Xbox 360 Black Play & Charge Kit

Comment: I cannot get the thing to hold a charge at all. I have left this plugged into the xbox forever and as soon as I unplug it, the controller dies. I give up and will continue to just use real batteries.

Comment: The Play & Charge kit is very useful for both casual and "hardcore" gamers, as you can play without the battery pack connected and just attached to the cord, or with the rechargeable (even while playing) pack connected to the controller. You can in effect, use 2 controllers at once like this without running through AA batteries, and the charge cord is long enough to allow good movement and distance from the Xbox 360.

Also if the controller is plugged in, it won't shut off even when idle, so if you're watching a video, you don't have to turn on the controller to rewind, pause, or otherwise control your video.

The cost is very reasonable, especially considering the cost you save in batteries after just a few charges. The pack life seems only slightly shorter than a full charged alkaline battery to full-dead and is definitely adequate. NiMH batteries have, in my experience, excellent charge capacity and are typically very forgiving about developing a memory. Definitely recommend purchasing, great for charging as you play.

I do recommend unplugging the cord when you power off the Xbox 360, as sometimes the fans will continue to run, and doesn't appear to be charging the batteries while off.

Comment: I bought this for my husband over a year ago. It is a great quality item and still looks as though it were new. We havem't had any problems with it. It's a fraction the cost of others in the stores. Great buy!~

Comment: Necessary. Not great, not bad. Advice: Only use them when you're battery is low and your xbox is on. Do not leave them plugged to your controller after it the xbox is off. Using frequently will shorten your battery life. Letting your battery completely die will also shorten the life. SO use accordingly.

Comment: This device charges the included battery slowly and requires the controller to be attached to the xbox while charging--which remains on to charge the battery even if you tell your xbox to turn itself off. It also uses the same usb port that the wireless adapter does, so if you have a wireless adapter, be prepared for aggravations.

Why then do I give it 4 stars? Very simple: it comes with a battery and only costs a few dollars more than a battery by itself. That being the case, it is a good compromise if one is not willing to pay for the xbox 360 quick charge kit. Alternatively, you could simply get AA rechargeable batteries and a battery charger and opt out of the proprietary mess all together.