Related
http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-Battery...818692?pt=PDA_Accessories&hash=item43aa59c504
Looking to pick one up for primarily charging/syncing but most likely will be just charging since USB charges slower than the wall but I'm not sure if this charger charges at 1A or not.
I just ordered one yesterday. I need it to charge the fat extended batteries in the back slot. I am hoping that that if it doesn't come with a 1.0ma charger, I will be able to use one that I already have and get a decent charge time.
ive bought many ebay docks for many phones from many chineese dealers. these days i only buy from nakedcellphone
Only see one pic in the link when viewing on my phone, maybe there's only 1 pic, not sure. Anyway, from what I can tell, it looks just like the one I have. Mine works great for charging my phone and my HTC and Anker batteries. Phone docks nicely naked, and actually also works with some silicone an tpu cases. Seidio Surface w/kickstand case works, and even my Otterbox Commuter which really surprised me!! The charging tip just barely goes in deep enough to initiate charging with the Commuter. That's the only issue when trying to dock with thicker cases: The phone/case fits in the dock, but the charging tip isn't long enough to initiate charging. I assume that if it was much longer though it would cause the phone to not sit flat because the charging tip wouldn't bottom out in the phone (hope I'm making since here where you can understand me, lol, trying to explain it where it makes since).
Anyway, bottom line is the dock works great and well worth the money. I bought a generic dock for my Evo 4G and it never gave me a single issue. To my knowledge its still working great for the guy who bought my Evo 4G an all accessories... I'm gonna buy a generic Ebay dock for whichever phone I purchase next too. I have yet to see the need to spend more money on a dock with a name printed on it. Most of those don't have a spot in the back to charge an extra battery either, which is an absolute must for me! I probably use the battery charger more than the dock itself. Go for it, you won't be disappointed!!
Swyped from my pimpin PG86100 using XDA Premium, boiiiii!!!
stanglifemike said:
Only see one pic in the link when viewing on my phone, maybe there's only 1 pic, not sure. Anyway, from what I can tell, it looks just like the one I have. Mine works great for charging my phone and my HTC and Anker batteries. Phone docks nicely naked, and actually also works with some silicone an tpu cases. Seidio Surface w/kickstand case works, and even my Otterbox Commuter which really surprised me!! The charging tip just barely goes in deep enough to initiate charging with the Commuter. That's the only issue when trying to dock with thicker cases: The phone/case fits in the dock, but the charging tip isn't long enough to initiate charging. I assume that if it was much longer though it would cause the phone to not sit flat because the charging tip wouldn't bottom out in the phone (hope I'm making since here where you can understand me, lol, trying to explain it where it makes since).
Anyway, bottom line is the dock works great and well worth the money. I bought a generic dock for my Evo 4G and it never gave me a single issue. To my knowledge its still working great for the guy who bought my Evo 4G an all accessories... I'm gonna buy a generic Ebay dock for whichever phone I purchase next too. I have yet to see the need to spend more money on a dock with a name printed on it. Most of those don't have a spot in the back to charge an extra battery either, which is an absolute must for me! I probably use the battery charger more than the dock itself. Go for it, you won't be disappointed!!
Swyped from my pimpin PG86100 using XDA Premium, boiiiii!!!
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the desktop/full site will show more pictures if you scroll down. can you confirm if it's the same item you have and at what mA it charges at?
Battery Showdown: OEM Vs Gold Vs Mugen Power 5400mAh
1. Introduction
This thread was originally intended to be a review of the Mugen Power 5400mAh Extended battery for the Galaxy Note. But when I got thinking about it, I knew that the question in everyones mind would be: how does it compare to other
batteries out there? Following on from this, this thread is now going to primarily a Mugen Power review, but also my results from testing them against the two most popular batteries for the note: the OEM Samsung battery and the 3250mAh Gold battery.
1.1 Review: Initial Impressions
Mugen power are a company that sell many types of batteries for a plethora of devices. Their best known, however, for their extended batteries. These extended batteries normally extend out the back of the device so an aftermarket battery
cover is also supplied. In the case of the Galaxy Note (both the N7000 and I717) the extended battery is advertised as being 5400mAh and is supplied with a replacement battery cover/back door with a kickstand for watching movies etc.
