This ginormous Lumia 950 XL battery lasts 3 full days

By Zac Bowden
last updated

Have you ever wanted a really big battery for your Lumia 950 XL? Look no further than this 9300mAh power pack.

If you're still rocking a Lumia 950 XL (god bless you) but aren't too pleased with how long your battery lasts, we might have a solution. Mugen Power, an accessory maker, happens to sell a huge internal 9,300mAh battery for the 950 XL that costs $100 (though it's currently on sale). But be warned: It makes your Lumia 950 XL look really silly.

There's a reason smartphones don't come with super large batteries, and that's because they make phone super large. A 4,000mAh battery is about as big as you can go before things start getting chunky. So, a 9,300mAh battery is pretty big, and as you can tell by our images, it makes your Lumia 950 XL pretty ... fat. This is an internal battery, meaning there are no external power packs.

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Aesthetics

The battery is so big, Mugen Power provides its own custom shell for the 950 XL that you have to use. The 9,300mAh battery doesn't fit inside a normal shell for the 950 XL. With the Mugen Power shell on, your Lumia 950 XL will be a whopping 0.66 inches thick.

More related stories about the Lumia 950 XL

On the plus side, that raw thickness gives you an extended amount of battery. Instead of lasting a day on the normal 3,500mAh battery, you can get up to three whole days off a single charge.

Battery life

I've been using the Mugen Power battery for around two weeks. Most of the time the battery lasts three days, dropping under 10 percent on the third day. Sometimes, however, I just can't get that mileage. I don't know if it's how I'm using the phone, a bug with Windows 10 Mobile, or an issue with my battery. With the 9,300mAh battery, I'll sometimes get two days, or in a worst case scenario, a day and a half. That's still an improvement, but not by much. On average, I get two to three days of battery on a single charge.

Charging the Mugen Power battery is also slightly odd. I've noticed the device will charge to about 70 percent pretty quickly, but from there it'll take two or more hours to charge from 70 percent to 100 percent. I also assume Windows 10 Mobile itself isn't all that accustomed to measuring battery life from a 9,300mAh cell, which might be causing its own issues with the percentage indicator.

Lumia 950: A year later

The Mugen Power shell doesn't creak, unlike the stock shells that ship with the device. I have noticed that the buttons feel clickier too, although that might just be unique to my shell.

In conclusion ...

Overall, I really like the Mugen Power battery shell. It gives you great battery life (most of the time), and although it is incredibly thick, it doesn't feel too bad when in hand or in your pocket. You may get some funny looks in the street, but what does that matter when your phone is on a three-day streak with no charger in sight?

There's also a version of the Mugen Power battery for the smaller Lumia 950 too. The battery is also smaller, being 6200mAh instead of 9300mAh, but that's because the size of the 950 is smaller in general, and as a result doesn't have enough room to fit a 9300mAh. While I haven't personally tested the 6200mAh battery, Mugen Power says their battery should double your Lumia 950 battery life. Check it out here. (opens in new tab)

The one thing that may put people off is the price. This battery and shell usually cost $99.99, which isn't cheap by any stretch of the imagination. You can get them for $79.99 right now on Amazon, however. If you really want longer lasting battery, the cost is worth it. If you're OK with getting through a day on a single charge, I'd probably steer clear.

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Zac Bowden
Zac Bowden
Senior Editor

Zac Bowden is a Senior Editor at Windows Central. Bringing you exclusive coverage into the world of Windows on PCs, tablets, phones, and more. Also an avid collector of rare Microsoft prototype devices! Keep in touch on Twitter: @zacbowden.

