Do refurbished phones have new batteries?

Back Market’s battery standards

Not all refurbished phones come with a new battery because they don't all need one. At 80% battery capacity, the overall charge cycle of the device is considered healthy. Back Market enforces a Quality Charter with all sellers to guarantee smartphones sold on our marketplace have at least 80% battery health and 100% charge capacity.

Do brand new batteries come from the original manufacturer?

Brand new batteries don’t always come from the original manufacturer because they don’t always perform better. Yep, you could say that feeling the need to have an Apple battery for an Apple device is just really great marketing on Apple’s part. So, you don’t need to worry if the brand-new battery for your iPhone isn’t by Apple. 

All sellers on our marketplace are required to implement a series of rigorous tests that ensure a brand-new battery performs as well and efficiently as a battery from an original manufacturer. We double down on this by monitoring listings on our marketplace and diving deep on our side if there are any customer reviews about battery quality.

If there’s anything that feels off with your battery-boosted smartphone, Back Market Customer Care (yes, real humans!) is available 7 days a week to help with any questions or concerns. Plus, anything you buy on Back Market comes with a 1-year warranty, free standard shipping, and 30 days to change your mind.

Which is better for you: 85% or 100%?

At the end of the day, anything over 80% total battery capacity will essentially be no different than 100% total battery capacity. There’s a small bit of autonomy loss (a.k.a. the amount of time you can be away from a charger) with battery health that’s under 100%, but it isn’t that noticeable until it drops below 80%. After a battery drops below 80% capacity, it’s challenging for it to hold a charge for a full day, which is another reason why we require sellers to only use batteries with 85% capacity or above. 

If you spend long hours away from a charger or run multiple apps on your smartphone frequently, a brand new battery with 100% capacity might be a good fit for you.

What does the “Unable to Verify Genuine Battery” notification really mean?

Apple has an icky history of creating notifications when non-Apple products are used with their tech — everything from charging and aux cords to batteries. This is a common scare tactic of big companies to spook customers from using non-Apple parts, which are often more affordable than the ones they provide and which can work just as well.

What is “battery capacity”?

The amount of energy a battery can hold is measured in capacity, which is also considered the leading health indicator for a battery. The life of a battery is specified in the number of cycles. A cycle is a full discharge (0%) to a full charge (100%). That’s why we recommend keeping your charge level close to 50% and unplugging your smartphone before it’s fully charged — this minimizes the number of cycles, allowing your battery to last longer. 

The optimal charge for your battery is between 20% and 80%. Most smartphones today come with optimized charging features that slow down battery charging when it reaches 80%.

Of course, there are other ways you can protect your battery’s health. Lightning chargers, while tempting to use because of their rapid charge times, are harsh on battery capacity and exacerbate its natural degradation. Making sure to keep your smartphone cool is another, as elevated temperatures can damage the battery.

The bottom line on smartphone battery capacity & health

To sum it up, there's not that much difference between 85% to 100% when it comes to battery capacity, especially given Back Market's quality charter and quality control. Not all refurbished marketplaces guarantee this, so make sure you are extra careful if you’re buying elsewhere.

If you decide that you do want 100% charge while still cutting the planet a break, a brand new battery might be right for you. But remember — all batteries degrade over time, and how much you use your smartphone is a major factor in battery health.