Customer Reviews

Pelican PL-1103 GB Advance SP Long-life Battery Pack (20-hour)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

(I'm skipping over the actual 'How long does it last?' stuff since I just got this and my use isn't typical anyway :P...it does last at least 2x longer than the original though)

This is just a replacement battery (Pelican PL-1103 Extended Life Battery Pack) that is 1000mAh instead of the stock 600mAh AGS-003 battery that comes with the GBA SP(2).

It's attached to a silver 'grip' cover that adds about an extra quarter of an inch to the entire bottom of the SP since the battery is thicker than the stock one, and it acts as a new battery cover (which you remove/replace with the included mini screwdriver).

Just a warning, if you use Pelican's 'Leather Glove' for the SP, it will not fit over the GBA SP if you use this battery, due to the added thickness the battery+grip/cover adds.

...if you're willing to 'break' your new battery, you -can- however twist the grip gently back and forth until the casing cracks and you're able to pry the battery away from the rest of the cover (minus the 'back' side of the plastic casing...be careful not to actually damage the guts of the battery :P)...you can then place it in the GBA SP, and the Leather Glove will fit perfectly while also holding the battery in tight.

I've used this battery for well over a year now. There's no question that it lasts significantly longer than the stock battery - probably twice as long or so. Considering that I picked this up for about $7 including shipping, I consider it one of the best purchases I've made in the past couple of years. It does make the GBA noticeably heavier, but I consider the tradeoff highly worth it.

I got this one knowing that it wouldn't fit in the GBA SP as the old one did. However, the few reviews I found made it sound OK.

The Good:
This battery does charge fast and last a long time. It doesn't make the Gameboy Advance SP look ugly or weigh it down much. I only notice a little tightness in the fit on one of my two containers I use when taking it with me. It's not that bulky. It comes with its own little screwdriver so you don't have to track one down.

The Bad:
There are no instructions included. In fact, the box specifically states it has a 3 year warranty if it damages the system, more details included in the manual. THERE IS NO MANUAL INCLUDED! It's not like this is rocket science, but a web search for instructions did yield one piece of information, to remove the original battery starting from the left side. Pelican's site also no longer lists this product, so it's very unlikely they'll stand behind it. Disappointing.

Now, the actual battery. While the back plate runs along the back to give it stability, it doesn't fit perfectly. There is a slight, but noticeable shifting if you put pressure on the top part of the panel and then the back. Even minimal motion has the potential to damage the inner workings of the machine. You can minimize how often it shifts by learning where to place your fingers, but you can't stop it entirely and balancing the GBA is annoying.

In conclusion, I wanted a new battery because my old one still worked, but had lost about half its charge. I have so far enjoyed all the Pelican products I've purchased, but I do somewhat regret getting this model instead of one that fits inside the unit. I picked up a spare original GBA as a backup for $20, so I'm not as worried as if this were my only Gameboy, but they should have done a better job on the design.

Although the questions refer to a game, what I purchased was a replacement battery which works just fine.

This battery does not fit into the gameboy like the original battery.