Let the competition begin

This package includes the new Rayovac "Hybrid" rechargeable NiMH AA cells. Similar to the Sanyo "eneloop" the Hybrid is also advertised to have low self-discharge rate but not as low as that for eneloop. The eneloop is supposed to retain 85% charge in 12 months (when stored at 20 degree C) whereas the Hybrid is supposed to retain 80% charge in 6 months (no mention of temperature).



On the other hand the capacity for the Hybrid is rated at 2100mAh which is slightly higher than that for the eneloop (2000mAh). I have tested both brands and can confirm that both ratings are accurate. In actual applications the difference in performances of those two brands is probably negligible. So it all comes down to price. Let's hope that the competition will drive down prices for both.



[Update on June 3 2007]

In my 2-month self-discharge test using four different brands of NiMH cells. Hybrid and eneloop came up neck-and-neck!



Room temperature: 60-62 degree F (16-17 degree C). All capacities measured are average of 2-cells.



- Sanyo eneloop 2000 purchased Jan 2007.

Initial capacity measured: 2070mAh

Capacity after 62 days: 1796mAh (-13.2%)



- Rayovac Hybrid 2100 purchased Jan 2007.

Initial capacity measured: 2155mAh

Capacity after 62 days: 1859mAh (-13.8%)



- LaCrosse 2000 purchased Jan 2006.

Initial capacity measured: 1902mAh

Capacity after 62 days: 1417mAh (-26%)



- SONY 2300 purchased Sep 2004.

Initial capacity measured: 2210mAh

Capacity after 62 days: 1309mAh (-41%)



So the Hybrid has slightly higher initial capacity and almost identical self-discharge rate compared to eneloop. This makes it a better choice especially if you can get it at lower price.

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Expiration Date

Expiration date for these batteries is 2010 it's March 2010. Really? You can't send newer batteries? Even if I do use them right away I should sent newer batteries. I wouldn't buy from this seller again.More detail ...

New Duracell 'Value Charger' is a _slightly_ better value now

This package (Duracell Pre Charged Rechargeable Nimh Batteries Combo) contains the Duracell CEF14NC 'Value Charger' four Duracell DX1500 Pre Charged AA cells (2000mAh) and four DX2400 AAA cells (800mAh).



Duracell pre charged cells are either rebranded Sanyo eneloop ('white top') or Rayovac Hybrid ('black top'). But there is no way to know which version you are going to receive. Incidentally I have examined dozens of those packages in a famous warehouse club. Majority of them contain AA 'black top' cells with just a few containing 'white top'. All AAA cells are 'black top' only.



The new Duracell 'Value Charger' offers several improvements over the previous version (which was also called 'CEF14NC'):



- It accepts 100-240V universal AC input (instead of just 120V AC)

- It can charge up to 4 AAA cells (instead of just 2 AAA)



The charging current is same as before: 360mA when charging AA cells 180mA for AAA cells. That means it take about 6-7 hours to recharge a pair of exhausted AA cells.



One remaining drawback with this charger is that it still charges in pairs. That is either 2 or 4 cells. This is very inconvenient when you have appliance that requires either 1 or 3 cells. Now you're left with one cell that you cannot charge. If you try to charge one exhausted cell together with one that is full then the second cell will be over-charged (becuase the charger only stops when the combined voltage of two cells is high enough). NiMH cells are fairly robust so they are unlikely to burst or leak when over-charged occasionally. But over-charging is very bad for battery lifespan in the long run.



If all of your battery-operated appliances require only even number of cells then this package is still a good value. But if you do need to charge odd number of cells occasionally then I recommend buying the Sanyo Eneloop 2 Pack AA NiMH Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries w/ Charger in addition to this one. It contains a compact charger 'MDR02' that can handle 1-2 cells and it recharges much faster.

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Cost effective alternative

These batteries are a very good choice for an inexpensive alkaline. Heavy duty batteries are not cost effective because although cheaper they have a very short run time. To get the best bang for your buck go for alkalines like these.



The "Procell" designation is basically Duracell's way of marking these batteries as ones intended for industrial applications. They make them as a separate line so they won't directly compete with their consumer lines.



My experience is that these batteries do not last quite as long as the top consumer lines from Duracell and Energizer. However they are within 10-20% (depending on the application) and are considerably cheaper. So they are much more cost effective.



Unless you are using them in an application where it is difficult to change the batteries I recommend going with these instead of spending more.More detail ...

Great time piece

This ia an excellent watch. Very nice looking as well as a good value.More detail ...

An eneloop by any other name...

[Updated Dec 24 2008]

I was only half-right when I boldly proclaimed that "Duracell Pre Charged AA are rebranded Sanyo eneloop cells" in my original review. It turns out that the first batch of Duracell AA cells I bought from Amazon are made in Japan and those are identical to eneloop (both mechanically and electrically). But lately I bought some more Duracell AA from a warehouse club. Those are made in China and they are identical to the Rayovac Hybrid.



[Original review follows]



Judging from similarity of technical specifications and physical shapes of (+) and (-) terminals I am convinced that the Duracell Pre Charged AA is actually SANYO eneloop AA underneath a different wrapper. Therefore all the good things you heard about eneloop apply to Duracell 'Pre Charged' too.



My own testing has shown that the capacity of eneloop AA cell is slightly above the claimed 2000mAh and it is able to retain at least 85% of its charge after 5 months in storage. The Rayovac Hybrid AA starts with slightly higher capacity at 2100mAh but it 'only' retains 80% capacity after 5 months. For all practical applications both are equally good. Just pick whichever brand (Sanyo Rayovac or Duracell) is on-sale and you can't go wrong.



One small problem with the Duracell 'Pre Charged' cell is that: it looked too similar to the well-known 'Copper Top' alkaline cell. So there is a good chance that people may mistaken it for a disposable cell. Personally I prefer the distinctive-looking white case of the eneloop cell.

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XLNT Deal!!!

This was a great deal.

I shopped a number of discount watch sites but most discounters offered no warranty.

Amazon is not only an authorized Cartier dealer but this watch came with full warranty from Amazon as well as Cartier. I saved so much cash that the guys at Cartier were impressed--speaking of Cartier they were great on the local side of the deal helped with engraving and gave no negative treatment because I bought online as opposed to going through their store.

I would encourage anybody to shop Amazon for their next luxury watch.More detail ...