Understanding the CR Naming Convention

When we discuss CR2032, CR2025, and CR2016 with our OEM customers, we find that understanding the naming convention helps product designers make faster, more confident selection decisions. The letters and numbers in each designation follow the IEC 60086 standard, which is maintained by the International Electrotechnical Commission and referenced globally in battery procurement specifications.

The “C” in each name tells us the cell uses lithium manganese dioxide (LiMnO2) chemistry, which is our standard chemistry for all CR-series coin cells we produce. The “R” indicates a round or cylindrical shape. The remaining two digits encode the physical dimensions: the first two digits represent the diameter in millimeters, and the last two digits represent the thickness in tenths of a millimeter.

So when we look at the CR2032, we can immediately read that it is a lithium round cell with a 20 mm diameter and a 3.2 mm thickness. The CR2025 shares the same 20 mm diameter but is thinner at 2.5 mm. The CR2016 is the thinnest variant at just 1.6 mm. All three deliver a nominal voltage of 3.0V, which is a defining characteristic of lithium manganese dioxide chemistry.

Because the naming convention encodes dimensions directly, we encourage our customers to use it as a quick reference during design reviews. If your product team sees a CR-series designation on a bill of materials, you can instantly determine the cell size without consulting a separate datasheet. This convention also makes it easier to evaluate substitution options when supply chain constraints require you to consider alternative cell sizes. For a deeper look at our full range of lithium button cell products, you can visit our product catalog.

Full Comparison Table: CR2032 vs CR2025 vs CR2016

We have compiled the following comparison table based on our manufacturing data and the specifications outlined in the Battery University resources. This table covers every parameter that our OEM customers typically evaluate during the design and procurement process. We recommend saving this table for reference during your next design review meeting.

As the table clearly shows, the capacity difference between the CR2032 and CR2016 is nearly threefold. This is one of the most important data points we share with our OEM customers during the cell selection process. Because thickness is the only variable that changes, the capacity difference is almost entirely attributable to the volume of active electrode material packed inside each cell. If your product design can tolerate the extra 1.6 mm of thickness, choosing the CR2032 lithium battery will give your end users significantly longer service intervals.

Capacity and Discharge Characteristics

Capacity is the single most critical specification that our OEM customers evaluate, and we understand why. A coin cell that runs out too quickly leads to product returns, negative reviews, and increased warranty costs. That is why we provide detailed discharge curves for every cell we manufacture, and why we encourage designers to test real cells under their actual load conditions rather than relying solely on datasheet numbers.

The CR2032 delivers a nominal capacity of 225 mAh when discharged at a standard rate of 0.2 mA to a 2.0V cutoff. In practice, many OEM products draw pulsed currents well above this standard rate, especially devices with wireless transmitters such as car key fobs and IoT sensors. We have measured that at a 1 mA continuous draw, the CR2032 still delivers approximately 200 mAh, which represents excellent utilization of the cell energy. At higher pulsed loads of 5 mA to 15 mA, the effective capacity may drop to 160 to 180 mAh, depending on the pulse profile and duty cycle.

The CR2025 provides approximately 165 mAh under standard discharge conditions. Because it contains less active material, its internal resistance is slightly higher than the CR2032, which means it experiences a larger voltage drop under high-pulse loads. For products that draw frequent short pulses, such as fitness trackers or slim remote controls, we recommend verifying that the voltage stays above the minimum operating threshold of your electronics during peak current draws. We provide pulse discharge data upon request.

The CR2016 offers around 80 mAh, making it the lowest-capacity option in this family. Its standard discharge current is 0.1 mA, which is half that of the other two cells. This reflects the lower total energy available and the need to protect the cell from excessive current draws. We typically recommend the CR2016 for ultra-low-power applications such as analog watches, small calculators, and medical patches where the current consumption is consistently below 0.1 mA. For a side-by-side real-world test of the CR2032 and CR2025 under load, you can read our discharge test comparison blog post.

