I’m looking into a new phone. I’ve always picked affordable models with good cameras, but now I’ve got a bit more to spend and my lifestyle’s less hectic. I’m between the S23 and S24 basic models.
Battery life is important to me. I’ve read some reviews, and they’re saying maybe 4-5 hours of screen-on time (SOT) for these phones, which feels low. So, I decided to test my current 2-year-old A33 to compare.
Here’s what I found:
Last charged: 2 days and 1 hour ago
Battery left: 5%
Screen-on time: 7 hours 38 minutes
Apps I used:
Forum browsing (3h25m)
Web pages (1h51m)
Maps navigation (51m)
My question: Am I going to spend $700-900 for a nicer camera and display but lose out on battery life? Or maybe I use my phone lightly enough that I’ll see similar battery life even on a new flagship model?
I have the S23 Ultra, and here’s my day: it’s 100% by 6:30 AM, but by 2 PM, I’m down to 15%. I usually charge it again around 3 PM, and it lasts till about 10 PM. So, I get close to 7 hours of SOT per charge. Maybe a faster-charging phone could help you balance your usage better.
Flagship phones usually burn through batteries faster than budget ones because their hardware is power-hungry. But base models should still manage around 6 hours of SOT.
Wilkie said:
Flagship phones usually burn through batteries faster than budget ones because their hardware is power-hungry. But base models should still manage around 6 hours of SOT.
Thames said:
Five years ago, getting 2 days on one charge would’ve been unheard of unless you were extreme with battery saving.
True, but I’m still getting that on a 2-year-old phone with a bit of battery degradation. The reviews on these flagship models don’t sound like they can last that long.
So, are reviewers pushing them harder, or is battery tech just not as good?
@Bowie
Even at low power, flagship CPUs use more battery than mid-range ones. And don’t forget, the A33 has a slightly larger battery. Plus, high-res screens, Wi-Fi 6e, and all that extra tech add up to more battery drain. Flagships just use more power overall.
@Thames
I had the S22, and its battery was toast by lunchtime with that Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. I had to carry a power bank. Now, with my S24+, it lasts all day, and I can keep tons of tabs open without a hitch. Samsung’s finally nailed the balance between performance and battery on the S24s.
Your current phone has a 25% bigger battery than the S24, plus it’s bulkier. The S24+ is closer in size to your A33 and has a 4900mAh battery vs. your phone’s 5000mAh. With good battery settings, you might actually get similar or better battery life.
I have the S24 (US Snapdragon), and I’d say I’m a moderate user with 4-5 hours of SOT. My old budget Motorola with a 5000mAh battery wasn’t too far behind. I’m kind of regretting spending so much; I probably would’ve been just as happy with an A series model.
Honestly, it’s all about adjusting your phone’s settings. If you mostly browse forums, web pages, maps, etc., tune your display, CPU, and battery settings and you’ll see a lot better SOT than what’s advertised.
For instance, using QHD+ and max brightness will drain fast, so maybe try HD/FHD with lower brightness. Also, set location permissions for apps to “allow once” instead of “always” if you don’t need constant location tracking. Bluetooth, NFC, and other background stuff drains battery too.
Give it about two weeks, and the phone’s battery optimization will kick in. It’s not about using only 10% of the phone’s features, just using them when needed. Consider setting up “Routines” for different places and times, adjusting the brightness, sound, etc.
TL;DR - Just keep your current habits, avoid the unnecessary stuff, and battery life will surprise you!
Hope you’re celebrating!