Key Points
- Our choice for the #1 Best Overall Battery Life phone is from ASUS with the ROG Phone 7.
- Phones with excellent battery life typically have batteries between 3,800 to 5,000mAh.
- Big battery smartphones have a wide range of price points, including budget-friendly phones.
- Consider usage, display, and charging times when looking for a phone with great battery life.
Nothing is worse than running out of juice halfway through the day, but that’s not an issue with the best battery life phones. Unfortunately, it’s not a specification many manufacturers highlight, unlike edge-to-edge displays and powerful processors.
Finding a smartphone with excellent battery life can be challenging, but we found five handsets that can get users through the day. While you won’t find any budget devices with big batteries from smaller brands, here are our top five picks that are both dependable and perform as advertised:
- Best Overall: ASUS ROG Phone 7 Ultimate
- Runner-Up: Motorola Edge+
- For Apple Fans: iPhone 14 Pro Max
- Best Budget Phone: ASUS ZenFone 9
- Best Premium Android: Galaxy S23 Ultra
#1 Best Overall: ASUS ROG Phone 7 Ultimate
- 6.78” FHD+ 2448 x 1080 display
- 165Hz refresh rate
- 6000mAh battery
- 50MP/13MP/5MP rear cameras and 32MP front
- 12GB RAM with 256GB storage
Our pick for the #1 Best Overall battery life phone is the ASUS ROG Phone 7 Ultimate, which may surprise fans of Apple and Samsung. ASUS isn’t a newcomer, but their new device has jaw-dropping features and a massive 6,000mAh battery.
The ROG is unique in many ways, but the battery certainly stands out. Inside this device are two 3,000mAh batteries, which provide between 13-18 hours of power depending on your usage. It’s impressive, especially considering the battery life doesn’t take a hit unless you keep the display at 165Hz.
ASUS used a 165Hz 6.7-inch panel on the ROG Phone 7 with a resolution of 2,448 x 1,080. The rear camera array has three sensors at 50MP, 13MP, and 5MP, but can shoot 8K video at 24 frames per second. The front-facing camera is 32MP with HDR, and connectivity options are top-of-the-line. This phone has Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 7, and dual USB ports.
The side port is perfect for gaming in landscape mode, and so are the ultrasonic AirTriggers on the rear. That’s something you won’t find on any other phone. The GameCool 7 thermal cooling system is another unique touch that’s perfect for gamers. It keeps the phone cool when the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 powers through an intensive game or graphics application.
ASUS’s flagship smartphone has the best battery life of any phone on the market, and it’s designed for gamers. That means you can expect multi-day battery life with casual use. Even if you’re not into mobile games, the specifications and features of the ASUS ROG Phone 7 make it a unique alternative to high-end devices from other Android manufacturers.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It has a unique dual-battery system rated at 6,000mAh. | It could be overkill if you’re not a gamer. |
| The phone runs Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and has 12-16GB of memory. | The IP rating is lower than comparable phones. |
| It has a large 165Hz AMOLED display. | |
| The AirTriggers and cooling system are great for gaming. |
Check out the ASUS ROG Phone 7 Ultimate on Amazon.
Runner-Up: Motorola Edge+
Motorola doesn’t get as much love as other manufacturers, but the Motorola Edge+ provides users with multi-day battery life. It’s a sleek-looking phone that won’t break the bank and it has enough power to make it suitable for years to come.
Motorola turned heads when they released the Motorola Edge+ due to the price, battery life, and specifications. It’s powered by a 5,100mAh battery and supports 68-watt turbocharging. You can get enough charge to get through the day in 9 minutes and should expect around 10-13 hours per charge. The display doesn’t significantly impact battery life, and the new processor keeps things optimized.
Motorola used the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in Edge+, a powerful octa-core processor. It has the same processor as our top choice and a comparable display. The borderless pOLED display is 6.67 inches with a resolution of 2,400 x 1,080. It has slimmer bezels than the ROG Phone 7 and comes with 256GB of storage out of the box.
This is another smartphone with a beefy camera system. Users can snap selfies with a 60MP front-facing camera or 8K video through the rear cameras. The tri-sensor module has dual 50MP sensors and a 12MP telephoto lens. Connectivity options are current on this handset, which has a Type-C 3.2 port, Bluetooth 5.3, and a fingerprint scanner.
Motorola’s smartphone may not have the same flagship feel as the S23 Ultra, but it’s an attractive device with plenty of power. The battery life is excellent, and it has every key feature you could ask for, from reverse charging to the IP68 certification. The Motorola Edge+ also has a price that puts it near the budget class despite the specifications.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It has a large pOLED display with a 90% screen-to-body ratio. | The speakers are subpar. |
| The phone has a 5,100mAh battery with TurboCharging. | The cameras are large, but they’re not as good as competitors. |
| It’s dust and water-resistant with IP68 certification. | |
| The camera array consists of dual 50MP rear sensors and a 60MP front-facing camera. |
Check out the Motorola Edge+ on Amazon.
