Mophie gets tough with Juice Pack Pro iPhone 4/4S case

The new Juice Pack Pro is a rugged case that has an integrated 2,500 mAh-capacity battery.

David Carnoy Executive Editor / Reviews

Executive Editor David Carnoy has been a leading member of CNET's Reviews team since 2000. He covers the gamut of gadgets and is a notable reviewer of mobile accessories and portable audio products, including headphones and speakers. He's also an e-reader and e-publishing expert as well as the author of the novels Knife Music, The Big Exit and Lucidity. All the titles are available as Kindle, iBooks, Nook e-books and audiobooks.

Expertise Mobile accessories and portable audio, including headphones, earbuds and speakers Credentials

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David Carnoy

June 5, 2012 10:43 a.m. PT

The Mophie Juice Pack Pro retails for $129.99 (click to enlarge). Mophie

Think of Mophie's new Juice Pack Pro as an Otterbox case that's packing a 2,500 mAh battery that more than doubles the battery life of your iPhone 4 or 4S.

Mophie would probably argue that the Juice Pack Pro is actually tougher than an Otterbox case. It's touting its first ruggedized battery pack case as exceeding military specification MIL-STD 810G, which is pretty tough.

That said, the case is water-resistant but not totally waterproof (it can't go underwater). It has a built-in screen protector and comes with a rotating belt clip. According to Mophie, that 2,500 mAh capacity battery provides 150 percent extra battery for the iPhone 4/4S and is the largest battery case the company currently offers.

Other features worth noting: the included USB cable enables simultaneous charge and sync (with iTunes), and an on/off toggle switch lets you choose between standby and charging mode. Like other Mophie battery cases, an integrated four-LED status indicator lets you know how much "juice" is left and also displays how much time remains during the charging process.

Needless to say, it's not a lightweight case (the shipping weight is listed as 1 pound) and it is rather pricey at $129.95. But for those who want both a seriously rugged case and a built-in battery extender, this will definitely be on your short list.

As soon as I get my hands on one, I'll let you know just how bulky it really is.