Mophie Samsung Galaxy S4 Juice Pack Review

Introduction

Samsung seemingly set the tone for everyone else last year when they unveiled the Galaxy S4. Glazing over the specs sheet, it seems as though the S4 managed to exceed its predecessor in every single category. The phone received a higher resolution screen, faster processor, and even a beefier camera, but looking at the battery, it didn’t receive as much of a substantial upgrade. Well folks, as we’ve come to know, this LTE-enabled smartphone can deplete its 2600 mAh battery if you’re not too careful. For those owners who yearn for a longer battery life, the Mophie Juice Pack battery case is an option to think about.

The package contains:

• Owner’s manual
• microUSB charging cable

Design

Faithful to Mophie’s line of cases, it’s nice to find that its thickness isn’t out of control.

This isn’t the first time we’ve reviewed a Mophie battery case, seeing that we checked out the Juice Pack Air and Juice Pack Plus cases for the iPhone 4/4S. For the Galaxy S4, the design remains faithful – albeit, it looks rather plain and predictable nowadays. Basically, it’s a plastic case that has a soft touch matte finish to it. With the curved edges of the case, it matches the design aesthetics of the Galaxy S4, which makes it very comfortable to grasp.

Although the design isn’t daring or tries to move things into a totally new direction for Mophie, we’re most astounded by how streamlined the case is in comparison to the older iPhone 4/4S cases we reviewed. On top of that, the bezels around the phone have been kept skinny as possible to maintain the handset’s svelte looks. However, despite the improvements, there’s a noticeable amount of weight, which isn’t a bad thing per se, since it gives the entire thing a very sturdy feel.

Surprisingly, even though the Galaxy S4 is encased tightly within the Mophie Juice Pack case, all of its ports and buttons are easily accessible. Some cases tend to stiffen up buttons, but with this, the power and volume controls are just as springy as before. Cutouts are found throughout the case for its microUSB port, 3.5mm headset jack, rear camera, microphones, speaker, and IR blaster. With the 3.5mm headset jack, though, the hole itself is pretty tight – so fatter cables might not connect properly without the aid of an adapter.

In the rear, there are 4 LEDs that visually tell us how much juice is left in its battery, a recessed circular button that lights up the corresponding LEDs, and a switch to initiate the charging process.

Performance

It’s not meant to double the battery life, but rather, its purpose is best served for topping up the S4.

Considering that the Mophie Juice Pack is stuffed with a 2300 mAh battery, we really can’t expect it to fully charge a completely drained Samsung Galaxy S4. Fully charging the case and then using it to juice a dead Galaxy S4, it’s able to get us up to the 75% mark before it’s done. That’s not doubling the handset’s battery life per se, but if you’re a power user who’s constantly on the go, it’s more than suffices in getting you by throughout the day. Of course, we find it more useful to top off the smartphone instead.

The protection is great around the sides and back of the Mophie Juice Pack, however, the front is left exposed to the elements. Naturally, its sturdy build quality helps to cushion the phone in the event it’s dropped from short distances. From higher heights, though, it’s sure to incur some scruffs and damage depending on the surface it comes into contact with.

Conclusion

Pricing for the Mophie Juice Pack case for the Samsung Galaxy S4 is set to $99.95 online and through various retail stores. Thankfully, consumers have a choice in which one to pick out, since it’s available in four colors – black, white, red, and pink. Regardless of that, we wish that they were more daring with the design, especially when it appears too ordinary in this day and age.

Knowing that it kills two birds with one stone, where it’s a protective case and battery charger in one, the Mophie Juice Pack is a decent option for S4 owners who happen to be more demanding. Average users won’t have to worry about constantly recharging throughout the day, but heavier users might find themselves close to the edge as the night is winding down for them.