Which accessories really extend a phone's life — and which are a waste of money?

You've bought a new phone. Perhaps you paid 200, 300, 600, or even well over 1000 euros for it. Now comes the question that most buyers only ask when it's too late: how do you protect it to make it last as long as possible?

The market is flooded with accessories that promise to protect your phone from everything – from drops to moisture, from scratches to a drained battery. Some of these promises are actually fulfilled. Others are just good marketing and a waste of money.

In this guide, we take you through the most important categories of phone accessories, tell you what actually works, what is overkill, and what is not worth buying at all.

1. Screen Protector — does it really protect the screen?

The short answer: yes, and this is one of the few accessories where every euro truly counts.

Modern phone screens are made of tempered glass materials like Corning Gorilla Glass or Schott Xensation. These materials are hard and resistant, but they have one drawback — scratch resistance is excellent, but resistance to hard angled impacts is limited. A drop with keys or sand in your pocket will damage the screen faster than you think.

A screen protector (tempered glass) adds an extra layer between the screen and the world. When the phone falls, the glass absorbs the impact energy — and sometimes it cracks itself. But that's the purpose: better for a €10 screen protector to crack than a €150 screen.

What to look for when buying:

•        Look for the "9H hardness" label — this is the standard hardness for tempered glass that prevents scratches
•        Check that the glass also covers the edges of the screen, not just the center
•        Avoid the cheapest unbranded glass — a poor adhesive layer means bubbles and peeling off after two weeks
•        Privacy screens (which hide the screen from the side) are useful, but they slightly dim the screen

When to replace a screen protector: as soon as it cracks — even if the crack is small. A cracked screen no longer protects properly, and the edges of the cracks are sharp.

Conclusion: a screen protector is a mandatory purchase. It is the cheapest insurance policy for your most important screen.

2. Phone Case — which material truly protects your phone?

This is where it gets interesting, because the case market offers everything from €2 plastic to €80 designer leather items. Which one is right?

Most common materials:

TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) — the best balance between protection and price. TPU is slightly elastic, meaning it absorbs impact energy instead of transferring it to the phone. It wraps around every edge, doesn't crack on impact, and is easy to put on and take off. Downside: clear TPU cases yellow after 4 to 8 months of exposure to UV light and skin oils. Solution? Buy a colored one or replace it every six months.

PC (polycarbonate) — hard, rigid, scratch-resistant. Good for those who want a thin case with minimal added bulk. Downside: hard material does not absorb impact but disperses it — if it falls at the right angle, the case may crack, but the phone remains undamaged.

Silicone cases — soft, pleasant to the touch, excellent grip. Downside: they attract dust and lint like a magnet, deform over time, and start to fit poorly after 2 to 3 months.

Hybrid cases (TPU + PC) — the best combination. A hard outer shell disperses the impact, a soft inner layer absorbs the remaining energy. This is the material used for MIL-STD-810 certified cases. For a phone over €300, this is the right choice.

Leather cases — aesthetic, premium feel, good grip. However: they don't absorb impact significantly better than plastic, are more expensive, and require maintenance. Ideal for an office environment.

What is a total waste of money: magnetic cases for dashboard attachment that insert a metal insert between the phone and the case. This insert interferes with wireless charging and degrades signal quality.

Conclusion: for everyday protection, choose a hybrid TPU + PC case. For the office, a silicone or leather case is sufficient. Avoid the cheapest unbranded cases. Quality cases can be found at www.infostyleshop.com

3. Power bank — when is it worth it, when is it not?

A power bank is one of those accessories where a wrong purchase is costly. Not just financially — but also for your battery.

Cheap power banks from unknown brands often do not provide a stable voltage current. When charging your phone, they send uneven power — sometimes too much, sometimes too little. In the long run, this accelerates the degradation of the lithium-ion battery, which is expensive to replace in modern phones.

What to look for when buying a power bank:

•        Capacity: for one full phone charge with a ~5000 mAh battery, you need a power bank of at least 10,000 mAh
•        Fast charging: check if the power bank supports Quick Charge or USB Power Delivery (PD)
•        Brand: Anker, Baseus, Xiaomi, and Samsung are reputable brands in this segment
•        Number of output ports: for travel, a power bank with at least two USB ports and a USB-C input for its own charging is convenient

Conclusion: a power bank is an excellent accessory for active users — but only if you buy a quality one. A reputable brand and fast charging support are minimum requirements. Quality power banks can be found here.

4. Charging cable — why do cheap cables ruin batteries?

This is the category with the most incorrect decisions — and also one with the most severe consequences.

A charging cable looks simple on the outside: a wire with two connectors. But a quality cable is a precisely engineered piece of equipment. It contains insulated wires for power and data transmission, a grounding wire, protective shielding, and — in certified cables — a chip that controls voltage flow.

When you buy a cheap cable at a gas station: the cable has no voltage regulation. This means it sends unstable power to the phone. The battery overheats, its degradation accelerates, and in extreme cases, it can swell or even ignite.

What to look for when buying a cable:

•        Look for USB-IF certified cables (USB Implementers Forum) — this is an international quality standard
•        For iPhone: buy MFi certified cables (Made for iPhone/iPad) — without this, you risk damaging the device
•        Check that the cable supports the correct charging speed for your phone (e.g., USB-C PD 3.0 for 45W+)
•        Quality brands: Anker, Baseus, Ugreen, Belkin
•        The cable must be sturdy, connectors must fit snugly — loose connectors damage the charging port

Conclusion: a charging cable is one of the most important investments for the health of your battery. The difference between a €3 cable and a €12 certified cable is small — the difference in impact on your €150 battery is huge. Choose wisely and select your cable here.

5. Original charger vs. generic — what's safe?

Original chargers (or certified ones from reputable brands) contain voltage regulators, overload protection, and thermal protection. When your battery is full, the charger detects this and stops actively charging. Cheap chargers often cannot do this.

Generic chargers from established brands (Anker, Baseus, Ugreen) are perfectly safe and are often cheaper than original ones. You don't need to buy an original Samsung or Apple charger — but buy from reputable brands, not at a gas station.

Practical tip: buy one quality GaN charger (gallium nitride) with at least two ports. GaN chargers are smaller, generate less heat, and are more efficient than older chargers.

6. What is a real waste of money?

• Magnetic cases with a steel insert — the insert interferes with wireless charging and degrades the signal. It's better to buy a quality car phone mount without a magnet.
• "Battery" cases — massive cases with a built-in battery that double the phone's thickness. For the same price, you can get a higher quality power bank with 3 times the capacity.
• "Anti-radiation" cases or stickers — there is no evidence that they reduce phone radiation. However, they have been proven to have no positive effect whatsoever.
• Wooden cases — aesthetic, but prone to cracking, absorbing moisture, and do not absorb impact better than plastic.
• UV phone sterilizers for under €20 — cheap versions do not have enough UV light intensity for actual sterilization.

Conclusion: Smart phone protection isn't expensive

Your phone is an everyday tool that you carry everywhere with you. It falls, it scratches, it charges a hundred times. Proper protection keeps it going longer — and consequently saves you repair costs or premature replacement.

Formula for optimal phone protection:

•        Quality screen protector: €10–20
•        Hybrid TPU + PC case: €10–25
•        Certified charging cable: €10–15
•        Quality charger (GaN): €20–35

Total under €100. For a phone you'll be happy to use for another three or four years.

Do you have a question about a specific accessory or are you looking for a recommendation for your phone model? Contact us — we're happy to help.