When the item arrived it was packaged in a padded brown envelope and within was plastic blister pack that holds the items. Within the blister packaging (that DOESN’T rip your hands apart getting into) is a sheet of paper with some
specs/instructions, the battery cover and the battery itself.
1.2 Review: Hands-On
When you pick up the battery it does not seem overly heavy, but not so light that you think there is nothing in there – this bodes well so far! When inspecting the battery there are no sharp edges, no manufacturing defects and no
problematic areas – it looks like a well made battery. My engineering mind wondered how the item was put together and a light press at the side of the battery gave an insight into how it was manufactured: the battery is actually made of
two “batteries” or cells soldered together to make one unit. Immediately I thought that may pose problems with things like capacity estimates considering the chip would be reading from both cells, but from using the battery it seems very
stable and this is not a problem. (Some users have reported that with aftermarket batteries, their screen flickers when the battery is in the 0-2% range – I didn’t get this with the Mugen battery)
The battery cover is quite an interesting item as in my minds eye I thought it would be thin like the stock Samsung one but with some reinforcement fins for structure. But when you pick up the battery cover the plastic is quite thick and
it feels rather solid in hand. It felt so rigid that I had doubts whether it would bend to clip into the notes back recess points – but it clips in very solidly. It should be mentioned that the top of the battery cover goes in first and
then the rest just pop in, unlike the stock battery cover. Also, the back is textured with little dots, much more prominent than on the stock battery cover, giving you extra grip.
On a side note, the thickness added to the back means that your camera lens cant get scratched.
One feature that I had no expectation of using was the kickstand. This allows the device to sit in landscape mode like a little picture frame. After using the kickstand a few times, I must conclude that it is really a fantastic addition
to the phone! The kickstand is very easy to erect, just push beyond the pivot point and it pops right out ready for you to prop your device up with – it really is very useful!
There are a few issues with the battery door that I would like to mention. Firstly, the kickstand is a great idea, but the material it is made from feels cheap. Also, I would want it to “snap” into place so that it is either hugging the
phone or properly extended – there have been many times where it is just waving there – perhaps a small magnet would hold it in place more securely?
Secondly, the speakerphone doesn’t sound good at all. I appreciate that Mugen cant really do anything to fix this but the speaker is still on the back of the phone and so the sound it puts out echoes inside the battery housing. It isn’t
that bad, but it is noticeable and something I thought I should mention.
1.3 Review: The Bulk
A lot of people are hesitant to try these extended batteries because they think that their lovely slim device will immediately become an ugly, obese device that looks like it came from the 1990’s. Well… that is only partly true. Yes, the
devices thickness does increase quite dramatically but, and this is a big “but”: the device gets much easier to hold! The rounded back and textured surface mean that the phone is transformed from a credit-card to something much more
comfortable to hold to your ear. With the stock battery I have always feared the phone slipping out of my hand, but not with this.
2.0 Testing
The testing portion of the review/showdown will be comparing the estimated mAh reading I got from an app: “Battery Monitor Widget Pro”. The way I did the testing was to reset the battery stats, and use the phone from 100% to 1% by
watching BBC’s Iplayer continuously. Then I would connect the device to the official Samsung charger that came with my device (1000mA output) and charge it up to 100% and then rerun the Iplayer test. Mugen recommend that their battery
should be cycled (100->0->100) a few times to make the battery perform to its rating. With all the batteries, I tested them for several days with continuous cycling so that the app can get accurate readings.
2.1 Results
These are the “estimated” battery statistics from “Battery Monitor Widget Pro”
This shows some interesting data. I am not saying that this app is giving you an absolute measurement of the capacity of the battery. The way I am using the “estimated” capacity is to use it in a comparison. I have assumed that the OEM
Samsung battery is 2500mAh. This may or may not be true but it is safer to assume that the Samsung batteries will be made to a tighter tolerance with higher quality control. With that, what I have done is adjusted the estimates with the
assumption that the OEM battery is 2500mAh and therefore the other batteries have a reduced inaccuracy.
One thing to note is that all the batteries has a similar Max/Min voltage range which is what may cause the screen flickering at low battery to occur. Thankfully the Mugen battery is within the range of the OEM battery which means this shouldn’t occur.
