Reviewed: August 10, 2008
Reviewed by: Mark Smith

Manufacturer
Penguin United

Type: Rechargeable Battery Station
System: Nintendo Wii

Rating: 10

Features

As you might have guessed from the name, this latest model is capable of charging four Wii remotes simultaneously, which, judging from statistics and the family appeal of the Wii, seems to be the popular number of controllers per household. And while it might appear I could simply rehash last month’s review and simply replace the number 2 with a number 4, Penguin has gone the extra distance to make this the best recharging station to date, not only worthy of an original review but also your hard-earned dollar.

So what exactly sets this new charge station apart from its predecessors? Obviously, the four charging ports is the main attraction, as is the ultra-cool circular pedestal design. How cool – just wait until you plug it in and see this thing light up like the final 20 minutes of “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”. Yes, you must actually plug this charger into an AC outlet. Previous chargers have simply tapped into the USB port on the back of your Wii, but I guess it takes AC power to charge four remotes at once, as well as power the impressive light show.

The 4X Quad Charge Station also comes with four rechargeable Li-Ion Polymer batteries; a step up from the NiMH batteries from previous models. Also, instead of separate battery packs and covers, the battery cells are now integrated right into the back covers for a once-piece solution. These new Li-Ion batteries are about half the size of previous cells, resulting in the Wii remote becoming noticeably lighter if you are coming from AA batteries or a previous recharging kit.

Each battery pack took around 3-4 hours to charge once my Wii warned me the battery power was low, and each charge lasts right around 12-15 hours depending on the games you are playing and how much the speaker and rumble feature are being utilized. I left one fully charged remote unused and unplugged for several days then plugged it back in and it had dropped less than 25% and only took 5-10 minutes to top off, so there is very little bleed off on these batteries when not in use.

To put things in financial perspective, forgoing conventional batteries, even rechargeable ones, is a no-brainer when you do the math. You’ll spend upwards of $30 for an Energizer wall charger and 8 AA batteries. For just a few more dollars you can buy Penguin’s solution, which is a whole lot more convenient since the Penguin battery packs actually charge while still inside the Wii remote.

The best thing about the 4X Quad Charge Station is just how easy it is to get setup. Simply plug the charging base into any available AC outlet then replace those AA batteries with the rechargeable battery packs and you are ready to get your game on. Out of the box, one battery was already fully charged and the other three were at 75%. This may or may not be a typical experience.

Words can’t begin to describe how cool this new charging pedestal is, especially in a dark room. There is a clear plastic insert that surrounds each of the four charging sockets. When you plug in the base unit this lights up with an awesome blue glow - the same blue that lights up the face of your Wii. There are also four green LED’s for each socket that indicate the charging status of the remote in 25% increments. And best of all – there are no flashing lights.

If you have read either of my previous reviews for Penguin’s chargers you may remember that their previous products all had blue lights that started flashing when the remote was fully charged. This was not only unnecessary but also extremely distracting, especially when trying to watch a movie in a dark room. I was basically forced to unplug my base unit after the charging was complete. Now, this new unit is the showcase of my game room and actually serves as a viable nightlight with its pleasant blue glow.

The new base design also allows you to keep your wrist strap attached, and Penguin is even providing four colorful straps with this charger. As always, if you have any type of exterior sheath or rubber grip for your remote that covers the rear charging contacts or makes the remote too large to fit in the socket, you’ll have to remove it before you can recharge your remote.

Penguin United’s 4X Quad Charge Station for the Wii is the ultimate solution for any family with a Wii and four remotes. You certainly don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars each year on conventional batteries and while rechargeable batteries will certainly save you some money, for only a few more dollars you can enjoy the convenience of simply plugging your Wii remotes into the attractive charging stand every few days to top off the charge.