Streaming live video with Periscope, syncing hundreds of photos to iCloud and watching hours of YouTube clips all take a big hit on the larger iPhone 6 battery. Enter the following iPhone 6 battery backup cases from TYLT, Incipio, uNu and EnerPlex. Some of them even add a little extra to differentiate themselves from the rest of the pack.
TYLT Energi Sliding Power Case
Let’s start with the TYLT Energi Sliding Power Case, it provides up to 120% or 3,200 mAh of extra battery with a low profile design and a soft rubber touch. It comes in black and offers an inner protective case that can undock from the Power Sleeve.
I like this dual case approach as sometimes I did not want the extra bulk of a backup battery. It has four LEDs to show charge level and an sensor that turns off charging when the iPhone 6 reaches 100%. The only color offered is black. I have reviewed many TYLT products over the years and they all have been consistently of good quality. $99
Incipio iPhone 6 offGRID Express
Incipio’s iPhone 6 offGRID Express battery case was a big hit at CES earlier this year. Like the battery case from TYLT, it only comes in matte black with a soft rubber touch. Its 3,000 mAh of extra power is rated to give you more than double that comes with the iPhone 6.
Unlike the Energi case, it is applied to the smartphone with a bumper as one piece. Additionally, a 3.5mm headphone jack extender is supplied inside of the box. In my testing, I found that I was successfully able to insert and remove my headphone cord without the extender. If your headset jack has an angled head, then you will need to use the extender.
A button on the side activates charging and four LEDs on the front indicate the amount of power left. Incipio products are of a good quality. $79.99 – 4/5 Stars
uNu’s DX-6 iPhone 6 Battery Case
uNu’s DX-6 iPhone 6 battery case comes with 3,000 mAh in a matte black, glossy white and metallic red colors. The case is applied in two pieces via a sliding top section that locks it all into place and is made to not bust apart when dropped.
The DX offers uNu’s 4th generation battery technology with five years of research behind it. That means A+ lithium-polymer batteries, 500+ charge cycles and over and under charge protection.
Other iPhone 6 battery cases might be compatible with 2A input charging, this case specifies it can handle the extra amperage. That means faster charging when needed. Its microUSB port is also able to sync with Apple computers. $79.95 – 4/5 Stars
Lenmar’s Maven iPhone 6 Case With Battery
Lenmar’s Maven iPhone 6 Case With Battery is probably the lightest feeling out of all of the cases tested even with a rated 3,000 mAh of power. My favorite color out of the four offered is the cobalt blue, nice and bright. They also have red, white and black.
In keeping with the undead theme from Lenmar, their on and off switch is an LED lit X on the back that also shows its remaining charge level. The case comes in two parts to reduce the chance of it coming apart when dropped. Lenmar prides itself on quality and it shows with their Maven battery case. $99.99 – 4/5 Stars
Surfr iPhone 6 Battery Case
EnerPlex has engineered the Surfr iPhone 6 Battery Case to charge the smartphone as normal or in emergency situations via a solar panel integrated on its back. An integrated solar panel is unique and the first company to do so for an iPhone 6 battery case. 2,700 mAh of power provides the iPhone 6 with more than 100% extra battery life and feels lightweight while attached.
Colors available are all black, orange and black, and blue and black. The color wraps around the case on its side. The solar panel is recessed to prevent scratching and dings. Its two piece design helps the case from splitting when dropped.
Lights on its base show how much battery life is remaining and if the case itself is being charge by the solar panel. Charging a battery of this size with the integrated solar panel could take tens of hours, even under the right conditions, so it is best to use a wall charger instead. $99.99 – 3.5/5 Stars
Final Thoughts
TYLT’s Energi Slider case offers the most backup power at a rated 3,200 mAh. At $99, it costs about the same as the other premium cases mentioned above. The two features of this case that sold me were its price and design. The sliding protective case that detaches from the battery is handy for when I knew I would not be using the extra battery power. Having a chip decide when to stop charging the iPhone 6 is a big plus. It takes away any of the guesswork of when to turn off the battery.
Incipio’s iPhone 6 offGRID battery case is a good value for 3,000 mAh of backup power with a nice design. They offer several types of battery cases for the iPhone 6, so it might be worth it to check them out before making a decision.
Pros:
- 100% or more power available to recharge
- Case designs that mostly protect the iPhone 6 in a drop
- Multiple color options to fit your style
- Turns off automatically when the iPhone 6 reaches 100%
Cons:
- Solar panel is too small for quick charging
- A 3.5mm headphone cable is needed for most wired headphones
- Color choice could be better
Disclosure: I was provided the above iPhone 6 battery cases from the brands above at no cost for review. I was not compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions are mine. All photos are courtesy of the respective brand.
