, even, than the typical AA sprung enclosure because of the housing.

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  • [–] -1 points 10 months ago* (3 children)

    (only necessary when it's health depletes after years)

    Incorrect. I replace them when they need charging. Pop the ones in the controller out, pop them on the charger, and pop freshly-charged ones in. 5 seconds.

    I can change a the custom battery in my camera as quickly as any AA.

    1. That is obviously not the case with the Steam controller.

    2. you now need to buy special batteries from a particular source that likely won't even be available for purchase 5-10 years on. Whereas AA are ubiquitous and can buy them from hundreds of vendors, and likely will be able to indefinitely.

    Just because you don't understand it doesn't mean I've "failed to explain" it. I've explained it over and over at this point.

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  • [–] 4 points 10 months ago (2 children)

    Why is 5 seconds every few days better than 2 minutes every few years? You just keep talking up how easy it is to replace AAs as if that's somehow the only important thing? For it to be worse, it has to be worse than the alternative which you just don't seem to understand is going to take up less time?

    That is obviously not the case with the Steam controller.

    How do you know? Do you have a preview?

    But you've again completely ignored the point, which is that the non-AA alternative is quicker to swap, so the time to swap was never about the battery type, was it?

    Once you've understood this we can talk about the point you never initially mentioned, but I'm not opening a new discussion when you're being so willfully ignorant on the first one.

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  • [–] -1 points 10 months ago* (1 child)

    I'm not answering the same questions yet again. Goodbye.

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  • [–] 2 points 10 months ago

    2 minutes every few years? What? Where are those numbers coming from? You’re going to plug the controller in for <1 minute/year!?

    Why do you need to replace the battery after only a few minutes of use? Did you miss that you recharge it in the controller?

    You only need to replace it when it no longer holds enough charge to be useful, which is going to be at least a couple of years. You're not replacing the battery in your phone every couple of days, are you? Why would this battery be different?

    Your edit:

    I’m not answering the same questions yet again.

    I did not ask any questions in my last comment that I had asked before. You have never said why you think you need to replace the battery in the controller often enough for a screwed-down battery cover to be a problem. You have never said why the battery not being AA-sized makes it take longer to replace, when there are many quickly-swappable battery designs out there.

    You have tried to say that the Steam Controller won't be like that - but without evidence and without acknowledging that you said something wrong. That's not very good.

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  • [–] -2 points 10 months ago (5 children)

    This introduces the next problem: The AA batteries are constantly depleted and I always forget recharging them. Or I put them away and cannot find them when needed.

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  • [–] 3 points 10 months ago (4 children)

    Skill issue. Feel free to pay more to compensate.

    Rechargeable controllers didn't use to have dock stations some years ago, how did you manage then?

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  • [–] 2 points 10 months ago (3 children)

    I just plugged them in and used them while they charged.

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  • [–] 1 point 10 months ago (2 children)

    You can still plug a controller with AA in and use it while the batteries are in the charger

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  • [–] 4 points 10 months ago

    Personally the worst aspect of my original steam controller is the AA batteries. Constantly have to swap them and sometimes low battery meant buggy inputs. I very much prefer an integrated battery that gets topped up when I put the controller back to its place.
    But I can see why you and others prefer otherwise.

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