Streamer Uwos Lab recently completed a five-hour stream showcasing a desktop PC powered entirely by 192 alkaline AA batteries. The challenge stipulated that the PC must be a desktop, not a laptop, and could not utilize lithium-ion batteries.
The streamer's method involved wiring eight AA batteries in series to achieve 12 volts. These series banks were then connected in parallel across 50 banks to generate sufficient current for the 12-volt feed, which was subsequently routed into a DC-to-ATX power supply to operate the desktop components.
Initially, calculations suggested the need for around 400 AA batteries, but the final build incorporated 192. These were housed in three custom-made, laser-cut wooden boxes, each containing 64 batteries along with the necessary clips and contact pads for power transmission. The boxes were then reinforced with duct tape.
The PC itself features an AM4 motherboard and lacks a discrete GPU, suggesting it uses an AMD G-series processor. The build does not have internal storage, requiring it to boot from a USB drive. For this unusual benchmark, Uwos Lab installed Hannah Montana Linux on the USB drive.
During the stream, the PC achieved 98% CPU usage while Uwos Lab ran a Linux stress test and simultaneously monitored their own live stream from the battery-powered machine. The 192 alkaline AA batteries provided approximately 30 minutes of power. Uwos Lab estimated that the remaining charge in the batteries could have supported operation for a few more hours before a significant power drop occurred.
This project follows a similar endeavor in March by tech creator ScuffedBits, who managed to power a gaming PC for over 33 minutes using the same brand of AA batteries. Such battery-powered hardware projects continue to emerge, with YouTuber Chris Doel previously repurposing lithium-ion batteries from 500 discarded vapes to power his PC, workshop, and home.