Garrett ACE series
Garrett ACE Series Battery Life and Specifications Compared
Quick answer
The Garrett ACE 200, 300 and 400 run on four AA cells, while the ACE Apex and the Vortex machines use built-in lithium-ion batteries that Garrett publishes at up to fifteen hours per charge. Across the ACE line the searchcoil is waterproof and the control box is not.
This page collects what Garrett actually publishes about power and basic specifications across the ACE family, and says plainly where the published record stops. There are figures circulating for ACE alkaline runtime that are not traceable to a Garrett document, and printing one here would be guessing with your money.
What is documented is the architecture: the ACE machines are AA powered, the ACE Apex and the Vortex machines carry internal lithium-ion cells, and Garrett publishes an up to fifteen hour figure for both of those. That difference matters more than any hour count, because it decides whether you carry spare cells or a power bank.
Top pick
Rechargeable AA NiMH Batteries, 8 pack
The AA-powered ACE machines eat cells, and a fading battery changes how a detector behaves long before it shuts the machine off.
Price was accurate when this page was compiled and changes often.
On this page
What does Garrett publish for each machine?
Where a cell below says the figure is in the manual, that is because the manufacturer's public listing does not carry it and we will not invent one.
Garrett publishes up to fifteen hours per charge for both the ACE Apex and the Vortex line, while the ACE 200, 300 and 400 take four AA cells with the runtime given in the owner's manual.
| Machine | Power | Published runtime | Waterproofing | Target ID scale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACE 200 | 4 AA cells, supplied in the box | Given in the owner's manual | Coil waterproof, control box not | 0 to 99 digital |
| ACE 300 | 4 AA cells | Given in the owner's manual | Coil waterproof, control box not | 0 to 99 digital |
| ACE 400 | 4 AA cells | Given in the owner's manual | Coil waterproof, control box not | 0 to 99 digital |
| ACE Apex | Built-in lithium-ion | Up to 15 hours per charge | Waterproof searchcoil | Given in the Apex manual |
| Vortex VX5 | Built-in lithium-ion | Up to 15 hours per charge | Submersible to 16 feet | Single-scale MD-MF target ID |
| Vortex VX7 | Built-in lithium-ion | Up to 15 hours per charge | Submersible to 16 feet | Given in the Vortex manual |
| Vortex VX9 | Built-in lithium-ion, USB-C charged | Up to 15 hours per charge | Submersible to 16 feet | Given in the Vortex manual |
| AT Pro | AA cells, per the AT Pro manual | Given in the owner's manual | Fully submersible to 10 feet | Given in the AT Pro manual |
Runtime and waterproof figures are taken from Garrett's published listings and specification sheets. Where the listing is silent, the cell says so rather than carrying a number from an untraceable source. Battery performance in the field also depends on cell chemistry, temperature, backlight use and whether wireless audio is running.
Why does a fading battery change how a detector behaves?
Detectors are analogue instruments with a digital display. As supply voltage sags, the transmit field weakens and the signal processing has less headroom, so depth falls away and marginal targets stop reporting a stable identification before the machine gives any warning. On an AA machine using alkaline cells the decline is gradual and easy to miss, which is why people report that a detector was finding less this season without anything else having changed.
The cure on an AA machine is a second loaded battery holder and a habit of swapping on a clock rather than on symptoms. On a lithium-ion machine like the Apex or the Vortex, the equivalent discipline is a power bank in the bag, because you cannot change an internal cell in a field.
Do rechargeable cells behave differently from alkalines?
Yes, and the difference is voltage. A fresh alkaline AA sits at about 1.5 volts and a NiMH rechargeable at about 1.2 volts, so a four cell pack delivers roughly six volts on alkalines and roughly 4.8 volts on rechargeables. That is stated plainly on the spare Garrett battery holder listing itself. The machine still works, but you are starting lower, and the useful window before the voltage becomes a problem is shorter.
The trade is running cost. A set of NiMH cells is listed as rechargeable up to a thousand times and holding eighty percent of capacity for two years, which makes it far cheaper across a season than buying alkalines. Many people run rechargeables for ordinary sessions and keep a sealed pack of alkalines in the bag for the day a permission comes up unexpectedly.
