Extended 3100 mAh Battery Back Plate Cover Replacement

[boojay]

UPDATED Sep. 23, 2013: Please see review of cases here.

Hey guys, I'm looking for a replacement back cover for my Mi2, there's nothing wrong with the original one that came with the extended battery, I just want a change. So far, I've only been able to find two that interest me.

This iron-looking one: http://www.fulcrumall.com/new-arriv...ah-battery-special-back-cover-case-p-130.html

And one with curved sides on the back in 3 different colors: http://www.fulcrumall.com/custom-xi...ver-3-color-available-freeshipping-p-244.html

Has anyone tried these and are they any good? Better yet, if anyone has any other suggestions, that would be much appreciated. I find the original case to be quite bland, but I love the 3100 mAh battery so I figured it's time to improve its look and feel. I'm not a fan of protective covers, I want to keep the phone small.

Any feedback on fulcrumall.com would also be appreciated since I've never bought from them before. Unfortunately, ibuygou.com (a trusted site) doesn't carry either of these models, I don't think.

Thanks!

 

[Craig Carroll]

I have two of these for my mi2s. They are only slightly thicker and add only a little weight to the phone. In terms of battery I get a few extra hours but do have a lot running on my phone therefore still don't see past a day. I have 2 batteries as I always like a spare. I do think they are worth the extra money though. Hope this helps.


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[Coldbird]

Interesting. Hope someone gives them a try and reports back.

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[boojay]

I have two of these for my mi2s. They are only slightly thicker and add only a little weight to the phone. In terms of battery I get a few extra hours but do have a lot running on my phone therefore still don't see past a day. I have 2 batteries as I always like a spare. I do think they are worth the extra money though. Hope this helps.


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Hey Craig, I'm actually referring to just the back plate, not the battery itself. I'm using the extended battery and know how awesome it is, but the back plate that comes with it is kind of ugly, IMO.

Thanks for your input tho!


Swyped from my Mi 2

 

[Craig Carroll]

Sorry I did end up getting the rubber skin for the extended battery cover. It's quite thin and over priced for what it is but it does help with the phone grip.

http://www.fulcrumall.com/new-arriv...-soft-protective-case-for-mi2-mi2s-p-156.html


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[boojay]

Yeah, I'm not too keen on protective cases. I do prefer rubberized feel for added grip, but one of my primary reasons for getting the Mi2 is because of the smaller size and ease of one-handed use. Making the phone bigger with a protective case defeats that purpose.

I find all of today's flagship phones to be comically large, which is why I avoid them. Based on rumors alone, it doesn't sound like I will be with Xiaomi long as the Mi3 may be following the same formula as everyone else and making an oversized phone. It's too bad.

Swyped from my Mi 2

 

[Craig Carroll]

The rubber case is actually a thin skin so it doesn't add too much thickness to the device. I have a note 2 so don't mind the large sized devices but the mi2s is about the right size and the screen is amazing.

I have to admit I am very interested in the mi3 as I really like miui and that it supports root without the need for any kind of hacking to get it.

 

[boojay]

It isn't so much the thinness I'm concerned about, in fact, I like my phones thicker, makes it easier to pick up off of a table and hold. I even like the added heft of thickness, makes it feel like the phone is tough and worth something, not cheap and flimsy. It's the width of the phone that bothers me. This is what makes holding a phone and performing one-handed operations on bigger phones so difficult, because you can't reach all 4 corners of the screen with your thumb and maintain a comfortable grip. People make fun of the elongated iPhone 5, but they actually got it right, increasing screen real estate without compromising ease of use.

Swyped from my Mi 2

 

[mymellowman]

Looks like ibuygou has the second one bundled w/ a silicone case: http://www.ibuygou.com/p-original_k..._case_for_xiaomi_m2s_smartphone-5470-usd.html

It says it is for the M2S and doesnt mention the M2, but it looks like it is the same one that fulcrumall has so I would assume it should fit. If you wind up ordering it, let me know how you like it as I'd love to get a new cover for the extended battery.

 

[Coldbird]

I hate those silicon things.

I wish there were printed ones for the big battery... so far only normal sized ones.

Sent from my MI 2 using Tapatalk 4

 

[boojay]

Looks like ibuygou has the second one bundled w/ a silicone case: http://www.ibuygou.com/p-original_k..._case_for_xiaomi_m2s_smartphone-5470-usd.html

It says it is for the M2S and doesnt mention the M2, but it looks like it is the same one that fulcrumall has so I would assume it should fit. If you wind up ordering it, let me know how you like it as I'd love to get a new cover for the extended battery.