We also want to address the common question about voltage behavior during discharge. All three cells start at approximately 3.0V to 3.3V when fresh, and the voltage remains relatively flat in the 2.8V to 3.0V range for most of the discharge cycle. This flat discharge plateau is one of the key advantages of lithium manganese dioxide chemistry and is why so many OEM designers prefer CR-series cells over alkaline battery alternatives for critical applications. The voltage only begins to drop steeply when the cell is nearly depleted, giving a predictable end-of-life signal that your product firmware can monitor.

Thickness and Form Factor Considerations

In our experience working with hundreds of OEM product teams, thickness is the factor that most often drives the final cell selection. Industrial designers want their products to be as thin and sleek as possible, while hardware engineers need to ensure reliable battery contact and adequate runtime. These two goals are sometimes in tension, and that is where our technical support team can add real value to your design process.

Let us quantify the tradeoffs clearly. The CR2032 at 3.2 mm provides the best capacity-to-footprint ratio because all of its cross-sectional area is filled with active material to a depth of 3.2 mm. If your product has a battery compartment that is at least 4 mm deep (to allow for the holder, contacts, and tolerances), the CR2032 is almost always the right choice. The extra 0.7 mm over the CR2025 yields 60 mAh more capacity, which can translate to months of additional runtime in a typical consumer device.

The CR2025 at 2.5 mm is our recommendation for products where the total device thickness must stay under 10 mm. Many slim remote controls, fitness bands, and handheld medical instruments fall into this category. We find that the CR2025 offers the best compromise between form factor and capacity for a wide range of applications. When customers ask us whether the 2.5 mm thickness is enough for their product, we help them calculate expected runtime based on their average current consumption and desired service life.

The CR2016 at 1.6 mm occupies a niche position. Because it is only slightly thicker than a standard credit card, it enables extremely thin product profiles that would be impossible with the other two cells. However, we remind our customers that the CR2016 capacity of 80 mAh is roughly 35 percent of the CR2032 capacity. This means the CR2016 is only suitable for products with very low average current draws, typically below 50 microamps. We have seen successful CR2016 implementations in disposable medical patches, ultra-thin greeting cards with LED effects, and compact digital thermometers.

We also want to mention the importance of battery holder selection. A spring-loaded holder designed for the CR2032 may not retain a CR2025 or CR2016 securely, especially under vibration. We recommend specifying holders from reputable manufacturers and testing them with the exact cell model you intend to ship. Our engineering team can provide cell samples with precise dimensional tolerances so you can verify fit and contact reliability during your prototyping phase. You can learn more about our full product range on our Products page.

Shelf Life and Storage Recommendations

Shelf life is a specification that matters enormously to our OEM customers, especially those who distribute products globally through multi-tier supply chains. A coin cell that sits in a warehouse for two years before reaching an end user must still deliver full performance when it is finally activated. We design and manufacture all of our CR-series cells to meet this expectation.

All three cell types, CR2032, CR2025, and CR2016, have a rated shelf life of 8 to 10 years when stored under recommended conditions. The self-discharge rate is less than 1 percent per year at 20 to 25 degrees Celsius, which means a cell stored for 5 years will still retain over 95 percent of its original capacity. This excellent storage performance is a direct result of the lithium manganese dioxide chemistry, which is inherently more stable than many other primary battery chemistries.

However, we must emphasize that storage conditions have a significant impact on actual shelf life. The key factors we advise our customers to control include:

• Temperature: Store cells at 20 to 25 degrees Celsius. Every 10-degree increase in temperature approximately doubles the self-discharge rate.
• Humidity: Keep cells in a dry environment below 60 percent relative humidity to prevent corrosion of the steel casing.
• Packaging: Retain cells in their original sealed packaging until use. Our blister packs are designed to protect against moisture and short circuits.
• Orientation: Store cells away from strong magnetic fields and conductive materials that could create accidental short circuits.

