Compact [And Cheap] Solar Charger For iPhone 3G/3GS

So this isn’t the first cheap iPhone solar charger I’ve covered here and it certainly won’t be the last. This time around we have an on device solar charger for the iPhone 3G/3GS up for review called the Mi-Power which goes for about $20.

Solar Charger Battery Size

Like the last $20 charger I mentioned the Mi-Power‘s internal battery is one of the smallest, but compared to other solar chargers out there it is also one of the smallest form fitting cases out there. It only adds 8 millimeters to the back of the iPhone and weighs in at under 2.5 ounces. What it really comes down to is overall size versus battery size. Want a compact solar charger? Go with the Mi-Power. Want a big battery? Go with the Freeloader Pro or P-Flip.

So just how small is the battery? The Mi-Power has a 450 mAh internal battery. S0 based on how much charge my P-Flip‘s 2000 mAh battery can dish out, the Mi-Power can deliver about a 25 percent charge to an iPhone 3G or 3GS. Not bad for a little extra juice to get you by but it may not be enough for heavy iPhone users or extended trips away from a power source (unless you lightly use your iPhone).

Charge Times

I’ve been searching high and low for everything I could find about this solar iPhone charger, but have come up a little short on the solar charge time and usb charge time. Don’t worry. I’ve contacted Mi-Life and just waiting for their reply at this point. Based on the amount of portable solar chargers I’ve seen, a fair estimate for the Mi-Power is about 6+ hours of sun light or 2-3 hours on a USB.

The Mi-Power is awesome if you like small and don’t require tons of extra battery power. Because this is a solar charger case (read more about that category of solar chargers here) the Mi-Power will only work with iPhone 3G and 3GS models. On the plus side there is also a solid, 5 of 5 star review on Amazon too.