Expert rating
Benefits
- High capacity options
- Fast, wired charging
- Attached to the phone
- Rugged protection for iPhone
- Affordable
The inconvenients
- Adds bulk to a slim iPhone
- No wireless charging on the 5000mAh model
- Only available in black
Our Verdict
While it adds bulk to your slim iPhone, when you need an extra battery on hand when you’re away from a power source and don’t want to have to also carry a power bank portable power supply, a protective battery case is a neat and highly functional solution. .
Price when reviewed
$27.99
iPhone owners often complain about battery life, even with the latest 15 series models. The unavoidable fact is that the more we use our phones, run apps and take/edit/share photos and videos, the less time we have between loads.
If you’re near a power source and have your charger and cable handy, this isn’t really a problem. We’ve even rounded up the best iPhone chargers and the best iPhone charging cables (or the best Lightning cables for older iPhones) and these should be your go-to when you need a quick charge.
Since the launch of the iPhone 12, you can also charge wirelessly easily thanks to Apple’s efficient MagSafe technology. Once again, we’ve reviewed the best MagSafe wireless chargers so you can choose the one that’s best for you.
When you’re on the move far from a charger, Apple helps you less because it no longer makes an iPhone battery case or even a MagSafe battery. There are still plenty of quality third-party options for batteries that magnetically attach to the back of your iPhone, and yes, we’ve rounded up the best MagSafe power banks for you.
But since the iPhone 11, there are no more Apple-branded iPhone battery cases, and major third parties such as Mophie have also stopped producing them for the latest versions of the iPhone.
You can always find plenty of Chinese iPhone battery cases, but our trusted brand is Newdery, which has been making reliable iPhone battery cases for years.
It offers four battery cases for iPhone 15:
Versions with Qi wireless charging allow you to charge the case’s battery rather than the iPhone itself, which in all versions charges inside the case. A USB-C connector on the bottom of the case fits into the built-in iPhone.
Battery box design
Like the old Apple Smart Battery Case, the battery section of Newdery battery cases has a visible bump on the back of the case compared to regular cases which typically try to stay as thin as possible.
The 5,000 mAh battery case is certainly deeper (0.79 inches / 2 cm) than most cases, but adds about the same volume as Apple’s previous smart battery case. It weighs 4.66 oz (132 g).
The 10,000 mAh battery case (1.09 inches / 2.77 cm deep) is a bit of a tank with a protrusion and weight that would dismay Apple’s designers. However, that bulk is necessary to accommodate that much extra battery capacity, and the case will still fit into most side pants pockets, provided they’re not too tight. It weighs 7.16 oz (203 g).
The thinner top half of each case is softer and more flexible, allowing for easy insertion of your iPhone into the case. You should be careful not to use too much force when attaching or removing the case so that the USB-C connector does not get bent. We found this to be quite simple compared to some more rigid battery cases.
Any decent phone case should offer sturdy protection. The Newdery battery case is durable and should provide protection against daily scratches and scrapes as well as resistance to shock from drops.
The screen lip is enough to save the screen from a short fall. The camera ring doesn’t have a protective ring and the material around it isn’t rigid, but the protruding battery bump should take the brunt of any fall. So we consider Newdery iPhone 15 Battery Case as an effective protective case.
The case can be charged using a USB-C charging cable. The 10,000 mAh battery cases can also be charged wirelessly. The 5,000 mAh case cannot be charged wirelessly; you can charge with the phone in the case as long as you use a cable, or remove the phone and charge it wirelessly separately.
Four LEDs on the back of the case indicate the remaining battery capacity.
Foundry
Battery box performance
While protection is a key requirement in all cases, a battery case lives or dies by its charging performance.
We tested the Newdery Battery Case with an iPhone 15 Pro. Our method is to let the phone battery drop to 10%, then recharge it in the case; when the phone is back to 100%, we wait until the phone drops back to 10%, then use what’s left of the juice from the battery case to start the recharging process again until the battery case can no longer offer without being recharged itself.
The Newdery 5,000mAh battery case gave us 95%, so effectively a full cycle of recharging the iPhone, which is probably enough to get you to a power outlet and relieve the battery.
The Newdery 10,000 mAh battery case gave us 168%, not twice as much as the 5,000 mAh case, but decent battery backup for longer periods away from your phone’s normal charging points.
Alternatives to an iPhone battery case
We haven’t tested any iPhone 15 battery cases that match the reliability of Newdery models. If you want a battery case, here is our recommendation.
However, you can choose a thinner non-battery case and add a MagSafe battery that you attach to the back of your iPhone only when you need that charging power. We tested the best iPhone 15 cases: choose one MagSafe compatible to pair with a magnetic battery.
The advantage of a MagSafe battery over a battery case is that your iPhone remains slim and protected in a standard case, and you get a much wider choice of case models by not choosing a battery case. When you need a recharge, simply attach the portable power bank to the phone and start charging.
The benefit of using a battery case is that it’s always with you, so you don’t need to remember to keep a separate power bank charged and on hand when you need it.
Price
The Newdery 5000mAh Battery Case for iPhone 15/15 Pro and iPhone 15 Plus/Pro Max costs $29.99, CA$39.99, or £26.99.
The Newdery 10,000mAh Battery Case costs $49.99, CA$59.99, or £52.99.
The old Apple Smart Battery Case cost $129/£129 with a battery capacity of just 1,430mAh, so the Newdery cases offer a lot more for a lot less.
Even the cheapest non-battery iPhone case will cost you about the same as the Newdery 5,000mAh battery case, so the price is definitely a bargain.
A reliable MagSafe portable power bank also starts at around the same price.
Verdict
With the Newdery iPhone 15 Battery Case, you get protection and portable backup power at about the same price as a standard case or battery.
Yes, it adds bulk to your slim iPhone. But when you need an extra battery on hand when you’re away from a power source and don’t want to have to also carry a portable external battery, a protective battery case is a neat solution and highly functional.
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