For OEM products that are manufactured in Asia and shipped to markets in Europe or North America, we provide container-level humidity monitoring data and recommend desiccant packs inside shipping cartons. We also apply date codes and lot numbers to every cell we produce, so you can implement first-in-first-out inventory management. According to guidance from NIST, proper storage conditions can extend the useful life of primary lithium cells beyond their rated shelf life in many cases.

Typical OEM Applications for Each Cell

Over the years, we have supplied CR-series cells to OEM customers in dozens of industries, and we have accumulated extensive knowledge about which cell works best in which application. While there is no universal rule, we can share the patterns we observe most frequently to help guide your initial cell selection.

The CR2032 is our most popular cell by volume, and its applications reflect its versatility. The most common uses we see include:

• Car key fobs: The CR2032 is the de facto standard for automotive key fobs because it provides 2 to 3 years of reliable operation even with frequent RF transmissions.
• Computer motherboards: The CR2032 powers the CMOS real-time clock and BIOS memory on virtually every desktop and server motherboard manufactured worldwide.
• Medical devices: Glucose meters, digital thermometers, and pulse oximeters frequently use the CR2032 for its long runtime and stable voltage output.
• IoT sensors: Low-power wireless sensors for smart home and industrial monitoring applications often specify the CR2032 for multi-year battery life.
• Security devices: Door/window sensors, motion detectors, and wireless alarm components rely on the CR2032 for maintenance-free operation.

The CR2025 is the preferred choice when product thickness is constrained but reasonable capacity is still required. We supply CR2025 cells primarily for:

• Slim remote controls: TV, audio, and smart home remotes that must fit in a thin design envelope.
• Fitness trackers and wearable devices: Products where the total thickness budget is tight and a rechargeable cell is not desired.
• Calculators: Both scientific and basic calculators commonly use the CR2025 for its combination of thinness and long life.
• Bathroom scales: Digital weighing scales that need a thin battery compartment to maintain a low product profile.

The CR2016 serves niche applications where ultra-thin form factors are non-negotiable. Our typical CR2016 customers include:

• Analog and digital watches: The CR2016 is thin enough for even the slimmest watch cases and provides years of operation at microamp-level current draws.
• Small LED lights: Promotional items, safety lights, and decorative products that need a thin, lightweight power source.
• Medical patches: Disposable medical monitoring patches that must be extremely thin and lightweight for patient comfort.
• Credit card devices: Thin calculator cards, LED display cards, and novelty items that require a flat cell profile.

We also offer a wide range of Alkaline button cell AG series products for applications where cost sensitivity outweighs the need for lithium performance. If your product operates in a controlled indoor environment and does not require the wide temperature range of lithium cells, our alkaline coin cells can provide a more economical solution.

Cost Implications and Procurement Strategy

Cost is always a factor in OEM product design, and we want to give you an honest, transparent view of how pricing works for CR-series coin cells. While the unit price differences between CR2032, CR2025, and CR2016 are relatively modest, the total cost implications can be significant when multiplied across large production volumes.

In general, the CR2016 is the lowest-cost cell per unit because it uses the least raw material. The CR2025 is slightly more expensive, and the CR2032 costs the most among the three. However, we always encourage our customers to evaluate cost on a per-mAh basis rather than a per-unit basis. When you calculate the cost per milliamp-hour, the CR2032 often provides the best value because its higher capacity means you are paying less for each unit of energy delivered to your product.

For volume procurement, we offer tiered pricing structures that reflect the economies of scale in our manufacturing processes. Our typical price tiers break down as follows:

• Sample quantities (100-1,000 units): For prototyping and design validation, we provide samples at nominal cost.
• Small production runs (1,000-10,000 units): Standard pricing with typical lead times of 2 to 3 weeks.
• Medium volume (10,000-100,000 units): Volume discounts of 10 to 15 percent with scheduled delivery options.
• High volume (100,000+ units): Custom pricing, dedicated production scheduling, and priority allocation during supply shortages.

