Technology

Enthusiast runs desktop PC off 56 AA batteries — Intel computer lasts less than 5 minutes while playing Minesweeper

Source

Tom's Hardware

Published

Mar 1, 2026

TL;DR

AI Generated

A YouTube creator experimented with running a desktop PC off 56 AA batteries, replacing the power supply with an ATX plug. Despite various attempts, including using alkaline batteries and wiring tweaks, the system only lasted a few seconds before shutting down. The creator managed to play Minesweeper for 4 minutes and 35 seconds on battery power alone but aimed to beat the game entirely on AA power. Adding a GPU allowed the PC to run for around nine seconds, showcasing advancements in battery technology. Suggestions were made to try the experiment with laptop components for lower power draws.

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Enthusiast runs desktop PC off 56 AA batteries — Intel computer lasts less than 5 minutes while playing Minesweeper

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Enthusiast runs desktop PC off 56 AA batteries — Intel computer lasts less than 5 minutes while playing Minesweeper

TL;DR

Similar Articles

Lexar regional manager says that RAM prices are expected to double by the end of the year — 'discounts' and stabilized prices result from distributors getting rid of old stock or sourcing products from other regions

Taiwanese startup FormulaV Line wants to break into US market with two new unique cases — company expects products to become available on Newegg later this year

G.Skill explains how AMD EXPO ULL unlocks additional performance — expanded profiles allow memory makers to include subtiming tweaks for the first time

Huawei-led team claims it post-trained DeepSeek's 1.6-trillion-parameter model — 1,000 Ascend 910C chips used in training