4 battery cases to help your iPhone 6S last longer

4 battery cases to help your iPhone 6S lasts longer - page 2

3.) Apple Smart Battery Case - A case of weak battery performance

It is the first battery case launched by Apple. Designed specifically for iPhone 6 and 6S, the Apple Smart Battery Case comes in white or charcoal grey (version tested).

At first glance, it looks like Apple's Silicone Case. But look closer and you will notice the much-maligned hump on the rear that houses the battery.

Inside the case and at the bottom is a Lightning connector that charges the iPhone. On the outside bottom is a Lightning port and headphone jack access.

The Smart Battery Case comes in one piece, unlike other battery cases that require you to fix two or three pieces together. Just fold the top of the case backwards and slowly push your iPhone down into place. Once inserted, the case will start to charge the phone. There is no button to start or stop the charging process.

You can see the battery status, in percentage terms, on the iPhone Lock screen and in the Notification Center. With other battery cases, you cannot see see the exact percentage of charge left.

The microfiber lining on the inside helps prevent scratches, while its rubber exterior prevents slippage. The rear hump might look weird, but it allows for a really good grip of the case. My only gripe is that the rubber exterior picks up lint easily.

The Smart Battery Case took 1hr 59min to charge an iPhone 6 from 50% to 95%.. But in doing so, the case totally expended its charge.

This was done with several apps and games running in the background, the display on at full brightness all the time and both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi switched on. I also repeated the same process to test the other battery cases in this roundup.

I am disappointed at the performance, as other battery cases still have at least 50 per cent juice left after charging the iPhone to 100%.

And despite its price, Apple did not include any accessories - not even a Lightning cable for you to charge the case.

Recommendation: The rear hump of Apple's Smart Battery Case is not its Achilles heel; its weak battery is.

Tech Specs: Price S$148 | Battery Capacity: 1,877mAh | Weight: 101g

4.) Laut N.Duro - Value-for-money choice

The Laut N.Duro is made up of two parts - a battery case and a clear plastic bumper that protects the sides of the iPhone. It is available in black and white (version tested).

The package includes an additional bumper (grey), two screen protectors, a micro-USB charging cable and an audio jack adapter.

Fitting the iPhone 6 or 6S into this battery case is easy. Simply slide the phone onto the case, then secure it with the plastic bumper. The bumper is both easy to install and remove.

At the rear of the case is a power button and four LED power indicators. There is a micro-USB port and a headphone jack opening at the base. The headphone jack opening accepts any straight headphone jack. You do not even need the adapter.

The N.Duro is the lightest battery case in this round-up and its exterior feels smooth and nice to hold.

You can sync the iPhone with a computer via the case's micro-USB connection. To charge the iPhone, press and hold the power button for 1sec. The N.Duro was able to charge my iPhone 6 from 50% to full power in 1hr 25min with 50% of its power still available.

The only downer is that, at press time, you can only order it online, with its distributor still doing the paperwork to bring it in here.

Recommendation: The Laut N.Duro is the obvious value-for-money choice for practical users, when it becomes available here.

Tech Specs: Price US$79.99 (S$115), available on www.itslaut.com | Battery Capacity: 3,100mAh | Weight: 99g