In this Zee Premium 5200mAh LiPo test, I evaluated the upgraded version of a battery that has historically performed poorly on the channel. I measured internal resistance, calculated the real C rating, and ran a 105A load test. I compared the results directly against the standard Zee battery and the SMC HCL-EC pack.
What Makes It Unique
The Zee Premium version includes a few physical upgrades over the standard model:
- Heat shrink wrap over the hard case
- Rubber grommets for power and balance leads
- Higher price point compared to the standard version
Despite these improvements, the key question is whether performance matches the “premium” label.
Internal Resistance (IR)
The internal resistance test was performed using two packs.
- Average IR: ~6.7 mΩ per cell
Using my LiPo calculator:
- Calculated C rating: ~13.4C
- Max continuous current: ~70A
For comparison:
- Standard Zee: ~7.4 mΩ → ~12.7C (~66A)
The difference between the premium and standard version is minimal. In real terms, this is not a meaningful performance increase.
Load Test
I ran a 105A discharge test under identical conditions.
The results:
- Runtime: ~43 seconds before cutoff
- Capacity delivered: 1080mAh (Premium) vs 774mAh (Standard Zee)
- Energy delivered: 217Wh (Premium) vs lower baseline (Standard Zee)
- Average cell wattage: 305W (Premium) vs 311W (Standard Zee)
- Voltage at 10 seconds: 3.35V (Premium) vs 3.40V (Standard Zee)
- Capacity to 3.50V: 31mAh (Premium) vs 46mAh (Standard Zee)
- Time to 3.50V: 1.4s (Premium) vs 1.6s (Standard Zee)
The Zee Premium showed a noticeable increase in total capacity under load, but still struggled with voltage drop and overall performance.
Cell Balance and Build Quality
One issue observed during charging was poor cell balance.
- Some cells reached full voltage early
- Others lagged significantly behind
- Balancing required extended charge time
This contrasts with packs like the SMC HCL-EC, where cell voltages are tightly matched from the start.
Practical Applications
For RC use, the Zee Premium 5200mAh has limited advantages:
- Higher capacity than the standard Zee under load
- Slight improvement in energy delivery
- Still suffers from significant voltage sag
- Struggles to compete with similarly priced packs
- Best for basher style RC Cars.
At around $58.50 USD, it is significantly more expensive than better-performing alternatives like SMC HLC EC.
Final Thoughts
The Zee Premium 5200mAh LiPo test shows that while this version improves slightly over the standard Zee battery, the gains are minimal in real-world use.
It delivered more capacity under load, but still showed weak voltage retention and lower overall performance compared to other packs. The internal resistance confirms only a small improvement, and the load test results reflect that.
When compared to the SMC HCL-EC pack, which costs significantly less and performs better across key metrics, the Zee Premium does not offer strong value.
Overall, this battery remains near the bottom of the tested packs, even in its upgraded form.
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