Panasonic Eneloop Pro battery review

The Panasonic Eneloop Pro builds on the staying power of the original Eneloop AA and AAA rechargeable batteries, giving you a genuine power-up

Panasonic Eneloop Pro
(Image: © Matthew Richards)

Digital Camera World Verdict

Anything with the word ‘Pro’ tagged onto the product name has to be better, right? The Eneloop Pro AA and AAA NiMh rechargeable batteries certainly look a better bet than their standard Eneloop siblings for powering gadgets with a heavy current drain, thanks to their greater capacity. That’s certainly good to have but it comes at the cost of longevity, as you can’t recharge them as often over their lifetime. Even so, 500 recharging cycles should see you through and they’re hardly any more expensive to buy than the standard version, if you shop around a bit.

Pros

  • +

    Higher capacity than many competitors

  • +

    Low discharge rate when unused

  • +

    They work over a big temperature range

Cons

  • -

    Pricier than most competitors

  • -

    Modest maximum recharging cycles

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Panasonic Eneloop Pro rechargeable batteries have been around since 2011, building on the standard Eneloop cells that were originally launched by Sanyo back in 2005. Like the original they’re based on reinvented NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) technology, designed to have neither a memory effect nor to discharge significantly over time when unused.

That’s a major plus point compared with conventional NiMH rechargeable batteries. Previously, you could find that fully charged batteries could lose most or all of their charge over just a few weeks so, by the time you actually come to use them, they’re pretty much flat. It also enables them to be sold ‘pre-charged’, so they’re ready to use as soon as you open the box, instead of needing to be charged up first.

Specifications

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Matthew Richards

Matthew Richards is a photographer and journalist who has spent years using and reviewing all manner of photo gear. He is Digital Camera World's principal lens reviewer – and has tested more primes and zooms than most people have had hot dinners! 

His expertise with equipment doesn’t end there, though. He is also an encyclopedia  when it comes to all manner of cameras, camera holsters and bags, flashguns, tripods and heads, printers, papers and inks, and just about anything imaging-related. 

In an earlier life he was a broadcast engineer at the BBC, as well as a former editor of PC Guide.