New Nitecore NH2400 1.5V lithium-ion AA batteries are more expensive than Eneloops

Nitecore's latest NH2400 are now available after being officially announced in late 2024. These AA batteries are already listed at Nitecore’s official US online store, and several specialty retailers are also carrying them. They're typically sold in packs of four, but these sets are quite expensive and are currently priced at $25 excluding shipping. A charging cable is included, as these batteries cannot be recharged with regular AA battery chargers.

This means that Nitecore's NH2400 are roughly 70% more expensive than Panasonic's popular Eneloop AA batteries, which have been developed by Sanyo and currently sell for $15 for a four-pack on Amazon. However, Eneloops only provide 1.2 volts, which can lead to compatibility issues with certain devices. This happens if the device interprets the battery's state of charge based on its voltage level without considering the specific battery type.

In this case, Eneloops with 1.2V might appear as empty even though they are actually fully charged. The NH2400 could be a potential but expensive alternative for these particular use cases. That being said, Fenix also has 1.5V lithium-ion AA batteries in its lineup, which are even more expensive and currently cost a whopping $12 per battery.

While Nitecore NH2400 can replace regular AA batteries, they use a different technology. These are lithium-ion batteries that can only be charged via USB Type-C. According to the manufacturer, these cells are not compatible with standard battery chargers, including those that are designed for 14500 batteries.

Most importantly, the NH2400 AA batteries should not be confused with 14500 batteries like the NL1411. While the latter offer a slightly higher capacity of 1100 mAh at 3.6 volts (3.96 Wh) compared to Nitecore’s 2400 mAh at 1.5 volts (3.6 Wh), their higher voltage makes them incompatible with regular AA battery slots. Despite that, some manufacturers refer to 1.5V lithium-ion AA batteries as 14500 batteries, which is solely based on their dimensions. Therefore, it's important to be careful when comparing these new products.