I generally favor regular Eneloop. For most of my uses, its longer shelf life and longer cycle life trump the extra capacity offered by Eneloop Pro.
Here's the data.
| Eneloop AA | Eneloop Pro AA |
| 2100 charge cycles | 500 charge cycles |
| Capacity: 1900 mAh | Capacity: 2500 mAh |
| Shelf Life: up to 70% of charge remains after 10 years in storage | Shelf Life: up to 85% of charge remains after 1 year in storage |
(Source: https://www.panasonic-eneloop.eu/sites/default/files/eneloop_catalogue_2019-2020_EN.pdf)
Ikea Ladda used to be the same as Eneloop Pro, but recently Ikea has moved away from Eneloop Pro in some markets. I have not followed this too closely, so check your store. I learned about the change in this BLF post.
Fujitsu (the maker of Japanese-made Eneloop) holds patents on LSD (low self-discharge) technology that other battery makers cannot match. Those patents are the reason Fujitsu/Eneloop dominates the NiMH battery market.
Not everyone needs low self-discharge. I have heard of photographers, for instance, who recharge every night anyway. They need the charge to hold for 12 hours, not 12 months. For that use, non-LSD rechargeables—offering AA capacities of 2900 mAh or more—may be a better choice than Eneloop, especially if you need the extra capacity.
For everyone else, however, Eneloop and similar Fujitsu-sourced batteries are the way to go.