Should you buy rechargeable batteries for your Xbox One controller?

Best answer: Absolutely. Rechargeable battery solutions will save you an incredible amount of money in the long run and are pretty affordable as well.

• Microsoft's official solution: Xbox One Play and Charge Kit ($25 at Microsoft)
• Situational alternative: Panasonic Eneloop charge pack ($28 at Amazon)

Why should you get rechargeable batteries?

In the long run, picking up a pair of rechargeable batteries for your Xbox One will save you a ton of money. Packs of regular AA batteries can run anywhere between $10–20, and having to buy them regularly can be a surprisingly expensive endeavor. Solutions that allow you to use rechargeable batteries only cost slightly more, and ensure that you won't ever need to buy batteries for gaming again, thus taking that financial strain off your budget.

Another great reason to invest in rechargeable batteries is that they'll take up less space in your home and are safer. Large battery packs can be big and bulky, and if you don't have that much free space, it can be a pain to deal with. Also, the more batteries you have, the greater risk there is of losing one of them. Batteries — including battery packs — can be dangerous, charged or not, especially if a pet or young child puts their mouth on them. If you have fewer batteries lying around, your home will be safer overall.

Why get the Xbox One Play and Charge Kit?

Though a wide variety of rechargeable battery options are available, the best one overall is the official Xbox One Play and Charge Kit. The kit comes with a battery pack that easily and comfortably snaps into the battery slot of your Xbox One controller. Then, you charge the controller by using the included micro USB cable to connect the controller to a powered machine with a USB port. The whole process is simple, efficient, and doesn't take up that much space at all, making it the best way to replace your batteries with rechargeables.

Our pick

Xbox One Play and Charge Kit

$25 at Microsoft $35 at Amazon

Stay juiced up

Between the simple-yet-efficient design, solid price, and quality charging capabilities, the Xbox One Play and Charge Kit is the best way to keep your controller powered and ready to go whenever it's game time.

If you'd prefer to use regular rechargeable batteries instead of a battery pack, then we recommend the Panasonic Eneloop charge pack. Though you'll have to use a cumbersome wall plug charger instead of a simple USB one, these batteries may be worth it for some because you can use them in other electronics besides your Xbox One controller. Additionally, the pack contains four batteries so you can keep two controllers powered up at once.

For other solutions that we recommend, make sure to check out our guide on Xbox rechargeable batteries.

Situational alternative

Panasonic Eneloop charge pack

$28 at Amazon $28 at B&H

Best for general purpose users

Despite the annoyingly large charger, it may be worth it to opt for the Panasonic Eneloop pack as it gives you batteries you can use for other electronics, as well as keep a second controller charged if need be.