What mAH Rating Is and Why You Need to Consider It When Buying Phone Batteries

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Mobile phone users rely completely on their phones for all their needs relating to work and entertainment. Rather than using the device just for making and receiving calls, mobile phones are used for a multiple number of other tasks, as well. Whether it is checking or sending mails, listening to music, playing games, socialising, or clicking pictures, these gadgets cater to each and every individual need of mobile users. This clearly suggests the need for having a big, powerful mobile phone battery that can help the mobile device scrape through at least a single day of heavy usage. The performance capabilities and the efficiency of the battery are based on a number of factors; the battery's mAH rating being the most important trait. Higher mAH ratings have always been synonymous with longer battery life. It means that a mobile phone battery's ability to hold charge would only go up with an increase in its mAH ratings. No matter what type of battery a mobile phone supports, the basic principle works in the same manner for all.

About Phone Batteries

Batteries are considered to be the heart of mobile phones. These small power houses supply the necessary oxygen needed for mobile devices to stay alive during usage or while in standby. Mobile phone batteries are generally made from nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride, or lithium ion cells. These cells hold on to the electric charge and power up a mobile phone for a prolonged duration of time. With modern mobile phones becoming capable of performing more advanced features, the need for more battery life is only increasing. As a result, manufacturers are coming up with batteries with mAH ratings like never before. A battery's mAh rating suggests the capacity of the battery to hold power for a certain period of time. Smartphones are equipped with batteries capable of keeping the device alive for a couple of days, without being charged. With technological innovation at its all-time high, it would be interesting to see what new features do manufacturers come up with in the years to come.

What Is mAH rating?

All mobile phone batteries come with a certain capacity to store electric energy for a specific period of time. This capacity of the mobile batteries is expressed in terms of mAH. mAH stands for Milli-Ampere Hour and the rating defines the ability of the mobile battery to perform for a specific period, typically one hour. The higher mAH ratings are sometimes misunderstood as how fast the current is drawn from the battery. Rather, the higher mAH ratings indicate how long the current can be drawn from the battery until it is completely discharged. This is one aspect that almost every mobile phone user must consider before purchasing a replacement battery.

Standby Time and Talk-Time

A mobile phone battery's mAH rating determines the period or the number of hours or days a battery can keep the mobile phone alive on a single charge. For instance, a 1000 mAH battery is capable of providing 100 milliamps for a period of 10 hours, and a battery with 2000 mAH capacity can supply similar volume of current for a period of 20 hours. The larger the number of mAH rating on the battery, the less frequent would be the need to recharge the phone. The number of hours mainly varies across different OEMs or manufacturers and is also governed by the usage patterns.

mAH Rating

Standby Time (2G)

Talk-Time (2G)

1000 mAH

360-500 Hours

8-10 Hours

1200 mAH

450-560 Hours

10-12 Hours

1300 mAH

550-600 Hours

14-16 Hours

1450 mAh

360-800 Hours

15-18 Hours

2000 mAH

480-860 Hours

18-22 Hours

Cell Voltage

Mobile phone batteries are usually single cell batteries and operate on a 3.7V cell voltage; mobile phones are normally rated in Volt Amps. This suggests that the voltage of the mobile phone battery would last for a specific period at the given amperage (Milliamp Hours). If the amperage rating is too low for the mobile phone, the voltage drop will render the communication device non-usable after some time. This could prove to be fatal for the device in the long run.

mAH Rating and Types of Battery

Different mobile phone batteries with the same mAH rating need not have the same shelf life. The technology used in manufacturing the battery, the usage pattern, the mobile phone software, etc. determine the overall performance of a mobile phone battery. mAH is just an indication; it need not always translate into real-time results. Buyers should look into their mobile phone needs and power requirements when buying a mobile phone battery.

Battery Type


Lithium Polymer

A lithium polymer battery is the most efficient; it can last much longer when compared to other battery types with the same mAH ratings.


Lithium-ion batteries that have the same mAH rating as nickel cadmium and nickel metal hydride batteries will provide a far better back-up, comparatively.

Nickel Metal Hydride

The NiMH batteries with an mAH rating similar to NiCD batteries will provide better performance due to the reduced memory effect.

Nickel Cadmium

Due to the memory effect, nickel cadmium are less efficient when compared to other types of batteries with the same mAH rating.

Why Consider mAH Rating When Buying Phone Batteries?

Mobile phones usually come with a battery out-of-the-box. These batteries are manufactured by the mobile phone company and are probably the most compatible battery for the device. Mobile phones and battery compatibility is a huge issue; not every mobile handset can pair up with all standalone mobile phone batteries. Power requirements of mobile phones vary, too; a smartphone's battery needs are much higher when compared to feature phones or basic handsets. Mobile phone usage patterns also determine the life of the battery on a single charge. If an individual uses the phone for clicking pictures, listening to music, making calls and surfing the Internet for several hours together, the battery would drain out fairly quickly. Such feature-rich or high-capacity mobile phones would need batteries with higher mAH ratings. Otherwise, the user would end up charging the phone multiple times in a day.

Finding Phone Batteries on eBay

eBay is one of the leading online platforms for mobile phone batteries. Just launch the eBay website, highlight the Electronics & Technology segment on the left side panel and click the Mobile Phones & Communication sub-category appearing in the drop-down menu. Clicking the Batteries option listed in the left panel on the landing page will open up a whole list of batteries available with the online seller. Alternatively, the search bar given at the top of every eBay web page can also be used if buyers are not too keen on filtering and narrowing down their results. Buyers just need to key-in the required keyword 'mobile battery' in the empty search bar and click the Search button. Selecting the 'Mobile Phones & Communication' category from the drop-down menu would give out more refined results. Once the ideal battery is located on the website, users can make a purchase right away or indulge in bidding, if the eBay seller is providing the option. eBay sells its products through third party sellers. It is, therefore, important that the ratings and reputation of the seller on the website is checked prior to purchasing the product. There are several payment options with eBay; buyers can choose an option they find convenient and easy.


A battery for a mobile phone is as important as the software of the phone. The phone's software would be deemed useless if there is no battery to fuel it up. The life of a mobile phone battery is limited. Irrespective of how careful and cautious users are about their phones, the battery would wither away once it exhausts its shelf life. The features of the mobile phone, the degree of operations, and the type and voltage of battery affect the performance of the battery. That said, battery life has never been an issue for basic mobile phone users. This whole mobile phone battery life outcry has only begun with smartphone users. People who are on the lookout for a replacement battery should consider the mAH rating of the battery and also its compatibility with the mobile phone. After all, the battery is the most important piece of hardware for any mobile phone; an incapable or non-sufficient battery would only render the phone useless and will put all of its advanced software features to shame.

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