When Apple released its battery case for the iPhone 6 and 6S almost two years ago, there was only one response: What the heck is that?

For a company that placed a high value on aesthetics, it was strange to see such an obvious, unsightly bump on the back of the new iPhone battery case. Obviously, the purpose of the bump was clear, but Apple of all companies normally takes great pride in making their products as “beautiful” as possible. This new battery case and its camera bump wasn’t exactly what most would consider “beautiful”.

I owned an iPhone 6S at the time, and I was immediately not interested in the case. I owned a similar case for the EVO 4G back in the day to fit an extended battery, and although it did a good job making the phone last for a day – sometimes a shocking day and a half with light use (quite the feat at the time) – I absolutely abhorred the way it looked and felt in the hand. Thus, I assumed that this new iPhone battery case, which shared so many similarities with the old EVO 4G one, would be equally unpleasant.

At the same time, I also realized that I was not happy with the battery case I had been using. Although I was (and still am, occasionally) a frequent user of battery cases, there was always something off about them in one way or another. Most of the time, my problem was that battery cases usually don’t work well as both an extended battery and a good, protective case. Although I considered the iPhone’s battery case ugly, I figured that unsightliness was a better compromise than a broken or dead phone, and as somebody who drops her phone often, I needed something more protective than the slight lip the case I had been using gave my phone. I ordered the battery case.

From the moment I put the case on the phone, I realized I was wrong. It did look an awful lot like the EVO 4G extended battery, but the Smart Battery Case didn’t feel as weird as it did. In fact, it felt really nice. The soft rubbery finish of Apple’s case, and even the unsightly hump in the back, worked excellently together to provide a solid grip on an otherwise slippery device. The case was all in one piece – no pulling anything apart – and once on the device it fit like a glove. There was even a significant lip over the screen that kept it relatively safe. Safer than any battery case I had previously owned, anyway.

Unfortunately, despite all that was good with the case, there were still some caveats about it that I didn’t like. There wasn’t any way to switch the case on or off, which I suppose gave it the “smart” moniker. The case would basically charge your phone back to 100% constantly once the phone’s battery started draining. Although it was said that this had no long term ill-effect on the phone’s battery, I had my doubts. The case was also pretty expensive at $99; cheaper alternatives could get you more battery to keep your phone chugging along longer if that was your goal.  

Otherwise, as both a protective case and an extended battery, Apple did a pretty good job. I’m disappointed that they haven’t made any for newer iPhones. Despite its unsightliness, it really was one of the best battery cases I have owned. I have yet to find another battery case that felt as comfortable and works well as a battery extension and a case for any phone I've owned.

Readers, what are some of your favorite battery cases you've used? Let us know in the comments below!