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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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[–] 65 points 10 months ago (35 children)

Non-rechargeable batteries is a terrible idea from an ecological point of view. Also, Steam have made considerable effort to make the Steam Deck repairable. I hope they do this with all their new hardware, so replacing the battery won't be a big hassle.

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  • [–] 28 points 10 months ago (30 children)

    You can buy rechargeable AA and AAA batteries

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  • [–] 33 points 10 months ago (28 children)

    Outside of specialized uses like wanting a very long shelf life for rarely-used devices, I kind of thought that everyone had switched to rechargeable AA and AAA batteries years back.

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  • [–] 10 points 10 months ago (27 children)

    I get people even here who just swear up and down it's impooooooosible for them to switch for a littany of excuses. It costs too much (it doesn't, it's actually way cheaper), why would I put them in a remote? (Literally why wouldn't you) They aren't as convenient (compared to buying them at a store?). Or my favorite "they don't work as well" ,which they don't in maybe 5% of cases. So they could still replace 95% of their alkaline but let's be real they just don't want to even try.

    They're still there, and usually it's pure laziness, or just arrogance that they don't care about the immense waste.

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  • [–] 8 points 10 months ago* (26 children)

    I mean, there are some legitimate reasons.

    • Non-rechargeable alkalines do have very low self-discharge rate, so they work well if you're gonna stash a flashlight somewhere for a long time for emergencies.

    • The voltage on different types of batteries is not the same, and there are some devices with power supplies that cannot handle a wide-enough voltage range. I have a Grundig G6 shortwave radio, for example, which will not run on NiMH AA batteries (1.2V, rather than 1.5V alkalines or lithium). I suppose that I could get rechargeable lithium-ions, but I don't really want to deal with rechargeables with different battery chemistry floating around, and my current battery charger can't handle lithiums.

    I just remember the 1980s, where the norm was alkaline, and people had to buy the things all the time for all kinds of battery-powered devices. Was nice to be able to just recharge batteries at home.

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  • [+] -8 points 10 months ago (25 children)

    Kids toys are another use case for non rechargeable. I'm not going to buy a 100 pack of rechargeable batteries.

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

    Jesus, this has to be one of the dumbest comments I've seen on this site

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  • [+] -7 points 10 months ago (23 children)

    If you think parents are putting rechargeable batteries in all their kids toys then you are the dumb one.

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

    You can get 8 rechargeable AA's from amazon for $12, or $1.44 each. Non-rechargeables are $0.78 each. If a rechargeable battery prevents you from having to buy a second set of non-rechargeables then it's paid for itself.

    If you want, you can just put rechargeable batteries in their most commonly used toys. Or better yet, teach your kids how to replace the and charge the batteries themselves. A 4 or 5 year old should be able to handle that without issue. And it means you aren't doing everything for your kids, which means they learn some self-sufficiency

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

    Firstly, the rechargeable dont last as long in the toy. So if you have a ton of toys you need a lot of both AA and AAA because the toys will die more often.

    Second, using AAA as an example, I can get non rechargeable for as low as 12 cents each right now. Rechargeable look to be 77 cents a piece if you can find them on sale.

    Ive already looked into it for my family. We have rechargeable for things that make sense. I would need somewhere in the range of 150 to 200 rechargeable batteries and it would be a much bigger hastle. And guess what happens to those too? Recycled, because I would have no additional use for them beyond toys. And it turns out people dont like buying used batteries second hand.

    I'm sure there are some people that actually do what you are suggesting, but saying that is the dumbest comment on Lemmy for stating what 99% of parents do is just silly.

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

    How many AA powered toys does your family have?? I'm actually baffled that anyone would possibly need up to 200 AAs for their kid's toys. Are there non-powered toys in your household? I'm not trying to shame you, I'm just intrigued.

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  • [–] 1 point 10 months ago*

    So ive got 3 kids and a large extended family. My kids are the youngest so we are constantly being given toys second hand. Looks like at the moment, ive got almost 50 toys that take batteries in some form. Most take 2, some take 4. 200 is admittedly a high end exaggeration. But ive changes batteries in hundreds of re-homed toys at this point and I have never come across a single set of recharable batteries.

    When my kids grow out of them, we usually give them to someone else, as they were given to us.

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

    Um, I use rechargeable batteries in all my kid's toys? With how often they need to be replaced, these batteries have already long paid for themselves.

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

    Sure, but your an outlier.

