Garrett AT series
Garrett AT Series Battery Life and Specs: AT Pro, AT Max and AT Gold
Quick answer
The Garrett AT Pro, Garrett AT Max and Garrett AT Gold all run on four AA cells rather than a built-in pack, with Garrett publishing a typical runtime in the region of 20 to 40 hours on alkalines. Wireless audio, the backlight and rechargeable cells at lower voltage all shorten that.
The AT line predates the current fashion for sealed lithium packs, and that is genuinely an advantage in the field: when the machine dies you replace four AA cells and carry on, rather than looking for a USB port. It is also the specification most often misquoted, because runtime on a detector depends on what you have switched on.
The table below gathers the core numbers for the three AT machines alongside the Garrett detectors people cross-shop against them. Where a figure comes from a manufacturer listing it is stated as such, and where it does not exist in a published source it is left out rather than guessed.
Top pick
Garrett AT Pro
Four AA cells, a long published runtime and MS-2 headphones in the box, which is why it is still the most common AT machine in the field.
Price was accurate when this page was compiled and changes often.
On this page
What are the AT series specifications side by side?
Frequencies and waterproof ratings are Garrett published figures from each machine's documentation and listing. Runtime is a typical figure that varies with cell chemistry, temperature and what you have switched on.
All three Garrett AT machines run four AA cells with a typical published runtime in the region of 20 to 40 hours, are waterproof to 10 feet and use a 0 to 99 target ID scale, while Garrett's newer Apex and Vortex VX9 move to internal lithium packs rated at up to 15 hours.
| Machine | Power | Typical runtime | Frequency | Waterproof | Target ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garrett AT Pro | 4 x AA | 20 to 40 hours, alkaline | Single frequency VLF | 10 ft | 0 to 99 |
| Garrett AT Max | 4 x AA | Shorter with Z-Lynk active | 13.6 kHz | 10 ft | 0 to 99 |
| Garrett AT Gold | 4 x AA | 20 to 40 hours, alkaline | 18 kHz | 10 ft | 0 to 99 |
| Garrett ACE 300 | 4 x AA | Long, no wireless to feed | Adjustable frequency | Coil only | 0 to 99 |
| Garrett ACE 400 | 4 x AA | Long, no wireless to feed | Adjustable frequency | Coil only | 0 to 99 |
| Garrett ACE Apex | Internal lithium ion | Up to 15 hours, published | 5, 10, 15, 20 kHz and multi | Coil, wireless ready body | Single scale |
| Garrett Vortex VX9 | Internal lithium ion | Up to 15 hours, published | 5, 9, 13, 18, 25 kHz and multi | 16 ft | Single scale MD-MF |
Apex and Vortex VX9 runtime and frequency figures come from Garrett listing specifications. AT series runtime is the typical alkaline figure Garrett publishes for the line and should be treated as a range, not a guarantee. Where a manufacturer does not publish a figure, this table leaves the cell general rather than inventing a number.
What actually drains an AT series battery?
Three things, in order. Wireless audio is the largest: the Garrett AT Max feeding a Z-Lynk link to the Garrett MS-3 Z-Lynk Wireless Headphones is doing work an Garrett AT Pro with wired Garrett MS-2 Headphones headphones simply is not. The backlit display is second, and it is easy to leave on in daylight where it earns nothing. Volume is third and smaller than people think.
Cell chemistry matters as much as any of them. Rechargeable NiMH cells sit at a lower nominal voltage than alkalines, so a set of four gives a shorter usable run and the machine can start behaving oddly before it warns you. That is worth knowing, because a detector on failing batteries loses depth and stability quietly. The battery runtime calculator will put your own usage into hours.
How do you avoid a dead machine mid hunt?
Carry a second loaded holder. The Spare AA Battery Holder for Garrett Detectors is a spare four cell tray for Garrett detectors, and swapping a pre-loaded tray takes seconds where loading loose cells in the wet takes minutes and usually costs you one in the grass. Fit fresh cells before a long trip rather than gambling on what is already in there, and note the date on the tray.
Watch the behaviour, not just the indicator. Falling battery voltage shows up as reduced depth, unstable target IDs and a threshold that will not settle, often before the low battery warning appears. If a machine that behaved well yesterday is chattering today with no change in ground, change the cells before you change any settings.
Why does Garrett still use AA cells?
Field serviceability. A sealed lithium pack gives a lighter, tidier machine and a single charging cable, which is why the Garrett ACE Apex and Garrett Vortex VX9 both use one with a published 15 hour figure. What it does not give you is a fix when the pack dies two hours into a trip three hours from home. Four AA cells are available anywhere, cost very little, and can be carried in numbers.
For a machine whose whole design brief is all terrain use, that trade is defensible, and it is one reason the AT line has stayed in the field so long. The cost is weight, which the AT series weight comparison quantifies against the newer Garrett machines.
What else should you check on the specification sheet?
Two things people skip. First, the headphone arrangement: the AT machines use a waterproof connector, and the port cap must be secured when no headphones are fitted if the machine is going near water. Second, what is in the box, because Garrett includes the Garrett MS-2 Headphones with the AT Pro and the wireless Garrett MS-3 Z-Lynk Wireless Headphones with the AT Max, which changes the real cost of each machine.
Beyond that, the specifications that decide how a machine feels in the field are frequency, waterproof rating and weight rather than headline depth claims. Those are covered on the waterproof ratings page and in the target ID comparison.
Sources
- Garrett AT Pro, AT Max and AT Gold owner's manuals, battery and specification sections
- Garrett AT series published specification sheets
- Garrett ACE Apex and Vortex VX9 listing specifications, internal lithium ion and up to 15 hours
Frequently asked questions
How long does a Garrett AT Pro run on one set of batteries?
Garrett publishes a typical figure in the region of 20 to 40 hours on four alkaline AA cells for the AT line. That is a range for a reason: temperature, volume, backlight use and cell quality all move it. Rechargeable NiMH cells run at a lower voltage and give less time. Treat the low end of the range as your planning figure for a long trip.
Can I use rechargeable batteries in an AT series detector?
Yes, and many owners do. Be aware that four NiMH cells supply a lower nominal voltage than four alkalines, so the machine sees a lower supply from the start and the usable run is shorter. Some owners report slightly earlier low battery warnings as a result. Carry a spare loaded tray either way, because the cost of being wrong is the rest of the hunt.
Does Z-Lynk wireless reduce AT Max battery life?
Yes. Powering a wireless link is additional load on the same four cells, so an AT Max running Z-Lynk to its MS-3 headphones will not match an AT Pro on wired headphones over the same session. The convenience is real and so is the cost. If you are planning a long trip, take extra cells and consider running wired for part of the day.
Do the Garrett ACE machines use the same batteries?
The ACE line also runs on four AA cells, and with no wireless link to feed they tend to be undemanding on power. The important difference is not the battery but the waterproofing: ACE searchcoils are waterproof while the control housing is not, so an ACE is not an all terrain machine in the sense that the AT line is.
How do I know when the batteries are affecting performance?
Look for reduced depth, target IDs that will not settle and a threshold that wanders, all in ground that behaved normally before. Those symptoms usually arrive before the low battery indicator does. The fastest test is to fit fresh cells and re-run a set of buried known targets, which is one more reason to keep a test plot in the garden.
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.