The Best iPhones for battery life ranked [2022]
Looking to upgrade your iPhone but your main concern is battery life? after all, what good is a phone if a battery is going to run out right?
If you want to see how the latest iPhone 13 stacks up against other smartphones for battery life, read the ultimate smartphone battery life guide here.
Is it worth upgrading to the iPhone 13 for the battery alone?
This year with the arrival of the highly anticipated iPhone 14, we're expecting to see some big news in terms of battery life, mainly with Apple due to release a budget "Max" version which is sure to mean a cheaper iPhone with better battery life.
The big question is, just how much better will the new phones be for battery and what does it mean.
For most average consumers it certainly won't be the most noticeable increase and we're keen to see how it stacks up against last years iPhone 13 once we get our hands on it.
Despite the improved manufacturing steps that Apple has implemented to reduce waste, such as removing the power plugs and earphones from the unboxing experience (which we think is great) we’re still left wondering do we really need to upgrade? The two main points for most consumers are this; camera and battery life, and in this article we uncover the best iPhones in 2022 for battery life.
We’ve already reached peak smartphone
We all know that we have reached peak smartphones. The innovation curve has flattened a lot in the last few years and incremental design and feature benefits are all we can expect now. However, under the hood/ behind the scenes Apple is packing some serious punch with their new chips - the power and capability of which is phenomenal, especially with the iPhone 12. In fact, every model from the last 3-5 years has been pretty incredible, but the iPhone 11 pro and the iPhone 12 pro truly are next level devices, packing near computer power in only around 6-inches of a metal box.
The current selection of Apple iPhones available offers something for everyone, and a refurbished phone still represents the best value for customers. The standard iPhone 11 range, the iPhone XR and the 2020 iPhone SE are a line up of incredible phones catering for a wide range of budgets. If you want to save even more, there are plenty of refurbished devices available to buy.
How does the battery life compare between models?
In years gone by it was all about the camera, how good it was - whether or not it had portrait mode or a good front camera to you could take selfies with your family or the dog. biggest Nowadays pretty much every iPhone in the current range has a pretty remarkable camera, so the focus has shifted to the battery life.
We love nothing more than to research the specifications and performance of new devices when they’re released, but really it’s best to let the pros do it properly and give us a good idea of whether or not a device is worth the extra money. Enter MrWhosTheBoss
Last year, he tested the available range of iPhones for battery life and there were some surprising results. This year, fresh off the launch of the iPhone 13 he's back, putting get range through the paces. After 8 hours of constant testing in under comparable "real world" conditions, the results are in, and we think they are worth taking note of and considering if you’re considering upgrading your phone.
Latest iPhone Battery life comparison in order. These tests, conducted on MrWhosTheBoss YouTube channel (video here) were based on the highest intensity use, gaming, streaming, switching apps etc, consistently over the period of time up until the battery died. What we love about this experiment is it's real, not what the manufacturer specifies.
1. iPhone 13 Pro Max - 9hrs 52mins
Get a refurbished iPhone 13 Pro Max from just £820 with reboxed® here.
Buy a Brand New iPhone 13 Pro Max from £1,019 here
2. iPhone 14 pro Max - 9hr 31mins
3. iPhone 14 Plus - 9hrs 23mins
4. iPhone 11 pro Max - 8hrs 29mins
Get a refurbished iPhone 11 Pro Max from just £370 with reboxed® here.
5. iPhone 13 Pro - 8hrs and 17mins
Get a refurbished iPhone 13 Pro from just £710 with reboxed® here.
Buy Brand New from £939 here
6. iPhone 14 Pro - 7hrs and 49mins
7. iPhone 13 - 7hrs and 45mins
Get a refurbished iPhone 13 from just £570 with reboxed here.
Buy Brand New from £607 Here
8. iPhone 11 Pro - 7hrs and 36mins
Get a refurbished iPhone 11 Pro from just £310 with reboxed® here.