    Kids toys are a use case for non rechargeable. In fact, I wouldn't be shocked its the most common use case.

    Before I had kids I used rechargeable for everything but flashlights and smoke detectors.

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

    From the votes, I think you are the outlier.

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

    Oh wow what a huge sample size of 4.

    Lemmy is a very anti consumption site, and I would guarantee you they are lying is well. If I walked into their house right now I would find at least one toy with disposable batteries.

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

    Yeah I guess it's "weird" to use rechargeable batteries which are only slightly more than regular batteries but can be used over and over and over again. Putting aside "anti consumption" that's just plain the better deal

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

    Well it depends. That is the point I'm making. I put 25 cents worth of batteries in my sons buzz light year 7 years ago and it still works. Rechargeable make no sense for that.

    Thats it. Thats the whole point. I was responding to the person that said that using disposable in kids toys was the dumbest comment they've ever read lol

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

    I have no idea where you are but not even a single battery is 25 cents where I live.

    Even then, you're still literally throwing away money when you get rid of it instead of buying a product you can reuse in any other future toy, remote, whatever. Throwing away money is the dumbest thing. You don't make any sense, not financially, ecologically, my original comment I think still reigns true, it's pure laziness.

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  • [–] 1 point 10 months ago

    You can get disposable for 12 cents a battery on amazon right now.

    If I buy even 50 rechargeables I'm never getting money back.

    I stand by my original comment. If you have a lot of toys you want disposable with long shelf life.

    But I do agree if you have a toy that chews through batteries you want rechargeable. Most kids toys do not.

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  • [–] 1 point 10 months ago (4 children)

    I don't think you are the norm with the amount of batteries your kids consume. Most people don't have that many toys nor have that many kids.

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

    Sure but thats not the point. The discussion got started from someone saying that there is no use case for disposable batteries in kids toys, which there is.

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

    And yet your example is an outlier. They haven't said anything wrong, you just want to be right. They do not have a hundred batteries they need to replace constantly- just you and your large extended family. And no one said there's zero use case for disposable batteries in this thread (go ahead and find the quote, you won't).

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

    The entire discussion that got started was because I said kids toys are a use case for disposable and they responded saying its the dumbest comment they've ever read. So they are saying under no circumstances should you use dispobable in a kids toy. That is flat out wrong.

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  • [–] 0 points 10 months ago

    They said that because you said "I'm not going to buy a 100 pack of rechargeable batteries" because that's a ludicrous idea for a typical parent. Families have two kids on average (trending downward) so how many toys do you think each kid has that requires batteries? How many battery powered toys are they actually using at a given period? Can they share toys? Can you teach kids to charge their batteries and move them? You read into it and didn't even figure out what or why they were calling you out.

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

    I absolutely am doing that. I don’t think it’s dumb.

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  • [–] 1 point 10 months ago (4 children)

    If you tell me you've never used a disposable battery in a child toys i just think your a liar. Thats all.

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

    I have. But that isn’t what you said. You said parents aren’t using rechargeable batteries in their kids toys. And I am. I haven’t bought a disposable battery in years.

    I think you’re an abrasive person. That’s all.

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

    I said all toys

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

    Yes. That’s what I am doing. I just told you I haven’t bought disposables in years.

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  • [–] -1 points 10 months ago*

    Lemmy has a reading problem today. You used a disposable in a kids toy at one point. So they have a use case in kids toy. Thats what I said originally. I never said people never are not using rechargeables in kids toys.

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  • [–] 7 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (2 children)

    Rechargeable AA batteries are a thing. From an ecological point of view, the custom battery is a bigger problem. In 20 years the controller will still work and AA batteries will still be available, but no one will be making new built-in rechargeable battery replacements (even if Valve originally intended for the battery to be replaceable).

    One of my favourite controllers has been the Dual shock controller. I've got 2 PS3 controllers that I love using. Their rechargeable batteries are shot to shit. I would be much happier if I could use AA.

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

    If the device has a 40 hour battery life and the battery lasts 1000 cycles, that will give you 40.000 hours. That means you can play for five hours every day for over 16 years. I don't think many devices will last longer than that.

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  • [–] 3 points 10 months ago

    Non-rechargeable batteries is a terrible idea from an ecological point of view.

    Most people won't replace an internal battery. If the battery dies, they buy a new controller.

    I'm not sure whether this is actually better for the environment than even if they were using non-rechargeables.

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