For Apple Fans: iPhone 14 Pro Max
- 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display
- 120Hz refresh rate
- 6GB of RAM
- 1TB storage
- 4K video at 60fps with Dolby Vision
- 4,323mAh battery
Apple has slowly increased smartphone battery sizes and the iPhone 14 Pro Max is the best battery life phone for Apple fans. It’s on par with the previous model when it comes to battery life, but it has many new features, including a fantastic rear camera.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max has a 4,323mAh battery. While it’s significantly smaller than the Moto Edge+ and ROG Phone batteries, you can expect 10-13 hours before the battery runs dry. That’s close to the iPhone 13 Pro Max range, which changed the game with battery life on the iPhone. As for the phone itself, it’s a premium handset from top to bottom.
Apple’s flagship sports a 6.7-inch Liquid Retina display with a pixel density of 460 ppi. The 120Hz panel can play Dolby Vision content and has a typical brightness of 1,000 nits. It has the best display of any phone on our list and is one of the fastest as well. Apple doesn’t use Snapdragon chips, but the iPhone 14 Pro Max does have the new hexa-core A16 processor.
This phone can handle any app or game thrown its way. Every version has 6GB of RAM, while storage starts at 128GB and tops out at 1TB. The phone is faster than the previous generation, and the camera system has improved. The primary sensor is 48MP, and it can shoot 4K video at 60fps with Dolby Vision HDR. Cinematic Mode is a bonus, along with new features like Dynamic Island.
With Dynamic Island, Apple found a way to make use of the notch on their handset, which now acts as a widget for certain apps. Crash Detection and SOS are present along with FaceID. The phone is well-built with Corning Glass on the front and back. It also has a stainless steel frame and is resistant to the elements, thanks to an IP68 rating.
If you’re looking for the best battery life phone that runs Apple’s operating system, the iPhone 14 Max Pro is the only choice. It’s an improvement over the iPhone 13 in several key areas, although the battery life is essentially the same on the Max Pro models. The only downside is charging, considering Apple still uses an overpriced 30W adapter for their handsets.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It has a vibrant 6.7-inch Liquid Retina display with Dolby Vision. | Fast charging isn’t as fast as you’ll find with other models. |
| The new Apple A16 processor makes this phone one of the fastest. | It’s an expensive smartphone. |
| It has all-day battery life between 10-13 hours. | |
| There is an upgraded rear camera array. |
Check out the iPhone 14 Pro Max on Amazon.
Best Budget Phone: ASUS ZenFone 9
- 5.9-inch FHD+ 2400 x 1080 AMOLED display
- 120Hz refresh rate
- 8GB RAM with 128GB storage
- IP68 rating
- 4300mAh battery
- 50MP/12MP dual rear cameras and 12MP front camera
When your budget is tight, and battery life is important, the ASUS ZenFone 9 is the perfect option. The company’s second smartphone to make our list is completely different than their first, aside from a massive Li-Po battery under the hood.
The highlight of this phone is its price and the 4,300mAh battery. Battery life is typically 9-13 hours, depending on connectivity and how you use the device. HyperCharge can quickly bring the battery back to life, although you’re stuck with wired charging with the ZenFone 9. While it has the smallest battery on our list, the display helps keep the lights on longer.
ASUS gave this phone a pocket-friendly design with a 5.9-inch display. The resolution is 2,400 x 1,080 on the Super AMOLED display. The display is bright indoors or outside, and you won’t have to worry about the elements. The ZenFone 9 has an IP68 rating against dust and water, and while the back is plastic, it has an aluminum frame.
This phone gets its power from the slightly older Snapdragon 8 Gen, but it gives users an option with memory. There are 8GB and 16GB variants of the ZenFone 9, with 128 or 256GB of storage. The main camera is respectable with the 50MP Sony IMX766 and a 12MP ultrawide sensor. You can record video in 8K or 4K while the front-facing camera clocks in at 12MP.
ASUS didn’t break any new ground with the design of the ZenFone 9, but it’s affordable and it has enough pop to stay viable for several upgrade cycles. It’s a rare one-handed phone, given the size of most handsets, although we would have liked to have seen a more robust rear camera system on this smartphone.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It has a great price tag and it is powerful with up to 16GB of RAM. | Some users have reported issues with quality control. |
| There is an efficient 4,300mAh battery. | The cameras are mediocre. |
| It has excellent specifications for the price. | |
| There is a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. |
Check out the ASUS ZenFone 9 on Amazon.
Best Premium Android: Galaxy S23 Ultra
- 6.8-inch AMOLED display
- 200MP rear camera
- 8-12GB of RAM
- S-Pen
- 5,000mAh battery
Most Android phones with big batteries can’t hang with an iPhone, but the Galaxy S23 Ultra is a premium device with fantastic battery life. The 5,000mAh battery is slightly smaller than the Motorola Edge+, but the battery life is very impressive.
Samsung, like Apple, has worked to improve the battery life on their phones. The Galaxy S23 Ultra proves it, considering the large battery provides users with up to 13 hours in Adaptive Mode. With regular use, it’s closer to 8-10 hours. That may not seem great, but it is when you factor in “normal” usage on a 6.8-inch AMOLED display.
