Verdict
A clever set of Li-ion batteries, the touch-to-check LED system lets you know if the XTAR AA 1.5V 3960 Rechargeable Li-ion Battery cells are ready to go or not. With long life and high capacity, these can be a good replacement for alkaline batteries in most cases, particularly high drain uses, such as torches and toys. There’s no built-in charging, so you’ll need to account for a Li-ion charger if you don’t have one, but that’s the only real potential downside.
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High capacity
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Integrated battery charge status
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Holds charge well
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Will most likely require a new battery charger
Key Features
Introduction
Rechargeable AA Li-ion batteries are becoming more popular. Capable of a constant 1.5V output and maintaining their charge, they’re a lot closer to alkaline batteries than standard rechargeables. However, the XTAR AA 1.5V 3960 Rechargeable Li-ion Battery is the first I’ve seen not to include a USB-C port for charging.
It means you need a Li-ion-compatible charger, but the total capacity is higher than that of its rivals, making these a good choice in most situations, particularly where you need high capacity.
Design and Charging
- Charge indicator onboard
- Long life (1500 charge cycles)
- Needs a Li-ion charger
The first set of Li-ion AA batteries that I saw were the Paleblue AA USB-C Rechargeable Batteries, which have a USB-C port onboard for direct charging. Here, things are different, and the XTAR AA 1.5V 3960 Rechargeable Li-ion Battery looks much like a regular rechargeable battery, with nothing distinguishing it from the outside.
That means you need a charger compatible with Li-ion batteries. Use a regular battery charger and you can destroy these batteries. I was sent an XTAR L8 charger, which can take eight batteries (AA or AAA via the included adaptors). This charger senses the battery type (Li-ion or NiMH) and then charges them correctly.
Press and hold the positive terminal on top (I found that it needs a bit of pressure and, sometimes, pressing and holding for a few seconds), and a green light turns on to show that these batteries are different: one flash means 0% to 20% charge; two flashes for 20% to 50% charge; three for 50% to 80% charge; and four for 80% to 100%. It’s a handy indicator of whether the batteries are ready to go or not.
Each battery has a capacity of 2500mAh, which is 1000mAh higher than the Paleblue ones. At this capacity, the XTAR AA 1.5V 3960 Rechargeable Li-ion Battery is similar to many NiMH batteries.
XTAR says that these batteries can last for 1500+ charge cycles, which is also similar to a lot of NiMH batteries. That means that you can charge and discharge these batteries 1500 times, so each one effectively replaces 1500 alkaline batteries.
Li-ion batteries, such as these, have two main advantages over NiMH: they discharge at a higher rate (1.5V vs 1.2V) and hold their charge for longer.
Performance
- High capacity
- Can replace alkaline batteries in some circumstances
To test these batteries I used an XTAR VX4, which is designed for NiMH and Li-ion batteries, testing capacity with a 300mA current. On average, across the four XTAR AA 1.5V 3960 Rechargeable Li-ion Battery cells that I had, the total capacity was a high 2583mAh – that’s only slightly behind the Ansmann Digital AA HR6 2850mAh.
That makes these batteries ideal for high-drain devices, such as torches and toys. I also fitted them to my Yale Linus smart lock. When fitted with NiMH batteries, this lock complains that the batteries are low; with the XTAR AA 1.5V 3960 Rechargeable Li-ion Battery the lock worked correctly.
There may be some devices that these batteries don’t work with, but in many cases you can replace alkaline batteries with these.
Should you buy it?
You need high-capacity alternatives to alkaline batteries
With a high tested capacity, these batteries can replace standard alkaline batteries in a lot of cases.
You want something cheaper
If you’ve got devices that are less fussy, then you can buy high capacity NiMH batteries for less.
Final Thoughts
It all depends on what you want to use the batteries for. If you want to replace alkaline batteries with a greener alternative, the XTAR AA 1.5V 3960 batteries work out as good value over their lifetime, and they cost a similar amount to the lower-capacity Paleblue AA batteries; however, you do need to account for buying a Li-ion battery charger.
If you have devices that will work with NiMH batteries and just need high-capacity, powerful cells, then you’ll find something cheaper on my list of the best rechargeable batteries.
How We Test
We test every rechargeable battery we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
- Capacity and voltage tested with an XTAR VX4.
- Used in real-life appliances to check compatibility.
FAQs
You need a battery charger that’s compatible with Li-ion batteries – do not use a standard battery charger.
Test Data
| XTAR AA 1.5V 3960 Rechargeable Li-ion Battery | |
|---|---|
| Battery tested capacity | 2583 mAh |
Full Specs
| XTAR AA 1.5V 3960 Rechargeable Li-ion Battery Review | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | – |
| Battery | 2500 mAh |
| Size (Dimensions) | x x INCHES |
| Release Date | 2026 |
| First Reviewed Date | 28/04/2026 |
| Model Number | XTAR AA 1.5V 3960 Rechargeable Li-ion Battery |
| Battery type | Rechargeable |
| Battery technology | Lithium-ion |
| Battery size | AA |
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