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I put off trying smartphone battery cases because of their bulk for almost 10 years.
Even in the original iPhone days I was more concerned about keeping my phone's svelte design in tact.
Last year I tried mophie's Juice Pack Air for the iPhone 6 Plus, and I came away impressed.
mophie recently sent me a version of that case for the iPhone 7 Plus, and I'm happy to say the results were even better.
The Juice Pack Air is meant to be a marriage between a slim design and as much battery that can be stuffed into that design. It's a tall order, and I'm sure that if they added even a millimeter or two to the size of this case my results would have been even better.
As it stands, I was able to get over 30 hours of battery life during my first test. As for my second, well, it's still going. After 26 hours, my iPhone 7 Plus is at 39%, which should be more than enough to get me through today.
Keep in mind that this 26 hours included 8 hours of continuous audio listening (I have podcasts playing continuously when I sleep), media streaming (video and audio), and light gaming on my commute.
Light phone users could see battery life that exceeds mophie's 33-hour battery claims, while Netflix bingers might find they get slightly worse results.
If all the Juice Pack Air did was provide extra battery life to folks who don't mind a bulky case, it'd be a solid product. But it also supports wireless charging. Place your case-clad phone onto one of mophie's charging pads and you'll hear the familiar charging chime.
Those looking for a super-slim case will probably be disappointed, but I didn't notice the extra bulk and weight from the case too much. Another consideration is that the case covers your entire phone and charges via MicroUSB. That means those who rely on wired headphones are out of luck.
I wouldn't use this case every day, but it's a nice-to-have accessory for times when you know you'll be away from power for a while. It'll certainly be the case I use when traveling, or nights when I'm going to a concert.
mophie Juice Pack for iPhone 7, from $54.65 (Gold), available at Amazon
mophie Juice Pack for iPhone 7 Plus, from $60.98 (Gold), available at Amazon
This article was originally published on 1/11/2017.
Brandt Ranj Brandt is a tech reporter for Business Insider. He previously worked as an associate editor for ReadRetro.com. He graduated with a degree in journalism from Le Moyne College in 2013. Read more Read less Read the original article on Insider Picks. Copyright 2017. Follow Insider Picks on Twitter.ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7o8HSoqWeq6Oeu7S1w56pZ5ufonyowcidnKxnpJqwqXvMqKehoZVit7a1wp5kqZmToHqqvMeopZ5lZ2KvosDTnqmyZZOWwKZ50Z6top2nYn9xfZZmaA%3D%3D