A case with a power bank inside
A battery case is a phone case with a rechargeable battery built into the back. When the phone runs low, you press a button and the case charges it, with no cable to carry and nothing to plug in. It suits long days away from a socket: travel, festivals, work on the road, and phones whose own battery no longer lasts the day. The trade-off is weight and thickness, because the battery has to go somewhere. Some people keep a battery case for long days and a slimmer case for the rest of the week.
What the battery cases here are like
The battery cases here today are made for particular phones, such as the iPhone 17 range and Samsung's Galaxy A phones, and each lists the models it fits. They have a power button to start and stop charging, and some have lights showing how much charge the case has left. On some, the case charges the phone first and then fills itself when the phone is full, so one cable at night charges both. The capacity, in mAh, is in each product's name. Choose your exact phone from the list on the product page, because a battery case is shaped and wired for one model.
How much charge you really get
The mAh on the box is measured at the battery's cells. Some energy is lost raising the voltage to charge a phone, and as heat, so roughly two-thirds of the mAh ends up in the phone's battery. A case rated well above your phone's own battery will give it a good extra charge, but rarely two full ones. To check, compare the case's mAh with your phone's own battery, which the phone maker lists on its specification page. The guide to power banks explains the sum.
Questions people ask about battery cases
Can I charge wirelessly with a battery case on?
Usually not. Apple names battery cases among the cases that can stop or slow wireless charging, and suggests taking the case off. Charge through the case's own cable instead.
Can I take a battery case on a plane?
The UK Civil Aviation Authority says power banks must travel in the cabin with you, never in checked luggage. A battery case holds the same kind of lithium battery, so keep it in your hand luggage and check your airline's own rules before you fly.
Would a power bank suit me better?
If you only need extra charge now and then, a slim power bank or a magnetic power bank keeps the phone light the rest of the time. If you need it every day, a battery case is always there.
More to look at