Duracell iPhone External Battery Case hands-on

We’ve come to that point where one day is seemingly the mark we’re content with our modern day smartphones – mainly because it’s seemingly light years better than the 10 hours of usage found with some top-notch devices of late. Then again, as we’re reminded about past devices, mainly the flips phones from yesterday, we’re brought back to the realization that one day is simply not acceptable. Well folks, even though we’ve been treated to killer devices like the Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX of late, which takes battery life on a smartphone to a whole new level, other devices aren’t as fortunate in being blessed with a generous sized batteries, but rather, accessory manufacturers have come along to provide us with a helpful alternative.

Case in point, the Duracell iPhone External Battery Case, which is an up and coming item that’ll surely please iPhone owners all around. Much like its rivals, Duracell’s offering tucks away a 1,300 mAh battery inside of its shell, though, it’s smaller than the 2,000 mAh batteries found on the Mophie Juice Pack Plus and PowerSkin. Rather, the beauty of the Duracell battery case is that it doesn’t add much bulk to the overall size of the iPhone – and on top of that, it’s form fitting as well to offer a comfortable grip in the hand. Donning a soft touch matte finish, it naturally is able to keep a clean looking appearance, however, we’re not fans of the recessed cut outs for the handset’s buttons, which makes them notorious to feel out. Adding yet more functionality, there is a kickstand in the rear to offer a hands-free experience watching videos.

Specifically mentioned to work with the iPhone 4, where it’s meant to double its battery life, we instead decided to use it with the newer iPhone 4S. Of course, it fits snugly into place, but the top plastic cover tends to come off too easily. In our quick testing, we managed to get the iPhone 4S to a battery level of 60% from a dead charge, which is justified seeing that the 4S packs a higher capacity battery. When it comes down to it, we simply love its compact form versus other cases we’ve checked out. Now it’s worth noting that the Duracell iPhone External Battery Case is not yet available for purchase, but it should hopefully be out soon. Another piece of the puzzle is pricing, which hasn’t been confirmed, but we’re hoping to see this one landing for under the $60 mark to prove to be a justified offering.

Duracell iPhone External Battery Case hands-on: