When it comes to powering up a desktop PC, AA batteries probably aren’t the first thing that comes to mind. However, YouTuber ScuffedBits showed that they can be a viable power source — in a sense. The batteries needed to replace a desktop PC’s power supply and supply enough juice to run the PC, with a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, for long enough to complete one level of a game. That’s a lot to ask from AA batteries, no matter the brand, but it actually worked, albeit with some important caveats.

ScuffedBits didn’t reveal the exact specifications of the PC used to try this out, but it seems like an entry-level machine. The video reveals an Intel CPU, two RAM modules, and a SATA SSD attached to a motherboard. The PC didn’t have a case, and it initially came with a 450-watt Corsair CX430 PSU. 

There was no need to look for or invent some kind of AA battery converter to plug into the power supply, as PCs already run on low-voltage power (which the PSU supplies, converting from the higher-voltage wall power). Thus, ScuffedBits could remove the PSU entirely, replacing it with a cheap cable that plugged into the motherboard and a bunch of 3D-printed battery holders. The YouTuber started with just eight 1.5V AA batteries, but the final attempt used 56 batteries in total. Between the first try and the successful attempt, many adjustments had to be made. 

The first attempt with just eight AA batteries failed spectacularly. The fan spun for a few seconds, and the motherboard cue light lit up, but that was it. Moving up to 24 batteries didn’t get them any further, and neither did switching from carbon to higher-current alkaline batteries.

The YouTuber tweaked their setup, adding two capacitors and increasing the number of wires connecting the batteries. Although the final, successful configuration included 56 batteries, it still couldn’t boot the PC. Instead, ScuffedBits connected an external PSU to start up the PC and the game, then unplugged it once the PC was up and running, leaving the computer operating entirely on AA batteries. 

Initially, they tried to play “A Short Hike,” but the PC couldn’t stay on long enough, so ScuffedBits settled for completing a level of “Minesweeper,” which they managed to do. The PC stayed on for under five minutes in this setup. Adding an entry-level graphics card while running “A Short Hike” made the PC shut down in just a few seconds. Ultimately, the experiment worked, but it does make one appreciate that laptops exist and we don’t have to use dozens of AA batteries to power our PCs.