There’s no question that the Samsung Galaxy S III is a powerful device, but that comes at a cost to battery life. Luckily the battery is replaceable, and there is a large aftermarket selection of third-party batteries, big and small, to choose from.
One of the more reputable names in third-party battery replacements is Mugen Power, which we’ve looked at before. The Galaxy S III version offers a mega battery size of 4600mAh with a replacement cover that adds a kickstand to the mix.
It may not be pretty, but the 4600mAh battery doubles the 2100mAh at 3.8v capacity of the OEM cell. While the battery took a while to calibrate — it took a few complete depletions and recharges for the full experience to take effect — but uptime easily doubled. Whereas I was able to get around 12-16 hours of usage from the original, I managed two or three days of moderate use from a single charge with the Mugen Power battery.
The quality of the battery cover is good, much better than the one provided with the Galaxy Nexus kit, but lacks the scratch-resistant HyperGlaze coating that comes with Samsung’s. Nevertheless, I was impressed by the sturdiness of the materials, and despite a significant expansion of girth the phone was still moderately comfortable to hold in the hand.
All the important ports are still easily accessible, and none of the buttons are obscured at all by the cover. It even provides some protection for the phone’s exposed camera lens, which is an added bonus. The kickstand is also improved from previous versions; it feels more sturdy, and while it is not spring-loaded, it locks into place when fully extended.
The solution is certainly not for everyone — it may be more expeditious, and cheaper, to get a second 2100mAh stock battery — but for hardcore users it’s a great product.
The battery cover comes in both white and blue, and the kit is available for $98.95 from Mugen Power’s website.
Highly Recommended.