3.0 Conclusion
Throughout this review I have comparing the good with the bad about the Mugen Power 5400mAh battery and now is the time to make my final comparison:
Pros:
- Fantastic battery life!
- Nice rounded back over
- Good grip texture
- Camera indentation to avoid scratches
- Kickstand
- Solid construction
- Reputable warranty
- Easy s-pen removal
Cons:
- Doubles the thickness of the device
- Speakphone quality is compromised
- Plastickly feeling battery cover and kickstand
- Slightly lower capacity than rated (5076mAh vs 5400mAh)
Now the killer question is: after using this battery for a week, is it worth it?
In my honest opinion, I would buy the Mugen Power 5400mAh battery. Yes, it is worth it. I feel that the product is fantastic and would be well suited to someone who does a lot of travelling, a long commute on the train, a lot of phone
calls throughout the day. I would seriously recommend it to anyone who is going to go on holiday/vacation and is going to be using their device for the duration of the flight.
I have given it a lot of thought and I think that for the USD98.95 that they are asking, they could make the product more appealing by upgrading the battery to something that fills the whole housing and making the battery cover more
luxurious – a little brushed aluminium, a few magnets to gold the kickstand in place, etc.
I would rate this product as 4/5. I think it is perfect for anyone who is going to embark on a long journey and needs their device to last a lot longer than the stock battery. If Mugen were to implement some changes to make this better in terms of value for money – I would give it 5/5.
You can buy this item HERE
There is currently a Special Offer: "Free Shipping to most countries in the World! Order Now!"
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4.0 Mugen suggestion
This section of the review is my personal opinions on what an extended battery should be and has no impact on the current product. This is purely my pie-in-the-sky ideas and put in for completeness alone:
When I was fitting the battery and the battery cover, I was surprised at how much empty space there was within the battery cover that wasn’t filled by the battery. And we already know that the battery is comprised of two sections, one
that fits in the stock battery section and the extra bit that sticks out the back. So… is it not possible to make the secondary battery (the second cell that sits within the battery housing) larger to fit the battery cover better?
It might sound a bit confusing, but I got wondering whether it would be possible for Mugen to make the battery fill the extra space within the housing. We are sacrificing the looks and compactness of our device so why not make the
battery is large as can be?
Being the engineer that I am, I thought id mock something up on Autocad. I did a little measuring and it seemed as though the secondary battery could be elongated by 29mm, 20mm at the top and 9mm at the bottom.
Manufacturing would comprise of two different sized cells, which are then glued and packed together with trace wires soldering the cells together. It would mean that the battery fills up all the available space within the housing. Yes,
it would make it slightly heavier, but at USD98.95 consumers expect an all-singing-all-dancing product.
The results from the quick mockup resulted in a battery that Mugen Power could manufacture which they could rate at 6500mAh. This would fit in the current battery housing with no modification. I must admit that I know NOTHING about the
working of a battery and this is just an idea that I had that I thought I would present with the review.
5.0 Closing thoughts
When reviewing all of these batteries, it seemed to me that you can basically make a battery of any shape and so why not make a battery that was the whole back of the phone? You could even put a plastic/ rubber packing on it for better
grip/protection and make the product really incredible!
The stock battery shape would still go into the device as before with the same contacts, but then beyond that, what is stopping you? The only thing that you must account for is the camera, the s-pen and the speakerphone. So, I mocked
something up in Autocad as a pie-in-the-sky idea that I thought was cool. The thickness of the back part is the same as the stock OEM battery with the device.
Very detailed review and well put together review! Do you have screen shots of time use for the batteries? I'm interested in the gold, since it doesn't require a extended back.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using XDA
Now I want one
Sent from my MB860 using xda premium
Great write up! Will take your word for it if I ever decide to get an extended battery. One of the best battery reviews Ive read yet.
-Once you go NOTE, you'd say 4 inches a Joke
erick161 said:
Very detailed review and well put together review! Do you have screen shots of time use for the batteries? I'm interested in the gold, since it doesn't require a extended back.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using XDA
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Click to collapse
i dont but if i ever rerun the tests, bull be sure to get these too
s1mpd1ddy said:
Now I want one
Click to expand...
