Discover the Best Smartphone Battery Life options for uninterrupted connectivity and productivity. Perfect for busy professionals, travelers, and anyone seeking reliable performance, these long-lasting phones keep you powered throughout the day without frequent recharging. Explore top brands with exceptional battery life now!
Why Is a Long Battery Life Smartphone Essential?
In today’s fast-paced world, having a smartphone with long battery life is more than a convenience—it’s a necessity. The ability to stay connected and productive without frequent recharging is a key factor for most users. Two primary factors influence a smartphone’s battery longevity:
- Battery Capacity: Measured in milliampere-hours (mAh), a higher rating reflects a larger energy reserve.
- Battery Efficiency: Efficient power management optimizes energy usage, ensuring extended performance. best smartphone battery life
The Value of Long Battery Life Smartphones
For Business Professionals:
A smartphone with exceptional battery life ensures uninterrupted communication and productivity during busy workdays or business trips. Whether it’s managing emails, joining virtual meetings, or accessing essential apps, a reliable battery supports seamless performance.
For Travelers:
Long battery life is indispensable for staying connected, navigating new destinations, capturing photos, and accessing travel information. It eliminates the stress of searching for charging options on the go. best smartphone battery life
In Emergencies:
When power sources are scarce, a dependable smartphone battery can be a lifeline, enabling users to make critical calls, use navigation, or stay informed during emergencies.
Empower Your Daily Life
A smartphone with extended battery life enhances your ability to tackle daily activities, work, and adventures with confidence and convenience. It ensures you’re always ready for whatever comes your way, no matter the circumstances.
The Best Smartphone Battery Life for 2024:
Many smartphones on this list boast large displays of 6.7 inches or more, but there’s also a compact option for those who prefer smaller devices. From battery-centric Motorola models to top-tier foldable phones, this selection spans a wide price range from $400 to $1,400, offering choices to suit every preference and budget.
Best smartphone battery life at a glance (hours:minutes)
- Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro: 20:34
- Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro: 18:48
- OnePlus 12R: 18:08
- iPhone 16 Pro Max: 17:17
- OnePlus 12: 17:05
- Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra: 17:01
- Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: 16:45
- iPhone 16 Plus: 16:29
- Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus: 15:58
- Moto G Stylus 5G (2024): 15:01
1. Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro (20:34 h/m)
Asus has once again raised the bar for battery life with its ROG series. The latest model, the ROG Phone 9 Pro, showcases impressive stamina, clocking in at an average of 20 hours and 34 minutes on our battery test. This result was achieved with the display set to an adaptive refresh rate. When locked at the highest refresh rate of 165Hz, the battery life decreased by almost 6 hours. However, the ROG Phone 9 Pro still managed 15 hours and 41 minutes, a performance that would rank it in the top ten for battery endurance.
The substantial 5,800 mAh battery is complemented by the efficient Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, ensuring multi-day usage. This chipset is expected to be a staple in upcoming high-end Android phones, making the ROG Phone 9 Pro’s battery performance a promising indicator for future devices, even if you’re not specifically looking for a gaming phone.
On the charging front, the phone supports 65W fast charging, allowing you to quickly replenish the battery. In our tests, a drained ROG Phone 9 Pro reached 74% capacity in just 30 minutes. This combination of rapid charging and long battery life ensures that you won’t have to worry about your gaming sessions being interrupted. best smartphone battery life
2. Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro (18:48 h/m)
Although the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro has been dethroned by its successor, it still boasts an impressive 18 hours and 48 minutes of battery life, making it one of the best-performing phones we’ve ever tested. With the ROG Phone 9 Pro not expected to ship in the U.S. until 2025, the ROG Phone 8 Pro remains the longest-lasting phone currently available for purchase.
The ROG Phone 9 Pro may have set a new benchmark, but the ROG Phone 8 Pro’s performance is only 16 minutes shy of its successor. Remarkably, this was achieved with a smaller battery, highlighting the efficiency of the ROG Phone 8 Pro.
Similar to its successor, the ROG Phone 8 Pro includes a 65W charger. In our tests, the phone charged to 71% from empty in just 30 minutes. It reached a full charge in 50 minutes, ensuring you’re never out of the game for long with this enduring device from Asus by your side best smartphone battery life.