Darn it! I remember seeing that on ibuygou, I thought it was just the protective cover, I didn't realize it was also the back case. Ah well, I ended up purchasing both cases I linked to in the OP--will definitely let you know what I think when they arrive.


Swyped from my Mi 2

 

[Coldbird]

Thank you can't wait.

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[boojay]

So both cases arrived today and I have good and bad news.

The good news is Fulcrumall is legit, but the bad news is one of the cases is defective. Here are my thoughts on both:

The Metallic Case fits perfectly! Similar to the original 3100 mAh extended case, it attaches easily and snugly with no gaps, but unlike the original, it's also relatively easy to remove as well, but not quite as easy as the standard 2000 mAh case is. It looks very attractive and fits nicely in the hand thanks to the rounded bevel. I love the texture of the flat, pseudo-metallic surface and can see myself constantly running my finger up and down along the back while holding the phone. Hopefully this won't wear it out too noticeably! I also prefer the beveled gray encasing around the speaker/casing/LED flash as opposed to the ugly green trim that comes with the original. The grip is slightly better than the original case, but still somewhat slippery for my tastes. All in all, I'm very happy with the quality of this case and would recommend it.

The Custom Case, however, is very cheaply made. It's a little harder to attach and insanely difficult to remove. I'm sure through regular use it should become easier, but that's a minor point. The first thing I need to point out though is my case has a defect. There is a chip on the bottom corner and for that reason alone I can't see myself using this as it bothers me a lot.

That said, even if this case were in perfect shape, it does NOT fit very well. It seems a bit bigger than the phone so you can feel the edges where it connects and it becomes a constant reminder that you're holding something cheap and ill-fitting. If you can overlook this issue, the case itself actually makes the phone appear quite attractive. I chose the black case so it blends in with the screen and looks like a continuous slab that feels similar to the original white 2000 mAh case that comes with the Mi2 in terms of touch and grip. I even prefer the curvy, bowed-in edges on the sides, but I simply can't ignore the poor fit.

I plan on writing an email to Fulcrumall and hopefully they can resolve this issue with the black case, but I'm very happy with the metallic one. Will keep you guys posted what they say.

 

[guffoe]

did it sell flip case for extend battery 3100mah ?

 

[boojay]

did it sell flip case for extend battery 3100mah ?

There was no flip case, just a very standard, and in my opinion, very ugly back case thick enough to house the bigger battery.

Swyped from my Mi 2

 

[mymellowman]

Thanks for the review - of course the black cover that I like is the defective one.......

 

[mephistozap]

Anyone know how much weight is added with the 3100 mah battery? And how much extra battery life do you get vs the stock battery. I ordered one for my self a few days ago.

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[Coldbird]

You get a runtime that's about 40 percent longer.

The weight increase I can't tell right now cause I don't have a scale with me.

The difference is noticeable however, but not bad.

For me it's the perfect weight.

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[mephistozap]

You get a runtime that's about 40 percent longer.

The weight increase I can't tell right now cause I don't have a scale with me.

The difference is noticeable however, but not bad.

For me it's the perfect weight.

Gesendet von meinem MI 2 mit Tapatalk 4

Sounds good! I could use better battery life the stock battery doesn't seem to be enough.

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[boojay]

Thanks for the review - of course the black cover that I like is the defective one.......

No prob!

Yeah, that's a shame with the black one because it does look very nice, but unfortunately, it's of the cheap build that people normally associate with Chinese products, whereas the metallic one looks to be built by Xiaomi itself, that is to say, it's high quality.

To update, I haven't heard anything from Fulcrumall nor do I expect to anymore at this point. It's not a huge deal as this was a relatively minor purchase, but even so, from this experience alone, I can't endorse them the way I would iBuygou. I'm sure if anyone placed a more substantial order from the former they would receive their product, but the customer service and quality control seems lacking and nothing compared to the latter's. With iBuygou, they were answering my questions immediately and thoroughly even before I bought anything from them. They put in the extra effort in so many ways to make my transaction a pleasant one and it's no surprise that this community decided to become an official associate with them.

 

[mephistozap]

I really like the metallic one I wonder if someone sells it without the battery as I already ordered the other set.

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