(Last Updated On: December 8, 2018)

Not too many people realize it, but LG does make some of the best smartphones on the market and yet they’re still underrated.

That’s quite unfortunate as they have smartphones that basically rival the flagship smartphones on the market that are more popular such as the Galaxy S8 and iPhone. With the LG G6, LG V20 and now the LG V30 on the verge of being released the tides are changing a bit as LG is stepping up their game in the smartphone arena.

That said, it’s always good to know what the best accessories are for past LG smartphones and in this case we’re talking about the LG G5.

It was LG’s first smartphone that made a pretty big jump with its specs in terms of performance, dual cameras and it also used Type-C which is now becoming the standard of charging. The battery capacity of the LG G5 is also quite good too, but what can make a battery capacity for a smartphone better is the use of a battery case.

This review is from the PowerBear LG G5 Battery Case that has a 4,000mAh power capacity. Battery cases are a great alternative when it comes portable charging and they may be even better than portable chargers because of their form factor.

Power

Power Capacity:

The power capacity of this battery case is 4,000mAh and it’s good capacity for the LG G5 as it’s most likely able to charge it to full power at least once.

“Most likely” because you’re not going to receive the full 4,000mAh as it’s simply the initial power capacity and it goes through a conversion during charging. Speaking of conversion, let’s see what amount of power capacity you’re actually going to be receiving.

3.7 x 4,000 = 14,800 / 5 = 2,960

	PowerBear LG G5 4,000mAh Battery Case (Output Power Capacity = 2,960mAh)	LG G5 Battery Capacity	PowerBear LG G5 Battery Case Left Over Power Capacity after 1 Charge Number of Full Charges
iPhone SE	2,960mAh	2,800mAh	160 1 Full Charge

So after using the entire power capacity, of the 4,000mAh, you’re able to use 2,960mAh of Output power capacity to actually charge your LG G5. Sure it’s quite a bit lower than the initial power capacity but it matches up perfectly with the LG G5.

That’s because the LG G5 has a battery capacity of 2,800mAh and so this PowerBear battery case is able to charge it to full power one time.

One charge is a good range when it comes to a battery case as it’s basically a Mini power bank that’s in the shape of a case for your phone.

Also, as a result of its power capacity, you’re able to get a full day’s use of your LG G5 which means that you can use up all the power from your LG G5’s initial battery and then recharge it back to full power using the PowerBear battery case; so that’s two full days of power without needing a recharge.

Output Charging:

The PowerBear battery case uses a USB-C cable end to charge the LG G5 as the G5 uses USB-C. The Output charging speed of the battery case is better than most battery cases on the market and that’s because its output is 5V/2.0A.

Most battery cases that we’ve reviewed for the Galaxy S8 or the Galaxy S7 have speeds of 5V/1.8A or 5V/1.5A. This PowerBear battery case does a good job at providing a standard charging speed to the LG G5 and should get it to full power within a matter of just an hour and a half.

That said, the battery case does not charge the LG G5 at its max charging speed because the G5 is Quick Charge 3.0 compatible and needs a Quick Charge 3.0 charger to charge at its blazing fast charging speed.

Even though it’s disappointing to know that you can’t charge your LG G5 at its max charging speed, there are no battery cases at this moment that utilize fast charging and it’s probably for the best as it can lead to overheating.

Input Charging:

Even though the Output charging for this PowerBear battery case is fast, they slowed things down when it comes to its input for recharging the battery case.

As the recharging speed is 5V/1.0A and recharging is done through a Micro-USB input port instead of a USB-C port. The great thing about recharging this battery case is that it supports pass-through charging, which means that you can charge your LG G5 while you recharge the battery case at the same time.

Design

Size and Weight:

There’s no doubt that a battery case is going to add some bulk to your smartphone as that is definitely the case here. If you’re someone that wants the slimmest possible case for your smartphone and still have a battery case, then you’re going to be let down as a battery case, in general, is quite large.

In this case, this PowerBear battery case has a length fo 6.5 inches, a width of 3.2 inches and a thickness of 0.8 inches. The weight of the battery case is 4.4 ounces. It’s large and quite heavy, but the good news is that this is common with most battery cases and at least this isn’t as large a ZeroLemon’s battery case for the S8.

As a result of its added size you’re definitely going to feel it in your pocket, but as an equivalent exchange, you’re able to get portable power with it.

Functional Components:

Just as all cases should have, this battery case has accurate cut-outs for all of the functional components for the LG G5.

At the back, there’s a very large window cut-out for the two cameras, flash and also the fingerprint scanner. At the bottom of the back is where there’s the power button and also 4 white LED power capacity indicators.

The Micro-USB input port for recharging the battery case can be found at the bottom and at the top is where there’s the opening for the headphones jack. The PowerBear battery case comes with headphone jack extender so you can easily connect your earbuds and headphones into your LG G5.

Build

Structure and Material:

Most battery cases are not able to offer full protection for the smartphone that they’re used on, this is mostly the case when it comes to the screen.

That’s because most battery cases don’t have a bezel, but fortunately, this LG G5 battery case has a raised bezel that is able to protector the screen and the rest of the sides are covered too and so your G5 is very safe with this battery case for when it falls onto a hard ground.

Tech:

The tech with battery cases from good brands is really good and that is definitely the case here with its use of plenty of certifications such as RoHS, FCC, and CE. This PowerBear battery case doesn’t overheat and is able to keep everything cool in order to keep your smartphone safe.

Reliability

The simple thing to say is that if you want a portable charger but a case at the same time, then this PowerBear battery case is the most reliable option.

As it offers power to charge your LG G5 to its full power and in addition to power, it’s also able to protect the smartphone itself. That is one of the best aspects of this case as most battery cases don’t offer protection against falls and yet this one is able to protect the body and screen of the G5.

The only unreliable aspect of this battery is its addition of adding size and weight.

Summary:

Power:

There’s enough power capacity to charge an LG G5 to its full power once and that can basically give you a full day’s power. The Output charging speed of this battery case is better than most with its 5V/2.0A output speed.

Design:

It adds bulk and weight to your G5, no doubt about that. It at least has ample space for all the functional parts of your G5.

Build:

The build quality is one of its best parts as it’s able to protect the screen and structure, which is something that not too many battery cases are able to do.

Reliability:

Nearly every part of this PowerBear LG G5 battery case is reliable, except for its added size and weight to your smartphone.

Specs of the PowerBear LG G5 4,000mAh Battery Case:

• Capacity:            Advertised: 4,00mAh            Real Capacity: 2,960mAh
• Output: 5V/2.0A
• Input: 5V/1.0A Via Micro-USB Input
• LED Power Indicators: 4 LED Power Capacity Indicators
• Size: 6.5 x 3.2 x 0.8 inches
• Weight: 4.4 Ounces

Conclusion:

This PowerBear LG G5 Battery case has enough power for a full charge to your G5 and when you add in having full protection in the event of a fall, it’s a great choice for a portable charging case.