5

I'm planning on buying a Xbox One controller in order to use it to play games on my PC. I'd like to ask what is the difference between the normal one(which includes an USB) and the one with Play and Charge Kit.

Also, how long do the batteries last? Do I have to recharge them every time they run out?

Sorry if these are simple questions I've never used a console.

Improve this question
10
  • If you have the play and charge kit, then there's currently no reason to worry about battery life. You are required to keep the controller connected. Microsoft hasn't released a wireless adapter yet (it's coming some time after the release of Windows 10 and only on Windows 10).
    – Jeff Mercado
    Jul 12, 2015 at 23:53
  • What if I am buying the normal one? Do I need something to recharge the AA batteries? Also, how much do the batteries last?
    – tttttttttt
    Jul 12, 2015 at 23:53
  • Same situation. The controller doesn't necessarily need batteries, just if you're using it wirelessly. However, the controller works fine when connected, even without batteries.
    – Jeff Mercado
    Jul 12, 2015 at 23:55
  • So, if I buy the normal one, without any play and charge kit, I will be able to use the controller non-stop?
    – tttttttttt
    Jul 12, 2015 at 23:57
  • If you stay connected, then yes I'd imagine.
    – Jeff Mercado
    Jul 12, 2015 at 23:58

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
7

There is no difference in between the normal and the play and charge kit controller. Both are the same. The only difference is, that you get a battery pack and a USB-cable with your controller.

If you want to play on the PC, you can buy any other USB-cable and forget about the battery pack. In order to use the controller on the PC you'll need to permanently connect the controller to your PC using the USB-cable.

If you want to play on the Xbox too with the same controller, the battery pack is worth it. The battery holds about 10-15 hours if I play normally. This means, I never emptied it on a single session. The special about the USB-cable from the play and charge kit is the LED at the controller end. It will display the charge status of your controller.

Improve this answer
11
  • So, basically, I could play non-stop if I stay connected throught the wire to the PC?
    – tttttttttt
    Jul 13, 2015 at 11:00
  • Yes right. The controller just gets the power from the usb-cable. The battery is useless for this use-case. It only matters if you gonna play wireless on your xBox with the same controller too.
    – Ionic
    Jul 13, 2015 at 11:10
  • Thanks a lot for the help. Also, will I ever have to change the AA batteries inside the controller?
    – tttttttttt
    Jul 13, 2015 at 11:17
  • Well do you mean really batteries? If you charge it with the usb-cable I would suggest to remove the batteries at all. Otherwise it could get seriously damaged. You cannot load batteries!
    – Ionic
    Jul 13, 2015 at 11:19
  • Oh, I was reffering to the batteries you put in the back of the controller.
    – tttttttttt
    Jul 13, 2015 at 11:26

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .