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The Apple iPhone 6 is the top-selling smartphone. It is easy to like and even easier to use. If you have one or want one, you know what I mean.
I rely on my smartphone for many uses and have it with me nearly all the time. I’m also a heavy business traveler and spend hours on airplanes, in airports, and commuting between cities. This nomadic life exposes one of the iPhone’s few flaws. My battery always seems to be just on the verge of running out. Despite my diligent charging each night, I struggle to get a full day’s use out of my phone. Because it’s a mobile phone, I really want to be mobile. Not scanning the walls in an airport looking for a quick top-off.
The Team at Lenmar sent us a black Maven battery case to test. The case is offered in multiple colors and is solidly constructed. It is a two-piece design that the iPhone slides into. It’s a snug fit, and after you secure the top section, you have added power and a fair amount of drop protection. Once on your phone, you long press the button on the rear of the case to start charging your phone. This button is a 4 way green LED that loses one indicator for roughly each 25% of charge. This makes it easy to see how much juice you have left at a glance.
The case is finished in a flat, almost rubber material. We didn’t have the case long enough to assess how long the finish will hold up, but it is nice straight out of the box.
The bottom of the case has a small acoustic chamber that does make the audio output somewhat louder and more robust. You wouldn’t buy the case for that reason, but it is a neat solution to ensure the bottom speakers aren’t rendered mute.
Most of us pick up the naked iPhone and are wowed by its design, heft, and build quality. All of that goes away when you wrap it in a battery case. The folks at Lenmar are more or less on equal footing here. It’s impossible to add a 3000mAh battery without adding bulk. The Maven case is light, as unobtrusive as you can get, and more than doubles your built-in power. The headset jack is recessed, as on all battery cases I have used. Lenmar includes the typical headphone extender for those with bulky connectors. I use a pair of Bluetooth headphones; thus, nothing changed for me. I would certainly look at the connector on your daily drivers and be prepared to use the extender. I tested the phone/case combo with Apple pay tap n’ pay, fully expecting it not to work; I am happy to report no problems at all. Your mileage may vary based on the retailer’s terminal, but I wouldn’t worry based on my real-world testing.
My only pet peeve, and it’s a big one, is the charging setup for the case. I have yet to see a battery case using the Apple Lightning charger, and Lenmar uses an industry-standard Micro USB plug. This means you must use a different connector to charge the case. Also, under Apple’s licensing terms, to be Apple certified, which the Lenmar case is, when coupled, the phone must charge first, then the case. Instead of charging both the phone and case simultaneously, you are forced to wait. This hits road warriors must if you are down to fumes on both and want a fast top-off. The workaround would be to pull the phone and charge both separately. This defeats the convenience of the case. I hang this misfire on Apple. Lenmar could get around it but would mean a loss of the Made for iPhone rating and branding.
The Lenmar Maven iPhone 6 battery case is ideal for anyone that is addicted to their phone and always on the go. It brings more than an entire extra charge and adds drop/scrap/scratch protection for your phone while adding minimal bulk. A solid addition to the iPhone 6.
Buy It:
- Available on Amazon
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