3. OnePlus 12R (18:08 h/m)
The OnePlus 12R stands out as the longest-lasting midrange phone we’ve tested, clocking in at an impressive 18 hours and 8 minutes on our battery test. This places it among the top three phones with battery longevity exceeding 18 hours. Notably, adjusting the refresh rate can further extend the battery life, bringing it close to the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro’s performance.
Equipped with a robust 5,500 mAh battery, the OnePlus 12R can easily last a full day and more on a single charge. Much of this endurance is also due to the efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, which powers several other top-performing devices on our best phone battery life list.
Although the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is an older chipset, especially with the advent of Snapdragon 8 Elite devices, it allows OnePlus to offer the 12R at an affordable price, particularly in the U.S. The 12R is available for $499 with 128GB of storage in the U.S., while in other regions, it starts at $599 for the 256GB storage variant.
Despite its lower price point, the OnePlus 12R maintains OnePlus’ signature fast-charging capability. With 80W wired charging in the U.S., the phone reached a 96% charge in just 30 minutes during our tests. However, do note that wireless charging is not supported.
4. iPhone 16 Pro Max (17:17 h/m)
While additional testing has adjusted the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s average battery life from 18 hours and 6 minutes to 17 hours and 17 minutes, there’s no need for disappointment. This model remains Apple’s longest-lasting phone to date.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max boasts a larger battery, paired with the energy-efficient A18 Pro silicon. This combination ensures prolonged usage without frequent recharging. The iPhone 16 Pro, which also features the A18 Pro chipset, just missed our list despite having a smaller battery.
Although there were rumors of 45W charging capabilities, the iPhone 16 Pro Max supports up to 30W charging. This allows the device to reach a 55% charge in just 30 minutes, providing a decent boost, even if not groundbreaking.
5. OnePlus 12 (17:05 h/m)
While the lower-cost OnePlus 12R might boast longer battery life within the OnePlus 12 series, don’t overlook the flagship model. The OnePlus 12 impressively lasts over 17 hours on our battery test, thanks to its robust 5,400 mAh battery and the efficient power management of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. Interestingly, setting the display’s refresh rate to 120Hz adds about 30 more minutes of battery life compared to the adaptive setting.
The OnePlus 12 stands out from the 12R with the return of wireless charging to OnePlus’ flagship devices. It supports 80W wired charging speeds in the U.S., alongside 50W wireless charging speeds.
However, note that the OnePlus 12 will soon make way for the OnePlus 13, which has already been announced in China. The new model, coming globally soon, will feature the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset.
6. Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra (17:01 h/m)
Asus consistently delivers phones with impressive battery life, and the Zenfone 11 Ultra is no exception. Averaging just over 17 hours on our battery test with its 6.78-inch display set to automatic refresh rate, the Zenfone 11 Ultra demonstrates outstanding endurance. In some tests, it nearly reached the 18-hour mark, ensuring all-day battery life.
But the Zenfone 11 Ultra’s strengths go beyond battery longevity and gaming performance. Asus has equipped this phone with a remarkably bright and vibrant display. Additionally, a 6-axis gimbal enhances the stability of the phone’s 50MP main camera, although there is room for improvement in its photo-processing capabilities. The device supports 65W wired charging, but you’ll need to provide your own charger to make full use of this feature.
7. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (16:45 h/m)
Introducing the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, the longest-lasting flagship phone we’ve ever tested. With an impressive battery life of 16 hours and 45 minutes, it surpasses last year’s top Motorola model by nearly an hour. Although the iPhone 16 Pro Max has since claimed the title of the longest-lasting flagship, the Galaxy S24 Ultra remains a top contender.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra maintains its 5,000 mAh battery size, with much of its endurance attributed to the efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. This chipset manages power exceptionally well, even with the adaptive refresh rate enabled, contributing to the phone’s stellar battery performance.
Charging at 45W, the Galaxy S24 Ultra reached 71% capacity in just 30 minutes using a 45W USB-C charger. However, you’ll need to purchase this charger separately, as it is not included with the phone.