83 Comments
  • Is there such a battery for Lumina 650?
  • I wish so much that there was one...
  • Yes there is one for the 950.. Jus search Amazon... I saw it yesterday
  • Also, search Amazon for some reading glasses.
  • That link is for 950 not 950 XL
  • Why not both? https://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Delectronics&fi...
  • We fixed that link. It's the right one now. Thanks for pointing that out.
  • NFC? And qi?
  • It's the right link if you're in Canada.
  • If this is possible without frying the phone, then what prevents OEMs from going for bigger batteries in their phones?
  • Do you think anyone would choose to buy this chunky monstrosity when sitting next to an iPhone?
  • Obviously there is a market for it. Many people don't care how their phone looks. Personally I'm sick of how thin phones are. Just today I had someone call me, I had to type and my headset was not within reach. Trying to press the phone between my head and shoulder while typing and talking sucked.
  • If there was a market, someone would fill it presumably. Thin phones sell. The thick ones have not been as successful. Looking good on the shelf seems to be really important.
  • Here is the market being filled. The Sam company makes similar products for other devices, including other brands of phones and handheld electronics. If there wasn't a market they wouldn't be selling it.
  • If thin phones were a huge hit the Moto Z would be flying off the shelves. Barely anyone knows it exists. Its not about how the phone looks as much as how it's marketed. iPhone and Samsung phones have all the marketing budget. I am sure they could find a way to sell tens of millions of a bulky, three-day-battery phone.
  • A person who owns a 950xl is not interested in being fashionable.
    That's why they didn't make the battery for iPhone.
  • You really think they don't make these things for iPhone?!
  • Things or batteries?
  • Anything. You can find anything for the iPhone.
  • Find a large battery replacement for an iPhone. Not an external battery.
  • Since the battery isn't removable, you can't... OWAITICWUTUDIDTHERE
  • Hey, he said anything, in the article about a large replacement battery.
  • Choose substance, choose life 😉
  • If a pile of crap was sitting next to an iPhone. .. I would buy the pile of crap.
  • That is an accurate description of a Windows phone.
  • Windows Mobile fanboy mentality right there folks. "It's a piece of crap, but at least it ain't Apple!"
  • Of course it lasts 3 days.  You can't do anything on a windows mobile phone except text, check emails and make phone calls!
  • You can also add/edit Office 365 contacts on W10M. How is that on your droid?
  • Microsoft fixed that.
  • Dunno...I don't use android as my daily driver...however,  its no problem on my iphone.
  • Probably for all of the reasons outlined in the article.
  • How much heavier did this make 950XL Zac?
  • Its in the article
  • Nope, there is no mention of the difference in weight. Just the thickness is mentioned.
  • ""although it is incredibly thick, it doesn't feel too bad when in hand or in your pocket"""
  • Its in the article
  • Ahhh...the 950XL. I switched to a Samsung Galaxy S8+. Within a week i realized all the stories about how Android is no longer clunky, sluggish, and disorganized were complete B.S. I fought through it though for sometime now. Then just yesterday I decided the OS was just to ridiculous to deal with. I pulled out my old 950XL and reset it back up. Was so excited at how the OS was as great as I remember. Then the news that the Movie Pass service had launched. Went right to the website to sign up. I clicked "sign up" and was told to go any further I needed to install the mobile app first. Well, you can guess what OS didnt make the cut. Complete frusterating. Use the phone with the best mobile OS and be crippled do to services that require apps or be able to do what I want with the OS that has every app, but struggle the whole time because of how much the OS fights you. If these develoepers would jsut get their heads out of their asses and support the OS plain and simple because it is better, we would all be better off. Ugh, ugh, ugh.
  • My GS8 is crazy fast. No issues here. I did disable almost every app or service with "Samsung" in the name though. Maybe that is why?
  • So you buy an expensive phone then disable functionality to make it run properly?
  • Duplicate services. Same thing I would do with a new HP or Dell PC. Windows has trained me to do this. Do you leave all the bloatware on your machines?
  • Have you had the chance to use the Movie Pass service? I'm considering it, but the wife and I really enjoy Lux Level the few times we go to the movies.
  • I just signed up today and have to wait for the card in the mail. I'll let you know.
  • Ok. Just used it last night at a Goodrich theater and it went down in without a hitch. Noticed certain theaters like AMC aren't participating in this, and was told by an employee at Goodrich that AMC is actually suing Movie Pass. Ridiculous, but whatever.bback on to the phones; I only hope Panos is pulling something out of his ass... This Android garbage isn't cutting it.
