Recommendations on Extended Battery

[lavenlian]

Hey folks.

I'm new to this forum as well as new to the S4 and Verizon. I have no complaints with the phone or the service, but I do talk on the phone about 3 hours a day and probably text for about an 1 hour causing the battery to run down really fast.

I was looking for a battery bigger than the stock 2600 mAh. After reading some reviews on extended batteries at Amazon.com, I am concerned about compromising signal strength. Any S4 Verizon folk have invested in an extended battery and care to share their experience/give recommendations?

Please and thank you.

 

[MikeLip]

Get the Onite. While the back isn't as pretty as the stock one, it's certainly nice enough and the batteries work well. I had one on my S3 and Note 2, and now one on my S4. They are very much worth the money. Usually about $22 on Amazon, and they run twice as long as stock.

There is also one called ZeroLemon, but I really don't like the TPU back they supply as unnecessarily bulky and just ugly.

Batteries will not interfere with your signal.

Welcome to the group and enjoy the S4.

 

[monsieurms]

Get the Onite. While the back isn't as pretty as the stock one, it's certainly nice enough and the batteries work well. I had one on my S3 and Note 2, and now one on my S4. They are very much worth the money. Usually about $22 on Amazon, and they run twice as long as stock.

There is also one called ZeroLemon, but I really don't like the TPU back they supply as unnecessarily bulky and just ugly.

Batteries will not interfere with your signal.

Welcome to the group and enjoy the S4.

Batteries may not but there is considerable discussion of ZeroLemon's case causing signal degradation. I don't know what the answer is there, but if you go to Amazon comments, there are people who seem to have run some pretty good tests.

There are a bunch of extended batteries--Hyperion makes one and they also make a case to fit it. ZeroLemon, apart from the massive size, basically creates a case, too. Anker makes some as well. There's no shortage. Personally, I've decided I'd rather just pop a new battery in, which isn't necessary often when I top off so much. It is mostly an issue when I travel.

 

[MikeLip]

Batteries may not but there is considerable discussion of ZeroLemon's case causing signal degradation. I don't know what the answer is there, but if you go to Amazon comments, there are people who seem to have run some pretty good tests.

There are a bunch of extended batteries--Hyperion makes one and they also make a case to fit it. ZeroLemon, apart from the massive size, basically creates a case, too. Anker makes some as well. There's no shortage. Personally, I've decided I'd rather just pop a new battery in, which isn't necessary often when I top off so much. It is mostly an issue when I travel.

I got the ZeroLemon for my N2. It's about the most horrfyingly ugly thing I've ever seen. At nearly 10,000mAhr it should run the N2 until the sun burns out, but I couldn't bring myself to carry it around since it would scare farm animals and small children. I did like the review where the guy disassembled the battery then wondered why he got burned when he shorted it out, and more or less accused ZL of some kind of terrorist attack on him.

If the case material is blacked using carbon, then yeah it might be a problem for the signal since carbon is a decent conductor and may be eating it signal. And also I can see something like the triple size ZL pack, which almost covers the back of the phone with battery, interfering with signal. But the simple 2 stack battery of the Onite and similar should not present a problem.

 

[Notsosure]

I use Anker 5200mah battery. I definitely recommend this battery. I hated having to charge my phone twice a day so I got this as a replacement. It works like a charm and no complaints here. There is even a case by seidio that supports extended battery this size. Zerolemon for me is way too big of a battery to lug around in my pocket.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2

 

[lavenlian]

I got the ZeroLemon for my N2. It's about the most horrfyingly ugly thing I've ever seen. At nearly 10,000mAhr it should run the N2 until the sun burns out, but I couldn't bring myself to carry it around since it would scare farm animals and small children. I did like the review where the guy disassembled the battery then wondered why he got burned when he shorted it out, and more or less accused ZL of some kind of terrorist attack on him.

If the case material is blacked using carbon, then yeah it might be a problem for the signal since carbon is a decent conductor and may be eating it signal. And also I can see something like the triple size ZL pack, which almost covers the back of the phone with battery, interfering with signal. But the simple 2 stack battery of the Onite and similar should not present a problem.

Is this the one? Amazon.com: Onite *NFC* 5200mAh Extended Li-ion Battery for Samsung Galaxy S IV / S4 I9500, with Black Cover: Cell Phones & Accessories

 

[MikeLip]

Is this the one? Amazon.com: Onite *NFC* 5200mAh Extended Li-ion Battery for Samsung Galaxy S IV / S4 I9500, with Black Cover: Cell Phones & Accessories

Yup. Go for it.

 

[MikeLip]

QI wireless charger + 8000mah Li-Po battery
WaveJuice : Wireless-Charging High-Capacity Li-Polymer Battery Pack | Indiegogo

That LOOKS neat, but I bought a Qi tag for my S4 that looks identical (and probably is). The website seems to be saying you need to;

Install the Qi tag on top of your original battery, aligning the connection between the tag and the phones charge contacts.
Replace the original back.
Charge the Wavejuice.
When your phone needs a charge, turn on the wavejuice and set the phone on top.

Interesting concept, but;
The Qi tag bulges out the back. Kinda scary, but ok, maybe you can live with it. On the other hand you can't use close-fitting cases.
There are rechargeable backup batteries that do not have cables all over the place. Motorola sells one that folds the cable into the battery, so the pic of th eguy with cables hanging out his back pocket isn't applicable.
An extended battery back would work as well and be a more elegant solution. You could carry all your power in one device - the phone. Same space (or less) and same time away from a wall outlet.
A better idea would be to make an extended battery back with Qi built in! Now *that* would be elegant. Of course it would be a much more expensive product to launch since you'd have to tool for each phone. Yours is at least sort of universal. You just need Qi tags.

 

[vengo]

The zerolemon 7500mah battery definitely take a hit to you signal strength. You will not notice this at all when you're in a average to above coverage area.
Once you get into areas with a much weaker signal, you will notice the difference. I had my S4 for several months and I get 2 bars on my phone in my office, on a rainy day or bad weather, sometimes 1 bar. With the ZeroLemon battery i might get a bar and on a bad weather day, guaranteed no coverage. It's a small difference, but when your phone is skimming in low signal areas now with your stock battery, it will suffer or become non existent with the extended battery. Not ZeroLemons fault. its the nature of a huge battery and case covering the antenna. I now get dropped calls going through these types of areas. I've taken it out for now. I'll save that battery for special occasions where ill need it the most like all day outtings and trips.

On a good note, the battery kicks **** when it comes to keeping your phone without charging alive for several days.