Having already given the NuCharge iPhone 5 battery case from London-based iKit the once-over, we’ve yet another exciting product with a similar aim – to offer your Apple-designed smartphone an extension on the quoted battery life. As previously explored in that NuCharge review, we smartphone users can never have too much battery, and although the 1,440 mAh offered by Apple is adequate for many, having a backup to call upon is always mindful practice. Thus, here we are again, mulling over another battery pack by popular manufacturer PowerSkin.
Named, what else, but the “Battery Case for iPhone 5”, it, perhaps naturally, bears many striking similarities to the aforementioned NuCharge. It contains a microUSB port for charging right out of the box, a light indicator remnant of the MacBook Pro’s, and tries to hit that magical cross-section between good looks and practical design.
In my opinion, it manages both with relative aplomb. The material is comprised of a hardened silicone compound, and it feels much stronger and more high-end than your typical plasticky offering. Just like the device it’s built to envelop, it feels really nice to the touch, and similarly, has the air of a premium product.
“Installation,” as the process of slipping your iPhone into the PowerSkin case is so lovingly referred to in the supplementary literature, requires very little prior knowledge; you slot your iPhone 5 in, and you’re ready to rock ‘n’ roll.
Having reviewed many a case here at Redmond Pie, I have found some greatly difficult to even connect / attach to the device itself. Small oversights in the case-making game can be the difference between customer satisfaction and disappointment on a grand scale. On this occasion, not only does the PowerSkin case fit like a glove, but also its smoothly rounded edges make it look as though great care has been taken to ensure the device is well guarded.
As well as being a very protective shield, the PowerSkin has a duty to power-up, and power-up it most certainly does. There’s 1,500 mAh of additional battery thrown into the mix, and having given it a good couple of days’ real-world use, I have been very pleased with its performance. Since the PowerSkin is just over the capacity of the iPhone’s battery in terms of mAh, it, in essence, offers you a total of 200% battery life, and even if you’re an 18 hour-a-day worker with a partiality to a bit of Mass Effect, you should be able to get through the day without that dreaded “empty battery” signal.
There’s a small button on the back that not only gives you an indication of how much battery is left in your juice pack (a short press brings about that MacBook Pro-esque light indicator), but a long press also allows you to toggle between charging and not-charging. So if, for example, you’re at 100% battery, you can it run down to 20% before long pressing the button to bring it all the way back to 100. This also means that, if you want to save the PowerSkin for emergency situations only, it won’t be drained passively.
The PowerSkin Battery Case for iPhone 5 oozes power and protection, but manages to do so without unnecessarily bulking up the svelte smartphone. Many battery packs of times passed have forgone style and class in order to focus on improved battery, but with the PowerSkin you can enjoy the best of both worlds. It looks good, feels great, and will allow you to enjoy your iPhone 5, be as productive as you so please, and not run out of steam when you’re on that important level or sending a critical email.
The PowerSkin for iPhone 5 has just been released, and costs $79.99 from the PowerSkin website. In my opinion, and having used it solidly for three days, I am supremely impressed with the product. The company appears to have done its homework on every last detail, and every inch of the design has been carefully considered to ensure a well balanced, aesthetically pleasing accessory for the iPhone 5.
If you feel as though your iPhone 5 cannot go the distance and needs the rejuvenation of a battery pack, I cannot recommend the PowerSkin enough. It does have a bit of a tendency to collect up dust, but aside from that, it does everything you could want.
And hey, if vanity has been your main issue hitherto, you can rest assured the PowerSkin Battery Case for iPhone 5 does, in no way, sacrifice the inherent beauty of the iPhone’s design. If you’re interested in purchasing this case for your iPhone 5, please check out the URL below:
power-skin.com/battery-cases/apple/iphone5.php
RP Rating: 9/10
PowerSkin kind enough to provide Redmond Pie with a sample model for the purpose of this review.
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