  • Interesting. I'm going to have to check all the local theaters. There has to be one near by that has a similar experience to LUX that showcase does that we can use this at. $10 I know we'd go multiple times per month. I agree btw, Android just doesn't do it for me. I miss too much from Windows Mobile. I truly hope they make something in the next couple years that really lets me go back and have an experience/apps I need.
  • Yeah... Android will probably never be as fast and smooth as iOS or wp/wm.
  • Maybe you have an argument with smooth, but WP will never be even close to Android in speed. Even my gaming rig takes a long time to open Windows apps. I can open Chrome and browse to Facebook before the Facebook app splash screen even appears!
  • Yea do a Facebook test on Android versus w10m and see which opens first. You'll have browsed through your news feed, become bored, and you'd still be waiting for the w10m version to open.
  • I see you haven't used slimsocial.
  • Oh right, I forgot the best part of the Windows Mobile platform, having to go on an alternative app adventure to get the same features or speed that other platforms have with first party or native apps.
  • Who can get through a single day with the 950XL on a single charge? My 950XL is ~ 50% @ noon.
  • I regularly get through the day with my 950XL without charging.  I have a lagdroid LG V20 phone that does nothing but sit there and with some apps I need, if I leave that phone unplugged and doing nothing, that phone will drop to 80% doing nothing.  Lagdroid still has no battery management in it.
  • ...you can customize the battery usage of every single app individually... Sorry if your LG doesn't get battery life that's acceptable to you, but it's kind of ridiculous to say there's no power management on Android phones.
  • I find, with my 950XL - it depends where I am. If I am in a location with variable mobile signal, I get ~50% by noon as you say. If I am in a lcoation with strong, constant 4G, it goes all day with some to spare.
  • My 950xl can't last more than 3 hours on a single charge because I'm a heavy user. This extended battery might be enough to get me through the day.
  • I can get through about 8 hours with my 950XL if I use it mildly. A whole day if I don't touch it, but never more than a full day.
  • Since the Creators Update, earlier this year I've been getting about 3 days on the standard battery (phone is about 16th months old), I have checked and timed this repeatedly, it is usually down to about 20% after 72 hours, it tends to crash through the last 20% pretty quickly though. In the last 4 months or so the phone has done the race condition total drain in a few hours trick maybe about 6 times, it is annoying when it does this, I guess it is a race in a single app or in the OS I've never attempted to debug it, phone gets red hot when it does this due to the rapid drain. The usage which gets me 72 hours is usually, next to no voice calls, checking email 10-15 times a day checking Skype, occasional browsing, ocassional camera use and occasional use for tethering my Surface Book or my ThinkPads.. I still absolutely love the 950 XL it has been a great phone, I do worry about the dev team's version control though as too often things that seem to be fixed seem to later become unfixed. I think if I had one of these Mugen monsters I would probably get about 6 or 7 days out of the phone at a time :) I could put up with the looks in order to get significantly longer tethering when out and about and I may well get one of these, I plan on keeping the 950 XL for a long time.
  • So, since it's not mentioned in the article.... does QI and NFC still work with this monstrosity?
  • what about NFC and wireless charging? Does it work?
  • Could have mentioned continuum, and how this makes it viable for all day wireless projection or something.
  • Oh, let me buy this cool slick and slim phone and put a battery on that is 3X bigger than the phone. Dam that is ugly
  • Yeah, but with latest builds it will probably last one full day, as opposed to 8 hours.
  • What about wireless charging and nfc are those features omitted with the mugen on your L950XL?
  • well, if you select the Amazon link there is an answer in the Q&A as well as a comment about this. Both of them say NO, Qi and NFC do not work with this battery. You might go to the Mugan website to conform.
  • What batery size does it report in AIDA64?
  • If you're still rocking a Lumia 950 XL (god bless you) You are right. I have a Lumia 950XL. Can you advise me on a suitable alternative with the same specs? So that would be 21MP f/1.9 PureView camera, 1440 x 2560 AMOLED screen, up to 256GB micro SD, fast charging (mine comes with a 3A charger), at least a 3340mAh battery (prefereably replaceable), IRIS scanner? I don't use NFC, wireless charging, replaceable back covers, Continuum (I'd like to but not ready yet) etc but if the suggested phone them - great. Anyone?
  • This is still way better than with a power bank that is attached to the phone with a short cable like what I have. It's hard to hold the power bank and the phone together.
  • It would be very useful if you travel a lot too - searching for sockets at airports etc. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hIoyb9L5g0 Obviously this doesn't apply to the new Samsungs... Unfortunately Microsoft don't do adverts, but if they did: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HieX7JzScmU