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http://www.mugen-power-batteries.co...g-galaxy-note-sgh-i717-with-battery-door.html
SKyRocKeting727 said:
Great write up! Will take your word for it if I ever decide to get an extended battery. One of the best battery reviews Ive read yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thank you, much appreciated
if i remember rightly mugen have free worldwide shipping at the moment
excellent review. i enjoy it very much.
i learn something again in the android communities, unlike the "other side".
by the way, do you have and good way to calibrated the battery or any good apps to do it.?
OutCastedSheep said:
excellent review. i enjoy it very much.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thank you - much appreciated
i dont know of any battery calibration apps - do you mean ones that will help you power cycle the device?
Are battery covers 100% interchangeable with the International note? The pictures posted here are of the Int. Version. I understand the product is advertised for both versions, but i want to make sure it's not a "it's not perfect....but it works" fit (in general terms...not specific to this product.)
Amazing work, amazing write-up. The best battery review i've seen yet.
Edit: P.S. The only thing thats keeping me from jumping through your screen and dancing is the lack of runtime data. Maybe MaH ratings are good for engineers. But runtime data is much easier to interpret. Because from the chart above, it seems that the battery is rated at 200% the capacity of the OEM battery, yet is only provides a certain percentage of that expected capacity. Is this what your chart is explaining? Sorry. It's late.
My first 7 days with Mugen 5400 mAH
Have had my Mugen 5400 mAH extended battery for one full week. Here is what I think and know, I do not have that ugly hump back battery cover, have full form hard plastic cover with NFC antenna and kickstand. Which by the way the kickstand proved it’s worth in first 24 hours of ownership.
It took 26 hours from 100% charge to 10% remaining with screen at 100%, either on wifi or 4G, with pretty much all the back ground stuff enable. I surfed, gamed, watched two complete movies and 3 episodes of Battlestar Galactica (wife was doing her scrap booking "fun" with her girlfriends and I had access to free wireless), checking e-mail, fiddle farting around trying to get it down to 10% faster. Charges to 100% fairly quickly, I plug it into 110 v around 2230'ish and has full charge when I wake up at 0600.
Was it a bit on the high side of cost??? Yes, but don't regret it at all, has been great not looking for an outlet every where I go, not rushing to connect to my charger (actually have not use my charger since I installed extended battery) and having to carry a plug and USB cord with me every time I leave the house.
Highly recommend.
Jamesyboy said:
Are battery covers 100% interchangeable with the International note? The pictures posted here are of the Int. Version. I understand the product is advertised for both versions, but i want to make sure it's not a "it's not perfect....but it works" fit (in general terms...not specific to this product.)
There are two versions of this battery, one for the N7000 and one for the I717 - i have updated the OP with the link for the I717 so you buy the correct one
Amazing work, amazing write-up. The best battery review i've seen yet.
Im glad to be of service
Edit: P.S. The only thing thats keeping me from jumping through your screen and dancing is the lack of runtime data. Maybe MaH ratings are good for engineers. But runtime data is much easier to interpret. Because from the chart above, it seems that the battery is rated at 200% the capacity of the OEM battery, yet is only provides a certain percentage of that expected capacity. Is this what your chart is explaining? Sorry. It's late.
The reason i didnt do runtime data was that there is no standard test - mah is a much more scientific way to work out capacities - i can tell you though that on screen-full-brightness-test it surpassed 6 hours
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vanemburghj said:
Have had my Mugen 5400 mAH extended battery for one full week. Here is what I think and know, I do not have that ugly hump back battery cover, have full form hard plastic cover with NFC antenna and kickstand. Which by the way the kickstand proved it’s worth in first 24 hours of ownership.
i agree, the kickstand is a fantastic addition
It took 26 hours from 100% charge to 10% remaining with screen at 100%, either on wifi or 4G, with pretty much all the back ground stuff enable. I surfed, gamed, watched two complete movies and 3 episodes of Battlestar Galactica (wife was doing her scrap booking "fun" with her girlfriends and I had access to free wireless), checking e-mail, fiddle farting around trying to get it down to 10% faster. Charges to 100% fairly quickly, I plug it into 110 v around 2230'ish and has full charge when I wake up at 0600.
