5 smartphones with monster batteries

SMARTPHONES have undeniably become better, faster and cheaper over the last few years, but one thing hasn’t changed that much – battery life. 

While smartphone batteries have gotten larger over time, with the general size today being the range of 2500-3000mAH, smartphones are also draining battery at faster rates thanks to higher performance chipsets, sharper but more power-hungry displays and more apps that work in the background even when we’re not directly using them.
 
At the end of the day, we would still be compelled to plug this device filled with high-tech wizardry into a charger, so it’s ready to spring into action the very next day. Fail to do that and we may be left out in the cold halfway through the day with nothing but an empty, black screen.
 
There are options obviously – the primary one being that essential but cumbersome power bank, ready to provide additional life to our smartphone battery whenever it’s fully tapped out. The other options – a car charger, a secondary charger in the office, or using your laptop to charge the smartphone are all based on the same idea – connecting it to a power supply sometime during the day so that it would actually still be operational by the time late evening arrives.
 
But what if you refuse to carry a power bank because they are either too heavy, bulky or ugly? What if you forgot to also charge your power bank the night before? And what if you don’t drive, or simply have no access to an electrical outlet during the day?
 
Well, here’s an idea: buy a smartphone with a monster battery!
 
Here you’ll find a list of Android smartphones that come with batteries rated at 5000mAH and above.  By contrast, a flagship smartphone like Samsung Galaxy S6 comes with a 2550mAh battery. It’s like having two batteries built into the smartphone. In fact, one of the phones on this list actually does.
 
What’s also nice is that all of them run on Android 5.1 (Lollipop), support 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) networks and come with dual SIM support.  And oh, they all come in below US$300.
 
1) Bluboo X550 

Launched in May 2015, this was the first Android smartphone which featured a battery size that went beyond 5000mAh. Clocking in at 5300mAh, this 5.5-inch device features an HD display (1280 x 720 resolution), a 64-bit quad-core MediaTek MT6735 processor, 2GB of memory and 16GB of storage with support for expandable storage.

Made by US-based firm Amprius, this battery also supports MediaTek’s quick charging function called ‘PumpExpress’.  Under normal testing, Bluboo claims the X550 can last for 4 days, with up to 30 days on standby. However, the MT6735 chipset is typically targeted at entry-level smartphones, so performance isn’t top notch – but it runs fine without any lags, even when playing some of our favourite action games from Google Play.
 
In terms of cameras, the Bluboo X550 features a 13 megapixel rear camera with flash and a 5 megapixel front camera. It weighs in at 186 grams, which is on the heavier side but in terms of thickness, Bluboo has kept it below 9.5 mm, which is impressive.

The asking price?  The X550 can range between US$140 to US$160, depending on where you look online.
 
2) Oukitel K6000 

This 5.5-inch model is a brand new offering from Oukitel and is only slated to start shipping after mid-November. It comes with a whopping 6000mAh battery which Oukitel claims can last 10 days under normal use, and 40 days of standby.

One additional benefit cited by the company is the inclusion of a chipset within the charging adapter itself which features a charging safety mechanism. This adapter also provides fast charging capabilities which provides 2 hours of talk time with just 5 minutes of charging.
 
The rest of the specifications are pretty much identical to the Bluboo X550, with an HD display (1280 x 720 resolution), the same MediaTek MT6735 chipset, 2GB of memory and 16GB of storage with support for external memory cards. It also comes with a 13 megapixel camera at the back and 5 megapixel front camera.
 
With such a large battery, it’s surprising to note that it’s actually lighter than the Bluboo at 180 grams, but in terms of thickness, it still comes in at an acceptable 9.7 mm.

Pricing-wise, the Oukitel K6000 will set you back US$140, which is competitive against other products utilising similar specifications especially the chipset.
 
3) Homtom HT6 

Taking it a step further, the Homtom HT6 is almost identical to the previous two devices on this list in terms of specifications, except for the battery.

This smartphone, which began shipping this month, comes with a massive 6250mAH battery, the largest on this list.  At the time of writing, we weren’t able to find any smartphones that could top the Homtom in terms of battery capacity. The company claims 7 days of average use and 72 hours of talking time, and we anticipate this would beat the Oukitel in terms of standby times too, all things being equal. Homtom also claims 30 minutes of charging will provide up to 75% of juice.
 
Unfortunately the average specifications on the rest of the device are also here.  An HD display (1280 x 720 resolution), the MediaTek MT6735 and 2GB of RAM with 16GB of storage feature.  If all this sounds familiar, that’s because it is. However, at 170 grams, it is lighter than both the Oukitel and the Bluboo, although it’s also slightly thicker than the two at 9.9 mm.
 
The price is set to compete very effectively, as it also costs US$140, and yet the HT6 is equipped with the largest battery of all. 
 
4) Innos D6000 
 
Among the smartphones on this list, the Innos D6000 is arguably the one with the highest overall specifications (not just with the battery) and falls into the upper end of the mid-range category.

The D6000 actually comes with 2 separate batteries inside, one of which is removable. The 2500mAh internal battery continues to work even when the removable 3500mAh one is taken out, which is pretty neat. The device will actually utilise the charge from the removable battery first until it’s flat, after which it will start drawing the power from the internal battery.
 
Innos included a fast charging capability through its reversible microUSB Type-C port, which the company claims can provide 7 hours of standby time with just 15 minutes of charging. It can apparently last up to 3 days of continuous use without requiring a recharge, and up to 24 hours of web browsing over a 4G network connection. 

The 5.2-inch device isn’t the largest on this list but the size is more convenient for one-handed usage. The screen is the sharpest among the bunch with a Full HD (1920 x 1080 resolution) IPS display, and Innos has employed a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 chipset backed by 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, double that of the Bluboo and Oukitel models. External memory cards are also supported.

However, the higher specifications do come at a price, and the Innos D6000 costs a hundred dollars more than the previous three on the list, at US$240.  Still, this is considered pretty good value for the overall package.
 
5) GIONEE MARATHON M5 

The most expensive smartphone on this list is the Gionee Marathon M5, or simply known as Gionee M5 in many countries.

This 5.5-inch smartphone features a  6020mAh battery, which sits between the Oukitel and the Homton.  As such you can expect similar usage times, which would be at least 4 days or more without a recharge.

What’s unique about the Gionee is the bright, vibrant AMOLED display which provides higher colour saturation and contrast.  Not many vendors employ large AMOLED screens aside from Samsung, so this is a highlight feature for the M5.
 
The main specifications are actually similar to the Oukitel, Bluboo and Homtom, in terms of the Mediatek MT6735 processor, 2GB of memory and 16GB of storage.
 
But the cameras are an upgrade from the other models, as they don’t rely on interpolation to squeeze out 13 megapixels and 5 megapixels from the sensors.  Gionee says the device also comes with a phase detection autofocus (PDAF) system which takes just 0.3 seconds to focus, allowing users to take photos more instantaneously.
 
The M5 is also the thinnest of the lot at just 8.5 mm, although its full metal body brings the weight up to a hefty 214 grams.
 
At US$299, the Gionee Marathon M5 may be asking a lot for what is ultimately a lower mid-range model but the company more than makes it up with a brilliant screen, a premium looking design, as well as better imaging technology.

And not to forget - a monster battery to go along with all that.in

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