Ventev Powercase 2000 Review

Introduction

Battery cases are highly prized for their ability to get us enough juice throughout the day, especially for those power users who can’t seem to get away from their phones. For iPhone 5/5s owners around the world, they live knowing that the battery inside the phone isn’t as generous as some other high-end devices.
With the Ventev Powercase 2000, it’s aiming to be that two-in-one solution for owners who yearn for a protective case and battery charger solution. Stuffed with a modest 2000 mAh battery, it’s rated to deliver that double punch to get owners by through a solid day – with no worries when they’re on the go, and without an outlet within reach.

The package contains:

• Owner’s manual
• microUSB charging cable

Design

Mediocrity is the name of the game with its design. It’s just, so, typical.

Everyone seems to enjoy mediocrity when it comes to battery case designs for Apple’s pride and joy. And rightfully so, Ventev follows suit with the design of its Powercase 2000. It’s not a total wash per se, as it features a bright orange colored inner lining and power button in the rear. Besides that, everything else about it is pretty much predictable. Although it’s form fitting and doesn’t really increase the handset’s overall footprint, the Powercase 2000 however adds a little bit of thickness – to the point that it hulks up its size.

Constructed out of plastic, it’s donning a soft touch matte finish, which enables it to repel fingerprints and smudges. Yet again, that’s another characteristic we’re familiar with most battery cases. Inserting and removing the handset from the case is an effortless process, seeing that the notch on the top side allows us to pry off the front cover – while snapping it all around the sides ensures it’s locked tightly.

Now there are two distracting design elements we’re not too fond about with the case. First, the power button and volume controls are now recessed, which is the result from its plastic front casing. Therefore, it’s tougher to feel out and press those buttons. The other being the obtrusive looking nub on the bottom edge of the case, where it seems to bridge the case’s battery and the iPhone 5/5s via its Lightning docking port. It would’ve been nicer if the entire bottom edge was flush uniformly, but we suppose that’s the compromise.

Cutouts are everywhere around the case, but it would’ve been nice to have a wider cut for the 3.5mm headset jack – just because fatter cables might not connect properly without the aid of an adapter. In the rear, 4 LED lights are positioned beneath the Ventev branding, while a recessed orange colored button is nearby to display how much juice is left with the case – and to initiate the charging process! And finally, there’s a microUSB port on one side that allows us to charge the case’s internal battery. Better yet, it also will simultaneously charge the iPhone too.

Performance

The battery in the case is higher in capacity than the one in the iPhone 5s, but it’s only able to juice it back to the 85% mark.

In testing it out, we completely drained an iPhone 5s and relied on the Ventev Powercase 2000 to replenish it. By the time it was complete, the iPhone 5s plateaued at the 85% mark. Considering that the iPhone 5s itself packs a 1570 mAh battery of its own, we were hoping to have it juiced back to 100% with no issues at all. Unfortunately, the case is unable to reach that goal.

As for the protection part of the case, our only gripe is that the entire façade of the phone is exposed – so the screen is at the risk of being scratched/damaged. Well, the plastic front casing is raised a bit, which pushes the surface of the display down a bit so it’s not in complete contact with the surface if it’s placed down on its screen. Dropping it from low heights won’t do too much damage, but from higher heights, and depending on the surface it hits, the case and phone can incur some scruffs or damage.

Conclusion

Honestly, there isn’t a whole lot new here with the Ventev Powercase 2000 over other battery cases for the iPhone. Visually, the design is pretty safe, more so when it’s sporting a very predictable and conventional one. However, we really do appreciate that the case relies on a microUSB connection. Therefore, if we somehow forget to bring along our Lightning charging cable, we can simply rely on a microUSB cable to charge it instead – while it’s in the case, of course.

Flaunting a price of $69.99 online, it’s definitely cheaper that some other similar offerings. Needless to say, savings is something you’ll get from this one. It’s not the most extravagant or revolutionary battery case we’ve seen for the iPhone, but nevertheless, it’s an item that no doubt caters to power users. Instead of having to constantly recharge throughout parts of the day, the Ventev Powercase 2000 ensures that you won’t have to worry.