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_rLYrtJPPI Too late now though...
  • Considering most windows phones are coming to there end of life cycle don't think products like this make much sense now.
  • EOL? W10m development might have halted, but the OS don't die any time soon. APIs are being updated to support new UWP features, and my 950XL is going to have to last until the Surface Phone is released. So, if I'm unlucky I'll be able to use this large battery for several years still. On long trips on the mountains etc. this battery is golden compared to battery banks when I'm the move.
  • Unfortunately my 950XL is no more. So my only option was to ditch Windows phones and move to Android.
  • Not sure about where you live, but there are loads of 'almost new' Lumia 950XL's on ebay for very little money in Europe. I would certainly do this instead of switching to a mid-range Android device. I definately wouldn't switch to a high end iPhone/Android - waste of money compared to the 950XL's hardware. All depends whether you are a consumer of a professional I suppose. I don't use snapchat or Pokemon and need seamless Office 365 / Exchange features. Plus travelling a lot means a battery like this would be perfect for 'airport' days. I can then switch back to the normal size battery/ back when I get there.
  • Would have liked a version with flipover cover as I'd be using this on long walks in the moutains etc.
  • I actually like this because I feel like it protects the camera from getting scratched.
  • 4000mAh the limit? I think that can be stretched a little more. xiaomi can get that gigantic battery in their mi max 2, coupled with the snapdragon 625 to last easily 2 days and is still only 7.6mm thick. Their redmi note 4 has a 4100mAh beast and it comes almost as thin as the flagships by Samsung and Apple. And all at a super affordable price point. If xiaomi was to expand their market to the US and Europe I think they'd be very very successful
  • I would rather they fix the stupid problems they had so that my phone didn't die in 3 or 4 hours. I would buy this thing in a heartbeat if my phone wouldn't bleed it dry from all the overheating
  • why "god bless you" for 950xl? Ah, Mugen. Great company. Has supported windows phones for so many years now with their battery solutions. Amazing. This reminds me of their support for the HTC hd2 and Titsn x310e too. Have all been worth the investment in my experience although thee plastic covers have been fragile. 9300 mAh is a monstrous battery size, over 3x the standard. I can imagine the proprietary high price. The phone should last three days on one charge. 70-100% slow charging rate sounds similar to the issue with topping up in electric cars. Interesting!  
  • My Lumia 950 XL is the best. 
  • I had one for my 950, was amazing but I had trouble with the battery: every time I shot a photo with flash on was causing sometimes a system freeze. That was not the case with the original battery and apart from this the Mugen battery was fantastic. I never tried one with my 950 XL but I am certain that its battery life will be much better.
  • That's amazing that someone is still producing stuff for Windows Phones and the Lumia series. Far out. I would buy it just to support the manufacturer even though my 950 XL is long dead (god save the 950 XL)
  • Man that's pretty awesome Mugen supports Lumia still. My 950xl is gone now. Otherwise I'd buy this beast just to show it off. Haters gonna hate.
  • my 950XL is still hanging in there.  I was not so sure a few months ago, but all is well now.  The Mozo Red case is the worse for wear - all creaky and poppy with sticky buttons - but ordered the Mugen 9300 and expect to solve both the one day use and creaky/poppy issues.  Reasonable foreplay is helpful in managing the current battery, for example.  I drive everywhere so I am plugged into car charger to extend life during meetings (while I play Audible Books - usually thriller or space battle scifi).  My next phone is a Surface Phone or Surface Pocketable, whichever, or if Panos cannot deliover one of those, then an HTC or One+ that I can try to sideload Win 10 M onto like we all used to do with WinCE/6.5 on XDA weith our Titan I or II or ... loved it when I had a ROM load every other day or so.
  • Now that's what I call THICK!
  • Just an FYI...strangely enough I ordered the 9300Mah battery for my XL based on Zac's article and it arrived Monday.  Charged it on Tuesday and kept it on the charger until normal get up time on Wednesday - about 0630.  I am going to bed now on Thursday night at 2315 and it has not seen an electron from a charging unit...car or wall.  So two NORMAL days of phone calls, emails on three accounts, finishing up an Audible space opera in the car, text traffic, and some web browsing.  Charge after two days:  50%.  not bad.  u dun gud zac.  Too heavy.  Nope.  a little smoother and than it should be, but nice to the touch.  very solid feel with none of the crackles and popos of my 18 month old Mozo with, I note, small cracks in the metal around the power and volume buttons.  Note that I don't do movies nor take many pictures since I would not know good composition and coloration from a hold in the ground.  I also don't do but one game and that is a word game like Scrabble.