Battery replacement question - Genuine or third-party?
Most devices still give you the option of replacing the battery yourself without needing special tools or having to dismantle the damn thing down to its component molecules. But when it comes to battery replacement, what kind of battery do you choose?
You have three options:
- Genuine replacement - You know you're getting the right battery. In fact, you'll be getting the exact same thing (minus any tiny production tweaks) as what shipped with your device when new. Expect to pay a premium price for genuine replacements.
- Well-known third-party - There are a few to choose from. Mugen Power is one such brand. The company makes third-party replacement batteries for a wide range of devices. Also available are higher-capacity batteries, which should give you more runtime than the stock battery.
- Cheapo no-name third-party - Uhhhh, what can I say. Expect the unexpected. You might get a good replacement battery, half-decent battery, or you might get one that's worse than the one you're replacing (I've had all sorts of luck with these sorts of batteries ... but mostly bad luck).
So, which do you go for?
[poll id="590"]
If I'm replacing a battery in a device then I'll go either for a genuine replacement or a good-quality third-party battery. Price is usually the determining factor, and since genuine replacement parts (especially for older device) can be prohibitively expensive, more often than not I go for a good quality third-party part.
If I'm just looking for a spare battery to keep on charge and throw into a device in an emergency (when I'm away for example) then there are times when I'll take my chances with a cheap third-party replacement, or try to pick up second-hand battery.
[poll id="591"]