Apple is getting better at increasing battery life in its iPhones, with the iPhone 11 Pro’s battery lasting an amazing 4 hours longer than the old iPhone XS.
The iPhone 11 lasts an hour more than the iPhone XR, which previously held the iPhone battery-life record.
The iPhone 11 Pro can playback video for 18 hours or blast music out for up to 65 hours – if that’s all you do, of course; most of us use our phones for many tasks, and all eat up power.
But, at the same time, we dream up new ways of using up that battery life as quickly as we can – streaming movies and TV shows, playing games, taking ultra-wide photos, and so on.
And sometimes we all forget to charge our phones overnight, and wake up with the dread fear of a fading battery through the day.
So even if the new Apple iPhones should last longer, they won’t always get you through a busy day of phone use – and certainly not a long-haul flight where you watch your own entertainment channels.
You can carry a spare battery pack around with you (check out our recommended best power banks), but that can be cumbersome and entail loose cables, etc.
Or you can buy a battery case for your iPhone 11, 11 Pro or 11 Pro Max, which will give you up to another full charge of juice for when you really need it.
My iPhone 11 Pro can last a normal day, but if I can’t charge it when I need to, then I stick it in a battery case and can carry on using it while it charges back to full power.
A battery case also offers you something else every iPhone needs: protection.
iPhone 11 models are all different sizes
Important! Always check you are buying the correct case for your model of phone. Each member of the iPhone 11 family is a different size, so you need to have the exact case for each phone.
The iPhone 11 has a 6.1in screen (measured diagonally), the iPhone 11 Pro is actually a little smaller with a 5.8in screen, and the biggest is the iPhone 11 Pro Max with a 6.5in screen.
What to look for in a battery case
Capacity: In our experience of phone battery cases, 4,800mAh should be fine. Many claim larger power capacities but rarely deliver more than a full recharge (100%) – and that’s all you really need, until you can plug the iPhone in again and power back up. Apple’s Smart Battery Case actually has just a 1,430mAh capacity, which is weaker than the others tested here, but probably just enough to get you to your next charging opportunity.
Protection: The other point of a battery case is to protect your precious iPhone, so look for a decent bumper around the case to save it from drops and a front bevelled edge that will protect the screen from scratches.
Size: There’s no getting away from it – including an extra battery in a case is going to make that skinny, lightweight iPhone into something a bit fatter and heavier. As the iPhone 11 has improved daily power, we think you can keep the battery case for those times when you will need it most: long-haul travel, time away from a power socket, or, most likely, those emergencies when you’ve forgotten to charge the night before. Or you might be something of a power user and drain that 11’s battery faster than most.
Apple’s Smart Battery Case (100g) is the lightest we tested.
You’ll still need a case for protection, so take a look at what we think are the best cases for iPhone 11.
Fit: The case should also fit the phone snuggly, but not so inflexible that it’s a pain to put on or pull off. The best ones are a one-piece design where you pull back the soft top and slide the phone in, where it connects with the case’s Lightning connector.
Make sure you buy for the right model as the iPhone 11, 11 Pro and Pro Max are all different sizes. We have marked compatibility on the individual reviews below.
We have recommended plenty of our favourite iPhone 11 cases, but here is our list of tested battery cases for the iPhone 11 family.
Testing methodology
We test for real-world battery capacity. Simply, we wait till the iPhone is down to 20% charge, and then activate the battery case.
When the iPhone is up to 100%, we turn off the battery case, and leave some in there until you need to use it again. Then we add the two charge percentages together to see how much charge you’ll get from each case.
The Apple case works in a different way, so we just slipped a run-down iPhone into the case to see how much extra it was charged to afterwards.
It’s not super scientific but this is how you’ll use the case in real life.
What’s available now?
Aside from the expensive Apple Smart Battery Case, you can find an army of Chinese iPhone 11/Pro/Max battery cases online for a fraction of that cost, and we have been testing the best of them.
A lot of those with the best online reviews (which we then tested, below) are virtually identical (even the data printed there is the same), but one did stand out with a key extra function. And there are more coming through with some design options.
Only the Apple case is officially blessed by Apple (of course) with its MFi (made for iPhone) certification, but the others still work.
See also: best battery case for iPhone X.
Apple iPhone Smart Battery Case
Compatible with: iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple didn’t release its Apple Smart Battery Case for iPhone 11 at the time of the phone’s launch – probably because it wanted to shout about the new mobile’s longer battery life. Announcing a battery case for it would have looked like admitting poor battery life.
The Apple Smart Battery Case looks just like the other Smart Battery Cases (for iPhone 7, XS and XR) with a hump on the back and a cut-out for the cameras. There are separate versions for the 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max.
It is also just as expensive, at a mighty £129 / $129.
What we like about the Apple case – and it’s almost worth the eye-watering price-tag – is that it keep your phone charged automatically, rather than you having to push a button to start charging.
It will keep the iPhone at 100% for as long as it can. When it’s finally used up all its charge, the case lets go, and you then have as long as the phone gives you from fully loaded.
