We had just arrived at a national park, and I quickly grabbed my camera to take a lovely photo of an elephant and its young one. But before I could capture this fascinating moment, my camera battery was dead. Yack!! What an awful experience.
Check another comparison-18650 vs AA Battery
Many times, people overlook batteries but forget how important they are. My experience taught me to carry extra batteries wherever I go to. One thing is for sure, and you will need batteries to light your torch, switch on/off the TV using a remote control, and in many other electronic devices.
Summary of Contents
Features Details: AA vs AAA Battery
Features |
AA |
AAA |
| Size: | 3.5-14.5mm in diameter and between 49.2-50.5mm tall | 10.5mm in diameter and between 44.5mm tall |
| Electrical Features: | Same | Same |
| Usage: | Devices that use a lot of power | Portable and low power gadgets |
| Current: | a larger amount of current to flow | smaller |
| Voltage: | Same | Same |
Today, we will differentiate between AA and AAA batteries. People normally confuse between these two, but they differ in so many ways.
Size
The first difference is in their size. AAA batteries are usually smaller in size when compared to AA batteries. This is very crucial as battery-operated gadgets normally utilize one particular size. It is almost impossible to fit an AA-size battery into a battery slot meant for AAA batteries. However, you can get adaptors that can enable you to fit an AAA-size battery in an AA battery slot.
Voltage
Since AA and AAA batteries are single cells, they are capable of carrying the same amount of voltage as the bigger batteries. The smaller size of the AAA batteries than 18650 implies that there is a smaller amount of electro-chemical material, which has that electric charge. In short, AA batteries have a higher voltage than AAA batteries. This means that they are more powerful and will have a longer run time than that AAA batteries. Even though AAA batteries are small in size, some of them may have a high capacity than AA batteries. But this only applies to high-quality AAA batteries.
Usage
Both AA and AAA batteries have different usage. Also, there is no set standard for when to utilize one over the other. Devices that use a lot of power normally use AA batteries. Such devices include small LED flashlights and battery-operated toys. Furthermore, these devices use at least two AA batteries to raise the overall voltage and operating time. Portable and low-power gadgets use AAA batteries. This is because they don’t use too much power. Other devices that use AAA batteries are clocks and remote control.
Electrical Features
Rechargeable AA and AAA batteries can use similar or different chargers. This is not the case with other rechargeable batteries like 18650. A charger that charges both AA and AAA batteries comes with a movable part that utilizes a spring to push the battery tightly into position. AAAA and AA batteries have the same electrical features, which makes the charger not treat them in a different way.
Current
AA batteries allow a larger amount of current to flow through them as they are bigger in size than AAA batteries. This makes them suitable for use to power large devices when compared to AAA-powered gadgets.
Similar Comparison: Lithium or Alkaline battery? Check the Differences
Final Decision: AA or AAA Battery?
From the above differences, it is clear that both AA and AAA batteries are of great importance. Depending on whether you want to use it on large or small electronic devices, you can choose either AA or AAA batteries. AA batteries are more powerful and are suitable for large devices like toys and flashlights. On the other hand, AAA batteries are great for use in devices like remotes and clocks. In addition, AA batteries have a higher capacity and voltage when compared to AAA batteries. Choose the ideal battery type for your needs. For portable devices, the AAA battery is the best. Also, these two batteries can use the same charger as they have similar electrical features.