Pros & Cons
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- Long battery life.
- Unique design magnetically attaches to companion case.
- Built-in micro USB cable with detachable Lightning tip.
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- Expensive.
- Battery and magnetic case move around too much during usage.
The Mophie Hold Force PowerStation Plus Mini ($59.95) is the answer to anyone who wishes their iPhone 7 had a removable battery. It's a 4,000mAh backup battery you can carry around on its own, or attach magnetically to the back of Mophie's $39.95 Hold Force Base Case. It more than doubles the iPhone 7's battery life, and leaves your Lightning port free for wired headphones when not in use. But it's a slightly clunky solution, and when you buy the case and battery together, it ends up being more expensive and less convenient than a dedicated battery pack or battery case.
Design and Features
Mophie's Hold Force "system" comprises a number of products that all attach to its Hold Force Base Case. Available in a variety of colors, the Base Case is fairly standard, somewhat protective polycarbonate fare on its own. But the back of the case is magnetized, letting you use several compatible Hold Force accessories, including a folio ($19.95), a wallet ($19.95), and the PowerStation Plus Mini.
The PowerStation Plus Mini is a slim and stylish battery with a magnetized metal surface on one side, and black plastic with a soft-touch finish on the other. It has a built-in micro USB cable with a detachable Lightning tip tucked into the bottom.
There's a micro USB charging port on top. A micro USB cable is included, and the battery supports pass-through charging. The right side holds a status button under a set of four LEDs. Pressing it gives you an idea of charging status and battery life.
The battery itself measures 4.9 by 2.5 by 0.4 inches (HWD) and weighs 4.6 ounces, making it thinner and lighter than many portable backup batteries like the Anker PowerCore 10000 (3.9 by 2.5 by 0.9 inches, 7.0 ounces) and Mophie's own Charge Force PowerStation ($44.97 at Amazon) (5.2 by 2.7 by 0.6 inches, 8.5 ounces).
Unlike those batteries, you can attach the PowerStation Plus Mini directly to the aforementioned Hold Force Base Case (5.6 by 2.9 by 0.4 inches, 1.1 ounces). They snap together via magnet, and come in at 0.8-inch thick and 5.7 ounces combined, bulkier than the ZeroLemon Slim Juicer battery case (6.0 by 2.8 by 0.6 inches, 5.3 ounces).
Despite a fairly secure magnetic connection, it isn't quite strong enough to keep the battery from shifting around while using the phone. It won't fall off, but it's uncomfortable to use. And you can't exactly fit the two together in your pocket.
Of course, the advantage here is that you don't need to keep the case and battery together. Once you're done charging your phone you can simply unplug the Lightning cable, detach the battery, and slip it into your bag or pocket, something you can't do with a dedicated battery case. That also leaves your Lightning port free for wired headphones when your phone isn't charging.
Because the PowerStation Mini supports micro USB, you can use it to charge other devices like Bluetooth headphones, which is a level of flexibility you don't get with other dedicated battery cases. You can also use it with compatible magnetic dashboard mounts, like you can with the Mophie Juice Pack Air ($49.99 at Amazon) .
Performance and Conclusions
The PowerStation Plus Mini added 6 hours, 58 minutes of battery life to the iPhone 7 while streaming full-screen video over LTE at maximum brightness. That's longer than any of the battery cases we've tested, beating both the 4,000mAh Slim Juicer (5 hours, 48 minutes) and the 3,200mAh Trianium Atomic Pro ($29.99 at Amazon) (5 hours, 25 minutes).
This comparison is a bit unfair though, since the Mini is technically a battery pack, not a case. And it doesn't stand a chance compared with our Editors' Choice, the Anker PowerCore 10000 , which added 23 hours, 44 minutes. It's a bit larger than the Mini, at 3.9 by 2.5 by 0.9 inches and 7.0 ounces, but it's also less expensive.
The Mophie PowerStation Plus Mini is one of the more interesting backup batteries we've tested, since it's comparable with both other backup batteries as well as dedicated battery cases. If you're looking for a dedicated battery, the PowerCore 10000 is a better choice, offering more juice for a lower price. And if it's a case you're after, the ZeroLemon Slim Juicer stays on your phone much more reliably while offering better battery life. That said, if you don't anticipate needing a battery on or near your phone at all times, the PowerStation Plus Mini is a unique option worth considering.
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Further Reading
Final Thoughts
Mophie Hold Force PowerStation Plus Mini (for iPhone 7) Review
The innovative Mophie Hold Force PowerStation Plus Mini is a portable backup battery that attaches magnetically to a compatible iPhone 7 case, but it's a less graceful solution than a dedicated battery case.