Lipo Battery Shootout 4 – Final Results

BigSquidRC Lipo Shootout 4- Final Results

Our scoring system works like golf, the lower the final score, the better the finish!

Hours upon hours upon hours of testing went into this shootout. Boxes of tires were worn out and the midnight oil was burnt even more than previous shootouts. From our very first shootout, our goal was to make up a set of test criteria that we believe reflects what most consumers want out of their batteries, then perform those tests as accurately and bias free as possible. We used as many objective tests as possible, tests that are not based on our opinions, but rather on data gathered by the West Mountain CBA Discharger, Bushnell radar gun, and Pelouze weight scale. When we did conduct subjective tests, we went to great lengths to eliminate brand bias, for example using a blind testing method during on our track driving sessions and high speed passes. We also went to greater lengths this shootout to keep pack temps more consistent, the time between charging and discharging more consistent, and to make sure each and every connection/connector was the best possible. So here we are, at the end of the best shootout we’ve ever done, we hope all our long hours and hard work help you determine the best Lipo battery for your car, buggy or truck.

7. Speedpack 2S 50C 5200 – We’ve been using these packs around the office for months now and they’ve been solid performers. Unfortunately for this shootout they were the smallest capacity pack of the bunch, hurting their runtime and voltage compared to the rest of the field. But, while the Speedpack may have finished last in our shootout, it did a commendable job for its capacity scoring well in voltage under load and nearly winning the weight category.

6. Venom 2S 70C 5800 – Venom has recently upped it’s stated “C” rating and its price, which is fine if the packs outperform the majority of packs out there. The Venom however was beat out in voltage under load by the Speedpack, a lower “C” rated pack that was also of smaller capacity. If you are going to be the most expensive pack in the shootout, your voltage under load numbers had better be top notch and the Venoms were not. The Venom did have its high points though, our testers blindly picked it the third fastest on track which is quite impressive against this field, and it was the only pack offering a “Lifetime Warranty”. One last note, the Venom came with the funky Venom multi-plug, in the past those have proven problematic so it was cut off ASAP and a genuine Traxxas plug was installed.

5. Onyx 2S 25C 5700 – When we first saw the Onxy we didn’t think it had a shot of running with this field. I mean the Onyx was light, it was a soft pack, it was giving up a hundred mah to the field, it was rated at only 25C, and it was the second cheapest pack of the bunch. But on both the test bench and in the field the Onyx held its own. We do have reservations about bashing a soft pack, we’d much preferred the Onyx had the extra protection of a hard case around it, but overall the Onyx was a solid performer, fairing much better against this field that we first expected. The Onyx had plenty of wheelie pop’n power on track and was a good, solid performer.

4. Traxxas 2S 25C 5800 – When Traxxas first announced they were entering the Lipo game we could not wait to get our hands on one of their packs. Traxxas revolutionized the rc car world, so we couldn’t wait to see what they’d bring to the plate in the realm of batteries. Well… what they brought to the plate was a solid performer, but not a world beater. The Traxxas has a reasonable price point and puts out solid power, overall a nice pack except for the fact it is a soft pack. If you are an average user you can probably get away with a soft pack, but if you like to get extreme soft packs tend to get dented or taco’ed, ruining the battery. On track the Traxxas had good snap shooting our Dominus around the track in a hurry.

3. Orion 2S 90C 5500 – On the first step on the podium is the Orion. Orion batteries have proven themselves as winners at the very highest levels of rc competition and our test sample was impressive. The Orion was a beast on the test bench as well as on the track, all the while giving up 300 mah to most of its competition. One of our drivers blindly ranked the Orion the fastest out of the group while our other two testers blindly ranked it the second fastest on the track. First hand I must say the Orion had tons of power, ripping out of corners and launching our Dominus up and over jump faces. The Orion was a blast to drive and was an overall solid performer, a pack that won’t disappoint when dropped in your car or truck.

2. Turnigy 2S 30C 5800 – Next on the podium comes the Turnigy. The Turnigy Nano packs have quite a reputation for being solid performers and our test sample performed admirably. The Turnigy didn’t put out the most voltage on discharge tests, nor was it the fastest on track, but it was by far the least expensive and was right in the hunt in all the test categories. On track the Turnigy provided good rip, launching our test truck out of corners and down the straights with authority. The Turnigy was a solid all around performer at the cheapest price point, arguably making it the best bang for the buck in the field, and it came close to winning the shootout.

1. Gens Ace 2S 45C 5800 – And the champion of our Lipo Shootout #4 is….. the Gens Ace. The Gens Ace crushed the field under a 30 amp continuous load, and came incredibly close to beating the field at 60. The Gens Ace was more than impressive on the test bench, but real world driving conditions is where the Gens Ace really stood out. I don’t know what the Gens Ace guys are doing inside their packs but they work remarkably well under the dynamic loads presented while driving. Two of our test drivers blindly picked the Gens Ace as the fastest of the field, while our third driver ranked it second. From first hand experience driving with the Gens Ace I’ll say it seemed noticeably faster on the track than the rest of the field. Where other packs would rocket our Helion Dominus out of corners, the Gens Ace made the truck uncontrollably fast after mashing the throttle wfo. As another example of its power, there was a jump combo that our other test packs could barely get our brushless Dominus over, but when using the Gens Ace we found ourselves slightly over jumping that same section. Also of note, part of Gens Ace success may come from its attention to detail. For example, the wires on the Gens Ace used higher quality bullet connectors to connect them to the pack than the rest of the field. Overall, the Gens Ace was the cream of this crop on both the test bench and on the track, and did it at a reasonable price point. If you are looking to put one of the best packs money can buy into your car or truck, put in the winner of our Lipo Shootout #4, the Gens Ace.

From here you can head back to the beginning or go check out our FIRST Li-Po Battery shootout RIGHT HERE, the second one HERE, and our 3rd (4S) shootout HERE.