As we approach 2025, the Galaxy S24 Ultra will soon be succeeded by the Galaxy S25 Ultra, featuring the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. This upcoming model is poised to continue Samsung’s tradition of delivering long-lasting battery life and top-tier performance.
8. iPhone 16 Plus (16:29 h/m)
The iPhone 15 Plus impressed us last year with an outstanding battery life of 14 hours and 14 minutes, surpassing the performance of the iPhone 15 Pro Max. This year, the iPhone 16 Plus offers a significant improvement, finishing with a remarkable 16 hours and 29 minutes of battery life, just behind the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
The new model shows a gain of over 2 hours in our battery test, which is impressive for a phone that already had great endurance. This improvement is likely due to the enhanced power efficiency of the A18 chipset and the larger battery that Apple has incorporated into the iPhone 16 Plus. While Apple hasn’t disclosed the exact battery size, this information will likely emerge after a detailed teardown of the phone.
In terms of charging, the iPhone 16 Plus matches the charging efficiency of Apple’s higher-end Pro models, achieving a 55% charge in just 30 minutes.
9. Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus (15:58 h/m)
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus offers impressive battery performance, lasting just under 16 hours on our tests with the adaptive refresh rate enabled. This is only about an hour less than the Galaxy S24 Ultra, and turning off the adaptive refresh rate can bring its battery life closer to that of the Ultra. For a phone with a 4,900 mAh battery powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor (in North America) or Exynos 2400 silicon (in other regions), this result is excellent.
Charging speeds for the S24 Plus remain consistent with its predecessor, the Galaxy S23 Plus, supporting 45W wired charging. With a compatible charger, the Galaxy S24 Plus reached a 72% charge in just 30 minutes, mirroring the performance observed with the S24 Ultra.
10. Moto G Stylus 5G 2024 (15:01 h/m)
Motorola’s G series phones have earned a reputation for their long-lasting battery life, and the Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) is no exception. This device from the latest G series lineup lasted a little over 15 hours on our battery test, even with its 6.7-inch display’s refresh rate set to alternate between 60Hz and 120Hz. Disabling this default feature extends the battery life to nearly 15 hours and 55 minutes.
The Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) offers more than just impressive battery longevity and fast 30W charging speeds. It features a built-in stylus, perfect for jotting down notes or sketching directly on the phone’s display. While it may not have the most powerful processor and its cameras are decent at best, this phone provides excellent value for under $400. You get a bright display, a stylish design, and all the battery life you could need.
Best Smartphone Battery Life Buying Guide
1. How is Battery Capacity Measured?
Battery capacity is measured in milliamp-hours (mAh). A higher mAh indicates a larger battery capacity, but this doesn’t always translate to better battery life. Efficiency of the phone’s processor, software integration, and usage patterns play a crucial role. High-end phones often have more demanding screens and processors, which require larger batteries to maintain decent battery life.
2. What Should You Look For?
When selecting a phone, consider your primary use and the hardware specifications. Larger screens with high-resolution displays and peak brightness levels consume more battery power. Mid-range and budget phones might offer substantial battery life, but could lack fast-charging capabilities. For 2022 and beyond, look for fast charging speeds of over 33W, with some top-end devices offering up to 120W.
3. What Do the Results Show?
Our rankings include phones tested with the latest benchmarking process using PC Mark’s Work 3.0 battery test. iPhones are ranked based on real-world testing due to compatibility issues with this app. Note that the results (in hours and minutes) reflect continuous screen-on time during testing and may vary in real-world usage due to different power management settings. The screen brightness is set to 200cd/m2 for consistency.
In summary (best smartphone battery life), whether you’re a heavy user, a casual gamer, or someone who relies on their phone for productivity, having a long-lasting battery is crucial. We’ve explored some of the best-performing smartphones in terms of battery life, and it’s clear that manufacturers like Asus, OnePlus, Samsung, Motorola, and Apple are pushing the boundaries to ensure their devices can keep up with our demanding lifestyles.
Special thanks to Tom‘s Guide for conducting these extensive tests “best smartphone battery life” and providing valuable insights into the battery performance of the latest smartphones. Their thorough analysis helps consumers make informed decisions when choosing a phone that best suits their needs.
