UnirossHybrio Pre-Charged 4 X AA 2400 Series Rechargeable Batteries

Bought these batteries from Babz Media.I recommend this seller.On receipt of these Pre-charged batteries, inserted them into my bike light and not the merest glimmer from the bulb.Assumed they weren't Pre-charged and complained to the seller.What the problem actually is, is that the batteries are slightly oversized compared to "normal" AA's (Not rechargeable ones).That is, slightly longer and slightly larger diameter.Other people have pointed this out in their reviews.Not realising/remembering this at the time, you unpack them pop them in (as you would with "normal" AA's) and nothing.If you insert the batteries into your appliance side on, so that you see the length of the battery when installed, you probably will not have an issue at all. However if you insert the batteries end on, so that you are looking at the +ve or -ve end of the battery when installed and the casing is a snug fit around the battery, take note.What you have to do before you contact the seller in a curt manner expressing your disappointment is to:INSERT THE BATTERIES FIRMLY BUT GENTLY INTO THE CASING ENSURING THAT THE BATTERY AND APPLIANCE CONTACTS AT THAT END ARE IN CONTACT.We're not talking about a lot of force here and it was only the last few millimetres of the case that was just tight enough to hold one of the batteries away from the contacts.Once I worked that out, all good.

We've all been there - bought some rechargeable batteries for this or that - camera, flashgun, any number of things that get used intermittently. And when you take them out, those "wonderful" NiCd or NiMH batteries are stone dead. They might accept a charge, they might not, but before very long they won't and are totally useless. These older rechargeables "self-discharge", at an alarming rate of 1% per day !! 3 months and they are flat, six months and they may never recover. It's a wonder we ever used them at all really.These (and others now from other makers) are low self dicharge (LSD) - claiming to hold around 80% charge after a year. And they do hold their charge.I have seen a rather rediculous review that said that the down side with LSD batteries is a lower maximum capacity (3000mAH for a trad battery, 2000mAH for an LSD) These are of course now up to 2400mAH, but even using 3000/2000 mAH comparison think of the following:-3000mAH traditional battery, 1% charge loss per day.2000mAH LSD battery, 1.6% per MONTH loss of charge.So after just over 1 month sat in your camera, they will be around the same capacity remaining - after that the traditional battery will have lower capacity, and soon be flat. With these new 2400mAH battery, the crossover point comes after just 3 weeks.I know what I would rather have ....It's a 100% no brainer - your only decision is which make of LSD battery to choose (I am not a Uniross stooge - there are ones made by Sanyo, Panasonic, GP and others)

They aren't pre-charged as claimed. I tried them on my new Xbox and they were all dead out of the packet so I had to charge them up. Not really an issue as I still had my old batteries but you should be aware of this - if you need batteries to work immediately on Xmas morning, make sure you charge these first, or have spares ready.Other than that, they work perfectly well and I'm happy with the purchase.

I use the cells for mostly flashes or the odd time a camera grip.The capacity is excellent, even in very high drain devices lasting even longer than the older Hybrio (green top red body) cells, and they were very good all round.Head to head with the best Sanyo batteries, not a lot in it at all really I'd give the edge to Uniross on capacity and staying power, at a somewhat better price too.And they do hold a charge well which is important for storage.Some caution though, the batteries are a bit larger than normal AA's just a little but that might be enough to cause a problem in "some" appliances. I've found the flashes I use just fine with a good bit of space for these, but there will be times where the Hyrbio cells will be too tight. Length is slightly longer as well as thickness. Just be aware of that.In terms of performance they're right up there with the best I've used, and are well priced.

I've been using Uniross batteries for a few years and found them to be just as good as the market leader for low discharge batteries (namely Sanyo). These batteries are from the "2400 Series" but actually have a rated capacity of 2300mAH. It's a similar story with their previous 2100 series which had a rated capacity of 2050mAH. It is slightly annoying to put up with this misleading numbering/advertising but as I guess as long as you know about it, you can deal with it.There was no problem charging the batteries (even though they come pre-charged, I decided to top them up). I then used them in a Canon 710IS camera and was amazed that I was able to take over 800 photos on 2 AA's without even needing to reach for the backup pair of batteries.Is the price premium of 20% over the 2100 series worth it for the 10% extra capacity? It obviously depends on your needs and usage. Nevertheless, my experience is that the Uniross hybrio series represent excellent value and you are unlikely to be disappointed. Which magazine gave the Hybrio a good rating and several other independent reviews also have it scoring near the top for capacity. Do watch out when buying because some sellers are still offering the older 1300mAH AA hybrios (in the orange colour body) - those obviously have a much lower capacity.