Was it a bit on the high side of cost??? Yes, but don't regret it at all, has been great not looking for an outlet every where I go, not rushing to connect to my charger (actually have not use my charger since I installed extended battery) and having to carry a plug and USB cord with me every time I leave the house.
Highly recommend.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, a very worthwhile product
feel free to ask any questions about the product guys
My 5400 mAh Mugen battery arrived this afternoon. The order was placed on the evening of June 4, so it took a week for it to arrive in Toronto. Pretty good for free shipping from Hong Kong!
I'm just charging it up now, so nothing to report on so far. I will be on the road tomorrow, so I'll try running 4G+GPS+BT with Google Navigation while in the car (about 70 minutes travel time total), and Ethernet while on-site with a client. Screen brightness will be at 100% the whole time. If I can get through an entire day without the battery dying, I'll be very impressed.
I really like the much grippier, textured back. No need for me to take photos of how it looks, since panyan did such a great job. Kudos to Mugen for using packaging that is EASY to open! No knives or scissors or personal injury involved here. Just snap the two halves apart, and out pops the battery and cover!
^im glad your happy
ill be interested to see a screenshot of your battery usage after that epic trip
Great review, but at $100 dollars, the price seems too steep for just a battery... $50 probably would have been more reasonable
Izzue said:
Great review, but at $100 dollars, the price seems too steep for just a battery... $50 probably would have been more reasonable
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
at first this was my thought too, but when i thought more about it:
we have all paid a great deal of money for our devices and when theyre out of battery, they are as good as useless... this product keeps our device running much longer and therefore is worth more than "just a battery" - if you see what i mean
Izzue said:
Great review, but at $100 dollars, the price seems too steep for just a battery... $50 probably would have been more reasonable
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
$100 is on the expensive end of the spectrum, but it is reasonable considering the capacity, the convenience, the special back cover, the cost of the 2650 mAh battery, and the likely lower sales volume of the 5400 mAh part. If Mugen had been contracted by Samsung to produce a million units per month, they might sell it for $75 each... but then Samsung would retail it for $100 anyway.
You could buy two of the 2650 mAh batteries for $94. For an extra $5, you get just as much capacity, and a bonus kickstand cover with a better grip surface. Two batteries means I have to shut down the phone, pry off the cover, swap the battery, snap the cover back on, and reboot the phone. The convenience of simply having it all in one battery is worth it to me.
^ agreed
just so you know guys - im on its 20th cycle and it is still giving me the same screen on time
really good quality battery
Just ordered one, can't wait!!
MUGENRULEZ to get 7% off your order from Mugen Homepage
i3allistic said:
Just ordered one, can't wait!!
MUGENRULEZ to get 7% off your order from Mugen Homepage
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the 7% discount code! Ordered one
and thanks Panyan for the great review!
just saw this while searching for cases on ebay...etc
you get some bulk but nothing close to those extended battery with ugly looking bulge/hump
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370637056133
cheers !
Just had this good case sharp feel around the edges but its biggest problem is the charge rate is .5 amps. Our phone prefers 1 amp, as such the phone charges extremely slow and sometimes while using the phone you will actually lose battery. I ended up returning mine, thinking of getting a 5,000 amp battery because of this, tried not to but that's the best option.
Sent from my GT-P7510 using XDA Premium HD app
UnicornKaz said:
just saw this while searching for cases on ebay...etc
you get some bulk but nothing close to those extended battery with ugly looking bulge/hump
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370637056133
cheers !
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Click to collapse
i have the smaller 5200 mah extended battery and this case.
Honestly i like them both but i go back to the 3200mah case with stock battery because it charges my phone while i stream pandora all day. .5 charging amp isn't that big of a deal. it still charges the battery for me.
extended is nice too though, but they don't last as long as you would think. (at least mine didn't) unless you buy an expensive mugen one.
Just ordered this up, thanks for the posting! It's everthing I want - mega juice, option to remove without shutting phone down, good looking (no HUMP!), kickstand, and cheap! Could also double as a multi-use external battery pack for other phones, mp3 players, etc. Now to calm my anticipation for 3-4 weeks while I wait for shipping, LOL.
