Which battery should you get, the X2 Power or the Odessey Battery.
X2 Power battery is also known as the NorthStar battery since they are manufactured by NorthStar.
But for the sake of this article, I will refer to it as the X2 Power for simplicity.
Now, comparing the X2 Power vs the Odessey battery, are there any differences between the two since they are both thin plate, pure lead batteries?
In this article, we will discuss the pros and cons of both these batteries and make that decision for you.
X2 Power Battery
All standard size batteries are made in Missouri.
And besides being made in our home country, I keep hearing nothing but great things about this battery.
But I do see a common complaint that the X2 Power Battery just dies in less than two years.
First, you should definitely get it replaced under your warranty.
But you also need to make sure that you do not deliberately shorten the life of your AGM, absorbed glass mat, battery.
Your AGM batteries do not like sustained charging on a long drive, and high temperatures over 120°F.
And now that you know what not to do, you can make steps to either avoid or make solutions to solve these issues.
X2 Battery Pros
Solid CCA Rating – This battery will not leave you stranded in the middle of a road trip. 840 CCA is a solid rating, beating a ton of other manufacturers.
4 year warranty – Companies are becoming competitive and are starting to match the top competitor’s warranty coverage.
4 years is a great time to cover your battery.
Heat resistance with performance and durability – This is thanks to their new technology to create polymer plastic battery covers in order to provide the maximum protection with the lightest material.
Competitive pricing – On average, you will find a better deal on the X2 Power Batteries than the Odyssey batteries.
X2 Battery Cons
Not too much information disclosed – This would mean that you would only see all the good and positives. Or you would see the complainers.
However, you miss all the people who have an in-the-middle experience, a satisfactory experience.
This is actually a blessing in disguise since people are busy living their lives after purchasing their X2 Power Battery rather than complaining or praising their purchase.
Charge Issues – With some of the Group 31 battery models, the battery does not hold its charge. However, this should be covered under warranty.
People may “give up” on a brand since their first time with a no so well-known company gave them an inferior product.
However, since it is covered under warranty, you can give a replacement and be one your way out of the door.
So, you can purchase without fear.
Odyssey Battery
Similar to the X2 Power Battery, all of its standard size batteries are made in the USA, in Missouri.
You may find some weird size batteries that came from China though.
Your typical products are the Odyssey Racing Battery, Odyssey Start Battery and the Odyssey Heavy-Duty Battery, which are all niche specific to provide the best reliability and power in your setting.
There are more recent products such as the Odyssey Extreme Series, Odyssey Marine Series, and Odyssey Performance Series Batteries.
The three newer designs still offer great warranty and show that Odyssey is here to stay as they continue to innovate and produce high-quality products.
Odyssey Battery Pros
Warranty up to 4 years – They are under warranty for up to 4 years, which is 1 year more than typical battery manufacturers.
Ideally, you want more but if they cover close to half of the batteries life cycle, the battery should last more than 10 years.
Highest CCA Ratings – This battery has a 880 CCA rating, from the marine series. Just a monster of a battery built to last you for years to come. Though it is typically used for boats, because of the deep and slow discharge, low current and long, slow recharges.
Whereas in cars, you want shallow discharges, high currents and quick recharges.
Is it ideal to use a Marine series battery in a car? If I am honest, no.
There is some overlap but if you want to be efficient, you would get a different product line from Odyssey.
This battery has a 930 CCA rating, from the Extreme series and should be better suited for your automobile.
The main issue here is about fit and whether or not you can find a battery that fits in your engine.
Military-grade – This is a marketing phrase to mean long-lasting but it holds true in this case.
VIbration and shock impact resistance – This just supports what a military-grade built battery.
Temperature Tolerant – They are able to withstand from -40ºF to 140ºF without a metal jacket and -40ºF to 176ºF with a metal jacket.
Talk about a battery that is meant for all terrains and environments.
Odyssey Battery Cons
Pay a bit more upfront – These batteries are not the cheapest on the market or in-store (unless you have a coupon). But you pay for a premium product to get premium service.
No more having to worry about buying a battery that will only last you 5-6 years. Or worse, less.
Taxes – This could be state related or even manufacturer related… but expect to pay taxes.
Are they the same?
The short answer is yes.
Technically speaking, they have a similar build in that they are both thin plate, pure lead batteries.
This is also known as TPPL, one of two types of AGM batteries.
This newer battery designs delays sulfation inside the battery, allowing more an extended usage time.
They are certified to be environmentally friendly, non-hazardous and non-spillable by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the US-DOT.
The reason you should buy one over another is based on two reasons: longer warranty and price.
However, not all batteries are created equally even among competitors.
Perhaps you purchased a “worse” batch at one location whereas, in another region, their batteries allow their customers to continue using 5 more years of service.
Other AGM Battery, Lead-Calcium
The second type of AGM battery is the lead-calcium battery.
This is a single purpose battery. It has a pulse start but cannot be deep cycled.
If you do perform deep cycles, you will shorten its service life dramatically.
This is a part of the SLI, starting lighting and ignition, design.
You also have lead-calcium “deep cycle” batteries that support deep discharging.
However, because of the thick plates used in the design, you cannot do pulse starting like the SLI design.
For the most part, people still use the TPPL dual purpose battery unless you know specifically what you will do with the battery
Conclusion
Overall, you should expect nothing less than 10 years of service from these beautiful batteries.
Online, you can probably get a better deal with the X2 Power battery but if you factor in coupons, it will be a coin-flip.
You cannot go wrong with either the X2 Power or the Odyssey since they use the same TPPL technology.
In fact, EnerSys just acquired NorthStar in 2019 while Odyssey was already a part of the EnerSys Group since 2002.
In the future, you may see Odyssey batteries for vehicles and boats since R&D, research and development, pivots NorthStar into different product lines.
Time will tell but until then, let us enjoy these powerful and efficient batteries.
