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For many, the best – Panasonic's CR123 lithium batteries – are they disappearing from the market in 2026? Direct replacement? - TEST
As many of you know, Panasonic consumer batteries became difficult to get in existing sales channels at the end of 2025 due to changes at the distribution levels. Therefore, the availability of batteries of this brand in Poland and other EU countries has become uncertain.
There are many brands of batteries on the market, so finding an alternative or replacement should not be a problem. And indeed, this will be the case with most popular battery sizes. However, there are exceptions...
The genesis of the problem.
Apart from the popular Double-/Triple-A (batteries) or button cells, there is an area where Panasonic batteries dominated. It is industry and manufacturing, as well as the professional segment, that have taken a liking to Panasonic specialty lithium batteries in the CR 123 size and in the smaller CR 2 range.
Panasonic CR123A batteries enjoy a very good reputation and excellent value for money. At first glance, it is not easy to find a direct replacement for another brand. Alternative batteries are either significantly more expensive or not better at all, which has been shown many times by our customers' internal tests.
CR123 - after all, these are old-style batteries, once used in digital cameras - isn't it a relic of the past?
Batteries of this type, once popular in the consumer market, called professional photo batteries, are now widely used in professional applications: alarm/monitoring/GPS sensors, meters, detectors, small, high-power flashlights, as well as a reliable power source for specialized IoT/Smart Home products. Also used in night vision, optical sights, and even some defibrillators and other medical devices. It is a very popular battery in DIY projects - the characteristic feature of this battery is its small size, and at the same time a lot of energy potential - all this with a very high durability - up to 10 years from the date of manufacture.
The new CR123A battery from everActive – is it worth your attention?
At our wholesale warehouse a reasonably priced CR123 battery from everActive has recently became available, which aspires to become a new, favorite battery for pros.
It's time for testing
We performed several benchmarks, comparing the new battery to the well-known and popular Panasonic benchmark - refrenece battery under different load conditions. Tests performed at room temperature at 30% humidity. Batteries as fresh as possible - curious about the results? - So here we go.
Test No. 1 - 50 mA current discharge
This is a test under medium load conditions. The termination voltage is 1.5V. During the test, an internal resistance test was performed at 30-minute intervals.
In such conditions, good quality CR123 batteries should achieve capacities close to nominal values – but note that the capacities declared by manufacturers for this battery assume discharge with twice as low current – of 20-30 mA (more precisely at a resistive load of 100 Ohm).
Nevertheless, the everActive battery did very well – the capacity from the test is 1557 mAh. This gives some certainty that in various sensors and less demanding devices, the battery will not last shorter than more expensive replacements.
Measured capacity
everActive battery: 1557 mAh
reference battery: 1524 mAh
internal resistance in the middle of the discharge process
everActive battery: 412 mΩ
reference battery: 348 mΩ
stored energy
everActive battery: 4.19 Wh
reference battery: 4.16 Wh.
Test No. 2 - 1000 mA current discharge
This is a test under high load conditions (e.g. load simulation in a flashlight). During the test, an internal resistance test was performed at 5-minute intervals. Termination voltage 1.0V.
Again, the result is "razor-thin" despite the difficult test conditions for the battery – comparable to a reference battery.
measured capacity
everActive battery: 1393 mAh
reference battery: 1406 mAh
internal resistance in the middle of the discharge process
everActive battery: 284 mΩ
reference battery: 296 mΩ
stored energy
everActive battery: 3.03 Wh
reference battery: 3.11 Wh.
Test No. 3 - 900 mA pulse current discharge
This time the pulse load is 900 mA (3s ON / 27s OFF). Termination voltage 1.55V.
Again, similar results, although in the case of everActive batteries, a greater increase in internal resistance can be observed during discharge.
Measured capacity
everActive battery: 1399 mAh
reference battery: 1441 mAh
internal resistance in the middle of the discharge process
everActive battery: 403 mΩ
reference battery: 343 mΩ
stored energy
everActive battery: 3.35 Wh
reference battery: 3.58 Wh
number of pulses up to 1.55V
everActive battery: 1832
reference battery: 1886.
Test No. 4 - 1200 mA pulse current discharge
This time the pulse load is 1200 mA (3s ON / 7s OFF). Termination voltage 1.3V.
No "surprise" – another comparable result of the everActive battery compared to the reference battery.
Measured capacity
everActive battery: 1394 mAh
reference battery: 1378 mAh
internal resistance in the middle of the discharge process
everActive battery: 313 mΩ
reference battery: 308 mΩ
stored energy
everActive battery: 3.22 Wh
reference battery: 3.28 Wh
number of pulses up to 1.3V
everActive battery: 1381
reference Battery: 1359
Test No. 5 - 1800 mA impulse current discharge
Demanding pulse load of 1800 mA (3s ON / 7s OFF). Termination voltage 1.0V.
Again, extremely close, despite the demanding test conditions.
Measured capacity
everActive battery: 1391 mAh
reference Battery: 1392 mAh
internal resistance in the middle of the discharge process
everActive battery: 266 mΩ
reference battery: 302 mΩ
stored energy
everActive battery: 3.05 Wh
reference battery: 3.04 Wh
number of pulses up to 1.0V
everActive battery: 911
reference Battery: 912
Summary
The everActive CR123 (CR 123 A) battery performed very well in direct comparison to the well-known and popular reference battery. In addition to very good performance , the new battery also turned out to be safe – we verified and confirmed the correct operation of the PTC protection, which can effectively protect the battery and the device in the event of a short circuit/overheating/overload, etc.
Focusing on the results of our tests, it cannot be said that this battery is better, but it is also difficult to clearly indicate that it is worse – the batteries are very comparable, so much so that looking at the selected residual results, it is hard not to get the impression that we are talking about identical batteries – the perfect replacement?
Author: Michał Seredziński
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New batteries available on shop.baltrade.eu
1 x everActive CR123 Lithium Photo Battery
- Height: 34.5 mm
- Diameter: 17 mm
- Weight: 17 g
- Voltage: 3V
- Capacity: 1500mAh
- 10-year shelf life
50 x everActive CR123 Lithium Photo Battery
- Height: 34.5 mm
- Diameter: 17 mm
- Weight: 17 g
- Voltage: 3V
- Capacity: 1500mAh
- 10-year shelf life
1 x everActive CR2 Lithium Photo Battery
- Height: 27 mm
- Diameter: 15.6 mm
- Weight: 11 g
- Voltage: 3V
- Capacity: 850mAh
- 10-year shelf life