Hackaday

A hobbyist experiment running a desktop PC entirely off AA alkaline batteries out of curiosity. Using 56 AA cells wired in series and parallel, a PicoATX DC-DC adapter, and large buffer capacitors to handle power spikes, the setup managed to run the PC just long enough to play a quick game of Minesweeper. Key challenges included the cells' inability to deliver fast current bursts and thin wiring. An LCD monitor, by contrast, ran much longer on just eight NiMH cells, underscoring how critical power efficiency is for battery-powered devices.

Running A Desktop PC Off AA Alkaline Cells