Check out all the goodies
Found more alternatives... many different styles and capacities ... YEAH !!!
http://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_nkw=...=PDA_Accessories&_fscr=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m19
UnicornKaz said:
Found more alternatives... many different styles and capacities ... YEAH !!!
http://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_nkw=...=PDA_Accessories&_fscr=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m19
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Click to collapse
Some of these look pretty nice, but some of them defeat the purpose of the s-pen, especially the ones that totally block it & include a crappy lil' stylus instead :/
Still waiting in the big boat to cross the ocean. Should be delivered any day between now and Nov 4th hahah.
Battery case showed today. Initial impressions: great feel in hand, very textured and slightly rubbery but slides in and out of pocket well. Fit is ok, one corner could have been molded a little tighter. Nice suade material where the phone rests against case protects phone and keeps from shifting around. The micro-usb fits VERY tight, a bit scary like if I pull hard enough to remove i might break the pigtail cable. Kickstand is cheap/lightweight but works. We'll see if this offers anything near over double the battery life I get. If not, I'm only out 17 bucks. I'll report back in a week or two after it's run in for awhile.
bulldog212 said:
Battery case showed today. Initial impressions: great feel in hand, very textured and slightly rubbery but slides in and out of pocket well. Fit is ok, one corner could have been molded a little tighter. Nice suade material where the phone rests against case protects phone and keeps from shifting around. The micro-usb fits VERY tight, a bit scary like if I pull hard enough to remove i might break the pigtail cable. Kickstand is cheap/lightweight but works. We'll see if this offers anything near over double the battery life I get. If not, I'm only out 17 bucks. I'll report back in a week or two after it's run in for awhile.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know what you mean about the plug but it'll be alright...I had that case but wasn't getting results I was hoping for.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda premium
Alright, so today the last of the power cases with screen covers I've been able to find came in, I figure I'd do a quick write up on each. Since the only camera I have is my phone, I'll just be using stock pictures.
First, Sony's Official Power Cover, the CP12: (www.amazon.com/Sony-CP12-3000mAh-Battery-Charging/dp/B00FX2MG3Y/)
Cost: ~$150.
Battery Size: 3000mAh
Pros:
High quality feeling case.
Uses with/supplies the magnetic charging port
Has a slot for/supplies a stylus.
Cons:
By far the most expensive. The other two options aren't even in the same price range.
Makes the Z Ultra bulkier than before; By others accounts it's about as big as a Nexus 7 now.
The stylus isn't tightly held and will slip out with little fuss.
Conclusion: While it's high price is very off putting (I picked it up during the winter sale when it's price was a bit more managable), as a case it's very high quality. Dispite slipping in and out with relative ease, I find it usually doesn't come out unless I want it to. I find for casual to medium use the battery supplies an adequate backup charge. In terms of in the hand feeling it outclasses the other two options without even putting up much of a fight. That being said, at it's high price point, it may not be entirely worth it.
Overall, if you want to use something officially made by Sony with a high build quality that can provide an adequate charge if need be, this is what to go for. Still, price for price, it may not be worth it.
"Brando Power Case" (http://www.amazon.com/Aftermarket-Product-4500mAH-Battery-Portable/dp/B00G9RCSHG/)
Cost: ~$30-$40
Battery Size: 4500mAh
Pros:
Thinnest case with the most minimum bulk added.
Feels decent in hand
Charges with the proprietary magnetic port, but takes a Standard Micro USB for input.
Cons:
Cover feels flimsy
Questionable build quality
Conclusion: OK, so first, I put the name in quotations because for the life of me it's hard to find what on earth this case is actually called; The one I bought came straight from a shop called Brando; Google it if you desire. However, the one I received flat out didn't work. My phone neither recognizes being plugged in nor does the case act like it's charging something. Which is unfortunate, because I actually like the overall feel of this case. If it were to work (And if I weren't just one of several cases where this case is reported as faulty, I'd write off my experience as a one off), I'd say it outclasses the Sony case without question. The lack of stylus support isn't, in my opinion, worth mentioning; If you need a stylus, just carry a pencil with you.