The display’s resolution is 3,088 x 1,440, and it has a higher pixel density than the iPhone Max Pro at 500 ppi. It doesn’t support Dolby Vision, however, just HDR 10+. As a bonus, the phone comes equipped with the new S Pen, which slips into the housing when not in use. A Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 provides the power along with 8 or 12GB of RAM.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra camera is one of the best around and it is certainly the largest. The primary sensor is 200MP, and it’s joined by dual telephoto 10MP sensors and a 12MP ultrawide camera. Videos taken with the phone are just as impressive as the photos. Other noteworthy features include an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, tuned AKG speakers, and IP68 certification.
Samsung’s latest flagship is arguably its best in several generations, and the battery life is excellent. It recharges fast and it is decked out with all the premium features users could ask for — from the 200MP camera to the large, vivid display. Its price is comparable with Apple’s premium handset, but this smartphone runs Android 13 with Samsung’s One UI on top.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| The battery can last for more than a day with casual use. | It’s a pricey smartphone. |
| It has a premium design with flagship specifications. | The camera can be finicky. |
| The quad-camera system with a 200MP sensor is impressive. | |
| It comes with the S Pen. |
Check out the Galaxy S23 Ultra on Amazon.
How to Pick the Best Battery Life Phone: Step-by-Step
While the phones on our best battery life list are all from well-known manufacturers, there are other brands to consider. Phones from small manufacturers in countries like India and China often have massive batteries, and many are removable. We didn’t include those devices because of concerns about quality control and spyware. Outside of flagship features and specifications, here are the main areas to consider when looking for phones with great battery life.
- Usage
- The Display
- Charging Capabilities
Usage
The first thing to dwell on with big-battery smartphones is your usage. If you’re on your smartphone 24-7 using 5G or gaming, you’ll have trouble getting through a day with any device.
Think about how often you’re on your current handset and the applications you use the most. Surfing the web won’t waste a lot of juice, especially if you’re on a Wi-Fi network. While you may think a premium processor like the Snapdragon 8 would hamper battery life, it can actually improve it compared to older chips.
New processors are more efficient and are able to manage power more efficiently on new smartphones. That’s why phones with relatively small batteries and high-end hardware get excellent battery life. Video playback can eat into the battery, but that generally depends on the quality and the next section in our guide.
The Display
Everyone loves a large, vivid display on a smartphone. Even consumers interested in smaller devices like the Z Fold and Razer want plenty of pixels. Those displays are a great way to consume content on the go, whether it’s Netflix or Disney+, but streaming services can impact battery life when coupled with the display.
A 6.7-inch 2K panel requires more power than an FHD display of the same size. Battery life can dip when you factor in streaming on Wi-Fi or 5G through Hulu or Prime. How much juice those services drain from a battery depends on the streaming quality, although you can save power by downloading content to watch offline.
When searching for the best battery life phones, consider the size of the display and resolution in comparison to the battery size. Then think about your usage and whether you spend more time with streaming services or bite-sized platforms like TikTok.
Charging Capabilities
When you hear a phone has a 5,000mAh battery and can go for two days with light usage, it’s easy to get excited. That smile can quickly turn into a frown once you look at charging times. It’s an area that varies wildly, especially when you throw in wireless charging and turbo chargers.
Recharging times are hard to pin down, but they don’t depend on usage like battery life. Instead, you’ll want to focus on wired vs. wireless charging and the speeds each phone is capable of. It’s something many manufacturers tiptoe around, but it’s easy to discern through sites like GSMarena.
Their page for the iPhone 14 Max Pro is a great example. Under the battery section, you can see the battery size and the charging rates of 15W through MagSafe or 7.5W via Qi wireless charging. The handset is advertised as getting to a 50% charge in 30 minutes through wired charging. You can check those numbers against consumer reviews for an accurate idea of charging times.
What to Know Before Buying the Best Battery Life Phone
Choosing a phone with a big battery is the easy part of a handset designed for extended battery life. While we feel that usage, the display, and recharging times are key, cranking the brightness up can bring the biggest batteries down quickly.
Using phones in dark mode is more efficient, and so is having a steady Wi-Fi connection. Phones will often search for signals, and bouncing around towers on 5G will affect battery life. It’s also important to pay attention to what’s in the box.
Many companies have stopped including charging blocks with their phones. You’ll still get a data cable if you’re lucky, but you will likely need to pick up a charging block separately. Turbo chargers are more expensive than traditional ones, so pay close attention to the wattage and charging requirements of the phone.
Using a Phone with a Big Battery: What It’s Like
You may not notice a huge difference overall when choosing a phone with a big battery from your old device, depending on what you’re used to. Unless you’re upgrading from last year’s flagship from Apple or Samsung, you should notice a difference in battery life, but not necessarily in design or power.
That means you’ll be able to enjoy your phone longer without running for a charger. You can also look forward to faster charging speeds in most cases. That area generally improves every few years, even when the design and weight of these devices largely stay the same.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Dima Zel/Shutterstock.com.
