Now that is a whole lotta juice
Your Galaxy Note 3 already has a healthy 3200mAh battery, but for some folks that’s just not enough. The large screen is perfect for watching video on the go or playing games, and everyone knows that watching video over the cell network and playing games is h-e-double-hockey-sticks on a smartphone battery. Seidio has a product that might be able to alleviate a lot of the issues — their 4800mAh battery for the Note 3.
It makes your Note 3 a little thicker, but with approximately 50 percent more battery life and NFC capabilities, it’s a trade a lot of us will be willing to make. Have a look and see if that sounds like you.
Right off the bat, know that this thing is much thicker than your stock Note 3 is. With the included extended battery door installed, you’re looking at just about a half-inch in thickness. This tapers at the top and bottom, but your Note 3 is going to get a little thick and juicy. OK, maybe not juicy. But thick. And that makes a difference in how the Note 3 “handles.” Part of what makes the Note 3 fairly easy to use is the fact that it is so thin at .3-inches, and when you double that, you can tell the difference.
But the trade off seems worth it. While I haven’t dug out the multimeter and amp meter, I’ve been using the battery for a bit. The Note 3, with this battery, is a two day device — you only need to charge it every other day with normal use. Movies, or multi-hour sessions of BTD 5 barely put a dent in it, and you will notice a difference no matter how you use it.
The Note 3, with this battery, is a two day device
Another cool thing is that NFC still works, as it’s baked into the Innocell. While the lack of NFC on a smartphone never hurt anyone, having it there — as it was designed to be — is always a plus. For those who love to use tags to do routine tasks, or share media with other NFC-enabled Androids, you’ll be able to do it just like always. I did not test ISIS, as there are no places to use it within a million or so miles from me.
The battery cover is pretty basic, and pretty glossy. It comes in black or white — I’m doing the panda thing here with a white Note 3 and a black cover — and fits right over the extended battery. Because it’s super-glossy, you’ll get fingerprints all over it. This doesn’t affect anything, but if fingerprints make your OCD get fired up, know in advance that you’ll see them. Lots of them. A quick wipe on your shirt takes care of most of them, though.
Overall, I think the Innocell 4800mAh battery is not for everyone. Normal users who have their phone off and in a purse or pocket most of the time just don’t need the bump at the expense of the hump. But if you’re the type who always has the screen on, this one is for you. You treat your phone as a tool, and if that tool needs to be a half-inch thick, so be it. You need the juice, the Innocell has the juice.