We also want to address a common procurement concern: supply chain reliability. The global battery market can experience periodic shortages, especially during peak manufacturing seasons. We mitigate this risk by maintaining safety stock for our most popular CR-series cells and by offering long-term supply agreements that lock in pricing and delivery commitments. According to US DOE reports on critical battery materials, maintaining a diversified supply base is essential for OEM manufacturers who depend on reliable cell delivery.

For customers who need assistance with import documentation, we provide complete export paperwork including commercial invoices, packing lists, certificates of origin, MSDS sheets, and UN 38.3 transportation test reports. We can also arrange UL testing through our accredited laboratory partners if your market requires UL-recognized components. Our goal is to make the procurement process as smooth as possible so you can focus on your core product development.

How to Choose the Right Cell for Your Product

After years of supporting OEM customers through the cell selection process, we have developed a straightforward decision framework that we would like to share with you. This framework considers the four most important factors: available space, required runtime, operating environment, and budget. We use this same framework internally when advising customers on their product designs.

Step 1: Determine your thickness constraint. Measure the maximum allowable battery compartment depth in your product. Subtract the thickness of the battery holder walls, contacts, and manufacturing tolerances (typically 0.8 to 1.0 mm total). If the remaining space is 3.2 mm or more, all three cells are viable options. If it is between 2.5 mm and 3.2 mm, you can choose between the CR2025 and CR2016. If it is less than 2.5 mm, the CR2016 is your only option among these three cells.

Step 2: Calculate your required capacity. Multiply your product’s average current consumption (in milliamps) by the desired service life (in hours). This gives you the minimum capacity in mAh. For example, if your product draws 0.1 mA on average and you want 10,000 hours of operation, you need at least 1,000 mAh. Since no single CR-series cell provides that much capacity, you would need to either reduce your current consumption, accept a shorter service life, or consider a larger cell format. For most consumer products, a single CR2032 provides 1 to 3 years of typical operation.

Step 3: Evaluate your operating environment. If your product will operate outdoors or in vehicles, it must handle temperature extremes. All three CR-series cells are rated for minus 20 to plus 60 degrees Celsius, but actual performance at temperature extremes varies. We recommend adding a 30 to 40 percent capacity margin for products that operate regularly below 0 degrees Celsius. For products exposed to sustained high temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, factor in accelerated self-discharge when calculating shelf life.

Step 4: Consider the total cost of ownership. The cell unit price is only one component of the total cost. Consider also the cost of the battery holder, the labor for battery installation, the warranty implications of premature battery failure, and the brand reputation impact of a product that runs out of power too quickly. In many cases, specifying a CR2032 instead of a CR2016 adds only a few cents to the bill of materials but dramatically improves customer satisfaction and reduces warranty claims.

We also want to highlight that our engineering team offers free design consultations for OEM customers. We can review your product specifications, recommend the optimal cell, provide samples for testing, and even suggest holder and contact designs that maximize reliability. This consultative approach is one of the ways we differentiate ourselves from commodity cell suppliers. We view ourselves as your technical partner, not just your battery vendor. You can reach our engineering team through our Contact Us page.

For designers who are considering whether to specify a CR-series lithium cell or explore alternatives, we recommend reviewing the detailed technical resources available at Battery University, which provides comprehensive comparisons of primary battery chemistries. You can also consult the relevant sections of Wikipedia’s CR2032 article for a general overview of coin cell standards and conventions.

Finally, if your product must meet specific regulatory requirements, such as those enforced by OSHA for workplace safety equipment or SAE International for automotive applications, we can provide cells that are tested and certified to the relevant standards. We maintain relationships with accredited testing laboratories worldwide and can coordinate compliance testing on your behalf. Our About Us page provides more information about our certifications and quality management system.

Frequently Asked Questions