iPhone 17 Pro Max vs. Android Battery Life: New Test Reveals Winner

[MacRumors]

A broad new smartphone test has found that Apple devices lead the industry for battery life, with the iPhone 17 Pro Max ranking as the longest-lasting phone tested and Apple tied as the top overall brand.

CNET this week published the results of a large-scale battery-life comparison based on testing conducted throughout 2025 across 35 smartphones sold in the United States. According to the report, Apple and OnePlus ranked as the two brands with the strongest battery performance overall, based on averaged results from multiple battery benchmarks.

The top-performing individual device in the testing was Apple's iPhone 17 Pro Max, which finished first overall despite not having the largest battery capacity among the tested phones. It has a battery capacity of 5,088 mAh, and its extended battery life is largely attributed to silicon efficiency and software optimization.

The iPhone 17 tied for second place alongside the OnePlus 15. The iPhone 17 achieved this ranking despite having the smallest battery capacity among the top-performing phones. The Poco F7 Ultra placed third, while the iPhone 17 Pro placed fourth in the overall rankings.

CNET's methodology included standardized tests using two benchmarks designed to minimize real-world variability. The first involved streaming video over Wi-Fi at full brightness for three hours, while the second was a 45-minute endurance test that included gaming, video streaming, social media scrolling, and a video call. Results from both tests were averaged to determine final rankings.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max again ranked first in the endurance benchmark, followed by the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 16e. The publication noted that Google's Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro Fold also performed well in this specific test, along with Motorola's Razr.

The experiment also compared battery life across smartphone brands by averaging results from companies for which at least three models were tested. Apple and OnePlus ranked first and second respectively in overall brand battery performance. Motorola and Samsung followed in third and fourth place, while Google ranked fifth.

Article Link: iPhone 17 Pro Max vs. Android Battery Life: New Test Reveals Winner

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

Meh, most reviews point out to 17 pro having better battery than 17

I don't trust CNET much anyway

Also several people and I don't exactly have a stellar experience with 17 pro. In fact I'm rather disappointed . I suppose not all batteries are the same

 

[Séamus Boyle]

How is the 17 better than the 17 pro? Especially if they’re running the same test on the same software? This is all a little confusing lol.

 

[vegetassj4]

How is the 17 better than the 17 pro? Especially if they’re running the same test on the same software? This is all a little confusing lol.

It takes alot of energy to be the most PRO iPhone we've ever created, you are going to love it.

 

[GuruZac]

17 Pro Max battery life is indeed very good.

 

[DCIFRTHS]

I'm thinking that designing the test for "real-world variability" would have been incredibly more useful. Harder yes, but much more useful.

 

[ValerieDurden]

17 Pro Max battery life is indeed very good.

No complaints here.

 

[vertsix]

Used Android for a couple years and it's definitive that Android is less efficient for standby and power use in general. It's been that way since the dinosaur age.

 

[vertsix]

17 Pro Max battery life is indeed very good.

iPhone 13 Pro Max on iOS 15 was better.

 

[apparatchik]

I'm thinking that designing the test for "real-world variability" would have been incredibly more useful. Harder yes, but much more useful.

I think that's not what's meant there, they're saying they minimized variations between test runs such as wifi performance variations that would affect the trustworthiness of the results, not that they designed tests disconnected from real world usage.

 

[TheGhostWalker]

I have terrible battery life on my 17 Pro Max. Not dissimilar to the 13 Pro Max I had previously at the end of its life

 

[slippery-pete]

And to no surprise, people are complaining.

 

[joshwithachance]

Neither of these tests are really sufficient enough to determine a true "winner", because most devices last longer in that initial 100% charge vs as the battery begins to drain.

With that said... I SEE YOU, PIXEL 10 PRO FOLD.👀

 

[klasma]

The actual numbers:

And they recommend buying a cheaper last year’s model because the difference from last year is less than 1% on average.

 

[joshwithachance]

I have terrible battery life on my 17 Pro Max. Not dissimilar to the 13 Pro Max I had previously at the end of its life

I truly don't understand how this is possible. There are days where I'm using my 17PM to film several HOURS of video, on top of all the standard phone things, and still going to bed with 30% or more left... What are you doing with your phone? And what do you consider "terrible" battery life anyway?

 

[joshwithachance]

iPhone 13 Pro Max on iOS 15 was better.

No it wasn't. I have never consistently gone to bed with 50% or more leftover with any phone until the 17 Pro Max.

 

[klasma]

I suppose not all batteries are the same

They definitely aren’t, and the tolerances are likely larger than the differences between the top brands.

 

[switz]

I have used the Apple controlled charge limit to reduce battery wear and have more than enough battery to go into the next day in a pinch.

 

[Grayburn]

Also several people and I don't exactly have a stellar experience with 17 pro. In fact I'm rather disappointed . I suppose not all batteries are the same

Battery on my 17 Pro is great, no complaints here.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

No it wasn't. I have never consistently gone to bed with 50% or more leftover with any phone until the 17 Pro Max.

I only charge at night or every other night, and I often go to bed with >50% on my year old 16 Pro (non-max). Same experience with my prior 13 Pro.

🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[IIGS User]

It takes alot of energy to be the most PRO iPhone we've ever created, you are going to love it.

Does it come with a polishing cloth?

Seriously, though. I think I've started to move beyond my phone charge anxiety. I have a 16PM and it's been really good with batter life. I used to charge it every night but unless I have someplace to be, I wait until I get in my car and charge it via the cable. Then I charge it at my desk at work and that usually gets me to 100% It gets to 75/80% so quickly anyway I rarely worry about battery.

 

[vertsix]

No it wasn't. I have never consistently gone to bed with 50% or more leftover with any phone until the 17 Pro Max.

Yes it was, and tests consistently have shown that iOS has gotten less efficient over the years despite larger batteries in newer phones.

 

[joshwithachance]

I only charge at night or every other night, and I often go to bed with >50% on my year old 16 Pro (non-max). Same experience with my prior 13 Pro.

🤷🏻‍♂️

Tell me you hardly use your phone without telling me you hardly use your phone... Subtle flex I guess?

 

[WarmWinterHat]

Tell me you hardly use your phone without telling me you hardly use your phone... Subtle flex I guess?

I use it a decent amount. Don't think it's "hardly".

What I don't do is stream video or use social media, so that could be it.

 

[MayaUser]

How is the 17 better than the 17 pro? Especially if they’re running the same test on the same software? This is all a little confusing lol.

17 has more efficient SoC than the pro series