Review of the Mala iPhone 4 and 4S Battery Case

The Mala Portable 1900mAh iPhone 4 Battery Case is a dead simple device. It is available from Amazon for $22.99 and encloses an iPhone is a slightly bulky case with an additional battery built in. The case close to doubles the size of the phone, so those looking for a slim case should look at the Mophie Air. If protection is important, look at an Otterbox battery case. For those looking for an inexpensive way to add several hours of use to their battery life, here is a great option.

The case is available in red, white, blue and black. It is quite similar to the standard Mophie Juice Pack case for the iPhone 4. In fact, if the Juice Pack had angles rather than curves, the two would be identical. It is not difficult to imagine that this case came from the same manufacturer that builds Mophie’s gear.

The Mala case has a micro USB port that allows syncing and charging via an included USB cable. When plugged in, the case charges the phone battery before the case battery. The case battery takes around 5 hours to charge using an iPhone plug, so charging order is important. When the case is unplugged from the charger, the iPhone draws power from the battery unless one holds down the cases lone button for 3 seconds or so. A short press of the button lights up the 4 LED indicators that display the case’s charge. A second long press will switch the power flow back on.

The Mala sits flush with the front of the phone, giving no protection to the screen, but the rest of the phone has significant coverage which should give the phone adequate protection from falls. The case is plastic with a soft-touch finish that, combined with the case’s size, makes it much easier to hold in the hand or set on the arm of the couch without it slipping off.

The case does make it more difficult to access the volume and power buttons as well as narrowing the access to the ⅛ inch jack. Most modern headphones should work fine, but be aware that if the cable’s jack is on the larger side the top segment of the case will need to be removed before plugging it in. The top segment of the case stays on securely until one pulls it off, so there is no need to be concerned about it falling off in a pocket or bag.

The Mala Battery Case has some quirks and oddities, but works well and performs as advertised. While not the most protective or smallest, it is the cheapest and will gain the user close to 85 percentage points of battery life. This should be enough for most users to finish their workday without scrambling for charging cable and a wall plug.