Energizer 4X Charging System for Wii review: Energizer 4X Charging System for Wii
Energizer 4X Charging System for Wii
We have looked at just about every Wii controller charging device ever constructed. From charging plates to docks, it's safe to say we've seen our fair share. We're now starting to see other companies throw their hats into the ring, including offerings from Energizer-branded PDP products. The Power & Play Charging Station wasn't the most reliable system we tested, and it only charged two remotes at once. With the 4X Charging System, the unreliability is still present, but at least we're now powering four remotes at once.
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
The 4X Charging System looks exactly like an angled knife block. There are four slots for controllers, complete with their own LED charge notification lights and narrow slits to accommodate your Wii remote's wrist straps. The rubber grips won't fit in these, so you'll have to remove them prior to charging.
The station draws power from an AC adapter that gives you 5 feet of slack to play with. Everything is covered in a smooth white plastic that matches the Wii's finish.
The system comes with four sets of rechargeable Wii remote Energizer battery packs along with custom covers that let the metallic plates touch the leads inside the charging station. The battery covers don't offer any sort of textured grip, something we've seen and liked in similar products like the Nyko Charging Station.
We would have really liked to be able to drop the remotes carelessly into the station and have them charge, but unfortunately, you can't do that. Since there's plenty of wiggle room in each of the four slots, you'll find yourself adjusting the remote's positions ever-so-slightly so the contacts touch. It's then that you'll see an orange LED light next to the slot indicating the battery is charging. The LED turns green once it's fully charged. According to Energizer, an entire charge takes a little more than four hours to complete, which was on par with our testing.
We were able to get about six hours of play time on one charge over the course of three days. What's nice is that you can leave a charged controller ready to go in the station and swap it with the depleted battery. Once a controller is full, the system won't supply power to that chamber.
A few design gripes notwithstanding, the Energizer 4X Charging System works as advertised. However, for the asking price of $40, you might be better off buying rechargeable Energizer AAs by themselves and swapping them out manually. If rubberized grips are more your thing, we'd recommend the Nyko Charging Station, available in both two- and four-controller models.