With its 1,430mAh capacity, it’s not as powerful as the others tested here. Apple claims only 50% extra battery life – a lot less than the non-Apple battery cases we tested (not that any of those lived up to the >100% claims). We tested the Apple case, and we actually got around 60-70% extra charge from the case.
Another benefit of going with Apple, is that you can see both the phone and the case’s remaining battery charge by swiping right on the phone to its Notification Centre.
It’s Qi-wireless, so you can use a wireless charger just as you would with the iPhone itself.
Interestingly, the case features a dedicated button that launches the Camera app (whether the iPhone is locked or not). A press of the button takes a photo, and a longer press captures video.
It’s available in either Black or White – with a special Pink Sand colour for the 11 Pro and Pro Max. This is a greater choice (at a cost) than other battery cases we’ve found for the iPhone 11.
Apple’s is the best battery case for the iPhone 11 family, and you get a choice of colours – plus, at 100g, it’s the lightest one we tested. Out only real gripe (and it’s a big one) is the price. Ouch.
Read Macworld’s full Apple Smart Battery Case review.
Newdery Battery Case for iPhone 11 Pro
Compatible with: iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max
The Newdery battery case looks just like the BasicStock case below, but boasts wireless charging – which we find indispensable. The Pro model we tested is also 12g lighter at 130g.
The prominent wireless-charging symbol on the back is rather unnecessary – although the wireless function itself is very useful, of course.
You press the case’s back button for three seconds to start charging the phone. LEDs show you how much charge is left in the case.
Newdery claims that the battery capacity offers 120% claimed recharge potential. The iPhone 11 and 11 Pro Max cases have a 5,000mAh battery, the 11 Pro’s battery is 4,800mAh. We tested the 11 Pro battery case.
In testing we got just over 100% charge, which is probably all you need before you get to your next charging point – just remember to charge the battery case after using it!
The case is reassuringly hard, and the top silicone is flexible so easy to fit in and out.
It offers more charge than Apple’s Smart Battery Case, has the same wireless charging, and is a whole lot cheaper – although it’s available in only Black.
At the time of writing, this case wasn’t available in the US.
BasicStock Battery Case for iPhone 11 Pro
Compatible with: iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max
It’s basic all right, available in Black only, and packs a standard 4,800mAh battery in its back.
On that back there’s an on/off switch and four LED battery charge indicators to show you how much juice is left in the case.
As with the almost identical Newdery cases, the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro Max cases have a 5,000mAh battery, while the 11 Pro’s battery is 4,800mAh. We tested the 11 Pro battery case.
The manufacturer claims you’ll get 120% charge, but that’s theoretical. In practice, we got just under 100% out of it.
Again, this should be enough to get you through the day until the next charge.
You can charge the iPhone and case at the same time, using a standard Lightning cable (not included, but we’re sure you have a few lying around).
As with the Newdery case, the BasicStock case is hard-backed with a flexible silicone top. The Lightning connector fits well.
At 142g the 11 Pro model is a little heavier than the Newdery case (130g).
Make sure you buy the right case for your model of iPhone 11. It will not charge wirelessly.
At the time of writing, this case wasn’t available in the US.
Snugg iPhone 11 Pro Battery Case
Compatible with: iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max
The Snugg battery case for the iPhone 11 family is again very similar to the BasicStock and the Newdery, although (like the BasicStock) it lacks the Newdery’s wireless charging functionality.
We tested the model for the iPhone 11 Pro (weighing 133g), and it gave us around 95% recharge (not the claimed 120%).
The models for 11 and 11 Pro Max boast a 5,000mAh battery, and the 11 Pro comes with a 4,800mAh capacity.
Like the others, you charge with a standard Lightning cable (not included). It will not charge wirelessly.
Witotop Battery Case for iPhone 11 family
Compatible with: iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max
The Witoptop battery case, available for all the iPhone 11 family, comes in three colour options: Black, Blue and Red. This is great in the dull black world of iPhone battery cases, with the exception of Apple’s own Smart case.
In our tests, the 11 Pro model gave us a 77% battery fill, which is a little lower than the other Chinese cases tested here – but better than Apple’s battery case.
It’s a two-piece design, in which you remove the top of the case, slide in the iPhone, and then snap back the top in place. Generally, we prefer the one-piece designs as there’s less to break or lose – although manufacturers claim that they are less prone to connector breakage if people force the phone in incorrectly.
The 11 Pro model we tested weighs 108g, which is less than the other non-Apple battery cases – but not as light as Apple’s own case.
They aren’t grouped on Amazon like the other cases here, so you need to look at each individually (Witoptop for iPhone 11, or the Witoptop for iPhone 11 Pro, or Witoptop for iPhone 11 Pro Max) at that retailer.
The black versions are super cheap for the 11 and 11 Pro Max, but you have to dig deeper into your pocket for the Blue or Red versions.
Sadly, it will not charge wirelessly.
If you want to spend the least, or get a different colour battery case without having to splash out for the Apple one, this is a decent option but not our favourite.
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