The battery pack for iPhone that’s also a great case [Reviews]

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The Moshi iGlaze Ion battery case provides the best of both worlds.
The Moshi iGlaze Ion battery case provides the best of both worlds.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

In my line of work, conducting interviews and attending press conferences, a fully charged iPhone is a necessity. I don’t want the constant worry of watching my phone’s battery slowly die down as I search for the nearest power outlet.

To alleviate the fear of an undercharged iPhone, battery packs and cases are must-haves. And, while I appreciate the convenience of an external battery pack, they are often too bulky. A battery case is another option as it will house my phone and battery pack in one handy spot — again resulting in added bulk, especially when my phone is fully charged and I don’t need the battery attached 24/7.

Why hasn’t anyone thought of combining the two? Accessory-maker Moshi has heeded the call with its iGlaze Ion battery case for the iPhone 6 and 6s.

Check out the video below for my full review.

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Moshi iGlaze Ion battery case

The iGlaze Ion is a battery pack that I can slide on and off of its compatible series of iGlaze cases, giving me the best of both worlds: the convenience of a battery case with the added bonus of a battery pack.

There are two parts to the case: a polycarbonate shell and the actual battery pack, itself. The cases I tested are the Ion and the Napa, but the majority of iGlaze cases will work with the battery pack; just double-check before purchasing. The Ion case comes in two colors: the gray variant in my review (which looks more like bronze) as well as a black variant. Moshi describes the finish on the cases as brushed titanium given the ridged texture on the back.

The Napa on the other hand goes the premium route with high-quality leather, which again comes in a variety of colors. Both case styles offer great protection for my iPhone, and both have rubber around the inside rim to help ease the phone in and out of the case. Plus, the rubber rim adds a bit of extra durability in the event of a drop.

There are cutouts for the mute switch, speaker grill, lightning port and headphone jack, with the volume rocker and lock switch being completely covered by hard plastic yet easily accessible. Soft microfibre-like material lines the cases’ interior, further protecting my iPhone from scratches.

Moshi Case 2
The Ion and Napa cases both look and feel great.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Removable power

Now to the main event: the battery pack itself. Installation to the case couldn’t be easier. Simply slide the phone into the pack and it’ll click into place, securing itself using the circle cutout on the back. Once in, my iPhone is completely secure no matter how much I shake it.

The battery pack is made out of the same hard plastic as the Ion case itself, and does add a decent amount of heft and bulk. Weight-wise it adds and extra 4.5 ounces, which isn’t deal breaker as I can attach and detach the battery pack when necessary.

On the back of the pack there’s a little indicator to let me know how much juice the case has left. With a 2,750 mAh battery, the pack will hold two full charges for my iPhone 6s, and takes less than two hours for a full charge. This is a lot faster than some of the other battery cases I’ve tried in the past.

Moshi Case 5
With a 2,750 mAh battery, the Moshi Ion iGlaze case will hold two full charges.

Best of both worlds

Overall, this is a great case and is the perfect alternative to eliminating the cons of the separate battery cases and battery packs. Combining the two gives you me all of the convenience without any of the downfalls. I can charge my iPhone and iGlaze Ion at the same time wherever I am, in just a few hours and can be reassured that my iPhone isn’t going to die on me when I need it most.

*In the video I incorrectly state that the iGlaze Ion is also available for the 6 Plus.

Buy from: Amazon

Moshi provided Cult of Mac with a review unit for this article. Read Cult of Mac’s reviews policy.

 

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