A desktop computer powered by 64 AA batteries managed to run for over 33 minutes, long enough to play games and complete a CPU benchmark, according to recent testing by YouTube creator ScuffedBits.
The feat represents a dramatic improvement over an earlier attempt where a battery-powered PC lasted only about five minutes playing Minesweeper. The key was engineering: ScuffedBits modified the battery wiring to produce around 25 volts, then added three voltage regulators wired in parallel to deliver a consistent 12 volts to the motherboard until the batteries died.
Desktop computers demand sudden bursts of current when they power on and whenever processing demands spike. Off-the-shelf AA batteries, designed for continuous low-drain applications like flashlights, struggle with this. ScuffedBits eliminated alligator clips and soldered wires directly to capacitors, a small but crucial detail that improved electrical stability under load.
During the test, the system booted straight from AA power, played A Short Hike (finishing in about three and a half minutes), completed a demanding Cinebench benchmark test, then installed and played several rounds of Minecraft before dying after 33 minutes and 19 seconds.
The result highlights an uncomfortable truth about battery technology. The 64 batteries included carbon zinc, alkaline, and nickel metal hydride rechargeables. Carbon zinc cells failed first, losing voltage and power quickly, while alkaline cells performed better. Yet even the superior alkaline chemistry cannot match the discharge profile that modern processors require.
This is not a practical solution. As Tom's Hardware notes, this isn't groundbreaking technology, and who would want to purchase 64 AA batteries multiple times a day just to keep a laptop charged? The comparison is stark: a single 12-volt car battery can power the same computer for three to four hours, drawing less attention and taking up less space.
Yet ScuffedBits' project has value as engineering theatre. It reveals, in visceral terms, the difference between the total energy stored in a battery and the speed at which it can deliver power. Modern laptops and handheld devices use purpose-built lithium-ion cells engineered for high discharge rates. A consumer-grade AA alkaline cell optimises for low to moderate drain over long periods; it was never meant for a 73-watt CPU pulling amps on demand.
The experiment works because of careful design: wiring, capacitors, and voltage regulation. Change any of those variables, and the system collapses. That fragility is precisely the point. Seeing a fan spin once and then silence teaches more about inrush current and electrical load than any textbook diagram.