Overall, if you're willing to risk getting a dud product, go ahead and go for this one. If it works, you'll get a nice feeling case with a much better charge than the CP12
"KingsMansion Battery Case" (http://www.amazon.com/5000mAh-Portable-External-Rechargeable-Battery/dp/B00FWP8FKU/)
Cost: ~$30
Battery Size: 5000mAh
Pros:
Biggest battery of the lot
It's textured back grants protection against slipping.
Has the best grip on the device of any case here.
Cons:
Textured Back feels weirder in the hand.
Even when plugged in, it will only charge the phone when the switch is on.
Conclusion: I haven't had much time to deal with this thing yet, since it just came in today, however, I like what I have for the most part. While it's the hardest of the lot to put the Z Ultra into, it also has the best grip on it. It will NOT come out without you meaning to take it out, but it's also fairly easy to remove when you do. It provides the best charge to the Z Ultra, clocking in at 5/3 as strong as the CP12, and being as thin width wise as the Brando one. However, the textured back feels different in the hand compared to the smoothness provided by both of the other ones. I don't get the same feeling of questionable build quality from it as I do from the Brando case, however. Oh, and like the Brando case, I have no clue what to actually name this case; I got the name "King's Mansion" from the seller on the Amazon page, but the actual box doesn't have any company name on it as far as I can see. As a side note, it's a thick case... I'd say just eyeballing it that the back of the case is as thick as the Z ultra itself. I personally think this is fine since I think the Z ultra's a tad too thin anyway, but it's up to you.
Overall: Cheapest, best grip, thinner than the CP12, and has the biggest battery. While it feels a little worse than the other two, it'd definitely worth the price. I'd pick it up on Ebay over Amazon (I did), just because the amazon one has aweful delivery times to the US, but choose as you wish.
I have the 4500mAh too and it is a hit or miss to get it to charge indeed. :/
... Oh wow, it's only been 3 days.
The "King's Mansion" case that I recieved earlier broke today- The USB charging port now only can connect a charge straight to the phone, and it's internal battery readers simply don't respond. That's when the USB charging port does work- it got insanely loose yesterday and just won't do anything anymore.
So, final conclusion: You're going to have to spend some decent money (Either Mugen's case or the CP12) if you want something guaranteed to work.
https://a.co/d/1PR4DIo
Just wanted to provide a quick review for this case ... This thing is a lifesaver if you're in a bind and don't have access to your standard charging options! It is a bit bulky, obviously, but the trade off is worth it! 10,000 mAh gets two full charges so with this case your phone can easily last a few days ... great while camping!
There's no obstruction of the camera (any lense) so snapping pics isn't a problem. Also, you can charge the case and phone while the case is installed with superfast charging! I found Samsung DEX also works through the case too!
Would highly recommend this case! I also love having it around for when we lose power due to storms (which unfortunately has been quite frequent in my area) ... The piece of mind knowing that my phone won't die and I'll be able to stay informed of the situation and make emergency calls if needed is indispensable!
While I too think big numbers are better. This looks way too massive to actually be useful, their own description says it's as thick as 3 s23 ultras, that wouldn't fit in my pocket. Personally I'd just stick with the tiny 5000mAh Anker charger that is magsafe compatible for those that have a magsafe case and it has a nice USB c to c cable for charging the phone and itself. It's smaller than the phone and fits in my pocket with the phone.
This looks like a great concept for extreme users not everyday uses.
I have a 20000mAh portable battery pack that is less thick than this case would make my S23 Ultra so I'll probably just bring the battery pack when my husband forces me to go camping this summer lol
I also have this case, thanks to ZL for sending me a test unit. I really like the case even though it's something I'll use very sparingly. But for camping trips, this one will be a must. Low signal usually means awful battery and I'll for sure be slapping this case on to keep the phone going the entire weekend. I know battery packs are good too and I have one, this case really excels when you need to move around and still use your phone, and don't have to deal with extra cords.
I will say that ZL customer service is awesome too. I had a minor issue with my first test unit and they were willing to get another one sent out right away!
My suggestion is to get a magsafe case and a magsafe powerbank (I have ESR 10000mah) they go hand in hand and is much less uglier!