9. iPhone 14 - 7hrs 13mins
10. iPhone 12 - 6hrs 41mins
Get a refurbished iPhone 12 from just £409 with reboxed here.
11. iPhone 12 Pro - 6hrs 35mins
Get a refurbished iPhone 12 Pro from just £510 with reboxed here.
12. iPhone 13 Mini - 6hrs and 26mins
Get an iPhone 13 mini from just £440 with reboxed here.
13. iPhone 11 - 5hrs 8mins
Get a refurbished iPhone 11 from just £280 with reboxed here.
14. iPhone XR - 4hrs 34mins
Get a refurbished iPhone XR from just £180 with reboxed here.
15. iPhone SE - 3hrs 59mins
Get a refurbished iPhone SE 2020 from just £239 with reboxed here.
All the latest iPhones ranked for battery life Rank Model Battery life (Hours) 1 iPhone 13 Pro Max 9hrs 52mins 2 iPhone 11 pro Max 8hrs 29mins 3 iPhone 13 Pro 8hr 17Mins 4 iPhone 13 7hr 45mins 5 iPhone 11 Pro 7hrs 36mins 6 iPhone 12 6hrs 41mins 7 iPhone 12 Pro 6hrs 35mins 8 iPhone 13 Mini 6hr 26Mins 9 IPhone 11 4hr 20Mins 10 iPhone XR 4hrs 34mins 11 iPhone SE 3hrs 59mins
So, should you upgrade to the iPhone 13?
If battery life is your main concern, there's not a great deal in it across the latest ranges from the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro max up to the iPhone 12 and newly released iPhone 13. If your looking to save a hefty chunk of cash, and reduce your carbon footprint, you can grab an absolute bargain by choosing a reboxed iPhone 11 on sale now from £369 or an iPhone 12 from only £529!
The iPhone 14 Plus wins on battery life and screen size, and is $200 cheaper than the Pro Max
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I've been testing Apple 's new $899 iPhone 14 Plus, which hits stores Friday, for the past several days. It has the biggest screen you can get on an iPhone, without shelling out $1,099 for the Pro model, and the best battery life ever on an iPhone. The iPhone 14 Plus is great for people who just want a larger screen and don't mind missing out on the new features of the Pro and Pro Max, such as the Dynamic Island and always-on display. But most buyers seem to have flocked to the Pro models over the regular iPhone 14 so far. Bank of America analysts released a rare downgrade to Apple's stock last week and cut its price target on "weaker consumer demand" and the potential for a sluggish iPhone cycle as consumers slow spending. The bank suggested that while there's a stronger mix of Pro model purchases so far, that won't offset a decline in revenue and profit if Apple sells fewer units overall.
iPhone 14 Plus. Sofia Pitt
And JPMorgan analysts said in a note on Oct. 3, which compared shipment times across iPhone models, that price-sensitive customers are opting for the iPhone 13 rather than the more expensive iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. But you shouldn't just write off the iPhone 14 Plus. It's a good option for folks who just want a big screen and don't want to spend $200 more for the iPhone 14 Pro Max. And it has excellent battery life and improved cameras in a lightweight package. Here's what you need to know about the iPhone 14 Plus.
iPhone 14 Plus: What's good
Apple unveiled four new iPhones, three new Apple Watches and an updated AirPods Pro during a press event on Wednesday in Cupertino, California, United States on September 7, 2022. Tayfun Coskun | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
The large screen is the highlight here. And, if you're like me, you'll dig having a bigger display in your pocket for reading, movies, gaming and more. It's otherwise the same screen as the regular iPhone 14. I noticed blacks were nice and deep and colors popped while streaming YouTube videos. You can see more on a page, such as a website you're browsing, or store more apps on your homepage. And this helps if you want to see more while also increasing the text size, which might be convenient for folks who prefer or need larger text.