What actually drains a modern detector fastest?
Wireless audio and screen backlight, in that order. Garrett builds Z-Lynk wireless into the Apex and the Vortex machines, and any radio link costs power at both ends, in the detector and in the headphones. The backlight is the other significant load and the easiest to leave on by accident in daylight.
If you want an honest estimate for your own habits rather than a manufacturer's best case, the battery runtime tool takes the published figure and applies your wireless and backlight usage. The weight comparison page covers the other thing that ends sessions early.
What should live in the bag?
Two items solve nearly all power problems on an AA machine, and neither costs much.
Rechargeable AA NiMH Batteries, 8 pack
$10.49Eight NiMH cells at 2,000 mAh, listed as rechargeable up to a thousand times with eighty percent capacity held for two years.
Best for: any AA-powered machine
Check price on Amazon
Spare AA Battery Holder for Garrett Detectors
$12.99A second holder loaded before you leave the house turns a battery change into a two-second swap.
Best for: Garrett ACE and AT owners
Check price on Amazon
Garrett ACE 400
$357.99The top of the AA-powered ACE line, at $357.99.
Best for: people who would rather carry cells than a power bank
Check price on AmazonHow we chose
We did not test these machines in person and we publish no find claims. Picks are researched from manufacturer specifications and owner manuals, published listing features, waterproof ratings and warranty terms, and the recurring themes in verified owner reviews. We favour the established detector brands because coils, shafts and control boxes have to stay available years after a model is discontinued, and we place every pick in the tier where its price and capability honestly belong.
Sources
- Garrett ACE 200, 300 and 400 owner's manuals
- Garrett ACE Apex published listing, for the built-in lithium-ion battery and up to fifteen hour figure
- Garrett Vortex VX9 published listing, for battery, USB-C charging and firmware updates
- Spare AA battery holder listing, for alkaline and NiMH pack voltages
- Garrett AT Pro owner's manual, for its power source and target ID scale
Frequently asked questions
How long do the batteries last in a Garrett ACE 300?
Garrett publishes a runtime figure in the ACE owner's manual and that is the number to use for your machine and firmware revision. We do not print an hour count here because the public product listing does not carry one, and a figure with no traceable source is worse than no figure. What is certain is that the machine takes four AA cells and that performance declines gradually as they fade.
How long does the ACE Apex battery last?
Garrett states the Apex has a built-in lithium-ion battery that lasts up to fifteen hours, and gives the same up to fifteen hour figure for the Vortex machines. Treat that as a best case. Running Z-Lynk wireless headphones and a backlit screen will pull it down, and cold weather will pull it down further, as it does with every lithium cell.
Can I use rechargeable AA batteries in an ACE?
Yes, and most regular detectorists do. Be aware of the voltage difference: four alkaline cells give about six volts while four NiMH rechargeables give about 4.8 volts, as the Garrett-compatible battery holder listing states. The machine runs on either, but you start at a lower voltage on rechargeables, so carry a spare loaded holder rather than relying on one set.
Is any ACE machine fully waterproof?
No. Across the ACE line the searchcoil is waterproof and the control box is not, which Garrett states plainly in its own listing. If you need a machine you can submerge, the AT line is listed as fully submersible to ten feet and the Vortex machines are listed as submersible to sixteen feet. Choose the family first, then the model within it.
Does the Vortex charge over USB-C?
Garrett states that the Vortex internal lithium-ion battery provides up to fifteen hours of use per charge and that the USB-C charging point can also be used to update the operating software as firmware updates are released. That second part matters: a firmware update can change how your machine scores marginal targets, so rerun your buried test targets after any update.
Researched, not professional advice. This page is compiled from published specifications, manuals and owner-review consensus, not hands-on testing. Target ID numbers, depth figures and settings vary with soil chemistry, moisture, target size, depth, orientation and firmware version, so treat every figure here as a starting point and verify it against your own machine's manual and your own ground. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.