iPhone 14 Plus. Sofia Pitt
The iPhone 14 Plus is 1.31 ounces lighter than the iPhone 14 Pro Max and the difference felt significant when I carried it around. Apple says the iPhone 14 Plus has "the best battery life ever in iPhone," which just refers to general usage throughout the day. The battery life was great in my tests. I was able to stream YouTube videos for over 19 hours before the phone died, which is in line with Apple's claim that streamed video playback lasts 20 hours. Apple also promises up to 100 hours of audio playback, which is longer than any other iPhone.
iPhone 14 Apple
The cameras are also solid. While you don't get the telephoto or really sharp main cameras that you'll find on the iPhone 14 Pro models, you still get an improved 12-megapixel main camera that took good pictures, including clearer and brighter photos at night when there weren't a lot of lights.
iPhone 14 Plus photo in night mode. Sofia Pitt
There's also a new front camera with autofocus for selfies. That means your selfies will look sharper and more in focus than on the iPhone 13.
iPhone 14 Plus selfie. Sofia Pitt
Apple debuted new safety features on all iPhone 14 models, including crash detection and emergency SOS via satellite, the latter of which will be available in November. I haven't been in a car crash to test it, though multiple reports have already shown the feature works. Both safety features aren't available on the iPhone 13.
iPhone 14 Plus. Sofia Pitt
iPhone 14 Plus: What's bad
Despite its size, the iPhone 14 Plus is a relatively small update over last year's iPhone 13. You'll see more of an upgrade from the Pro models. Those phones have always-on displays that can show notifications even when your phone is idle, and feature Dynamic Island, which makes better use of the notch at the top of the screen. Dynamic Island can show things like album art for the music you're playing, for example, and will soon offer other features like live sports scores at the top of your screen.
iPhone 14 Plus home screen. Sofia Pitt
If you're looking for a camera upgrade, you'll notice a difference if you're upgrading from an iPhone 12, but it's hard to see a significant difference if you're switching from the 13 to the 14 Plus, aside from the autofocus on the front-facing selfie camera. The iPhone 14 Plus uses the same A15 chip as the iPhone 13, but with an additional graphics processing core for improved gaming performance. I didn't notice a difference when I played the game "Diablo: Immortal" on both phones. I'm disappointed that all of the iPhone 14s still have a Lightning port instead of USB-C. I wasn't expecting Apple to switch, but it would be really useful to just carry the same USB-C charger that I use to power a MacBook and an iPad.
iPhone 14 Plus. Sofia Pitt
Should you buy it?
Apple's iPhone 14 Pro Max has best display in the world
Apple's iPhone 14 Pro Max has best display in the world
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Display technology firm DisplayMate has concluded that the iPhone 14 Pro Max display is the best on any smartphone to date, setting or matching 15 category records.
DisplayMate tests smartphone displays for a wide range of characteristics, and in 2021 it declared that the iPhone 13 Pro Max was the best it had ever tested. If that model hadn't been beaten before, it has been now — with the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
"Based on our extensive Lab Tests and Measurements," writes DisplayMate, "the iPhone 14 Pro Max has a very impressive, excellent, top tier, world class smartphone display with close to textbook perfect calibration accuracy."
"[It also has] performance that is visually indistinguishable from perfect," it continues. "Based on our objective Lab Tests and Measurements the iPhone 14 Pro Max [earns] DisplayMate's highest ever Display Performance Grade of A+.
DisplayMate says it exceeded or matched all previously tested phones in 15 categories. In eight of them, DisplayMate concluded the screen was "visually indistinguishable from perfect."
Color Accuracy of White
Absolute Color Accuracy
Shift in Color Accuracy with APL
Maximum Color Shift with APL
Image Contrast Accuracy and Intensity Scale Accuracy
Visible Screen Resolution
The remaining seven categories it met previous records or set new ones were:
Full Screen Brightness for OLED Smartphones
Peak Display Brightness
Contrast Ratio
Screen Reflectance
Contrast Rating in Ambient Light
Brightness Variation with Viewing Angle
Color Variation of White with Viewing Angle
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