Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

What uses less battery - wifi or 3G?

U

UKmacman

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 4, 2007
254
1
As the question asks - for leaving on to get better push email what uses less battery - wifi or 3G?
 
i dont know which one uses but my imput is that wifi = faster web browsing so getting all your tasks done quicker than if you use 3g which would mean you wouldent have to have it activated for so long.
 
Well, Steve Jobs said that the reason the first iPhone didn't have 3G was that the 3G chips consume too much battery power. I'd agree with that. Do you know any 3G phones that will still have battery power after 1 day of normal use? No, but phones with wi-fi only will last longer.
 
From what I've learned since Launch day, leaving 3G on will drain your battery much faster than leaving Wifi on.
Right now I'll only turn 3G on when I need it, and I leave Wifi on permanently.

Ed
 
What if the only network available is 3G? Would it be better to just stick with 3G, or to use both 3G and wifi at the same time? I can't imagine having both enabled would help the battery ...
 
The Phone just utilizes the more effective means of connecting....

If you have WiFi available it will use that.
 
unless you're actively using it, I'd suggest turning off 3G. In comparison to web browsing on WiFi and 3G, I notice my battery meter fall much faster on 3G.

Having said that, for me, 3G is a HUGE improvement in browsing speed compared to EDGE... a lot of people are complaining saying it's not a big enough difference, but for the 3G here, it's very close to my home WiFi connection, which is a 10Mbit (down) cable connection.
 
3G definitely takes more battery. I only turn on 3G or Wifi when I need it. My battery can last two to three days at times.
 
rablat said:
No it is not.
Click to expand...

Rablat - are you very sure that when on Wifi, if 3g is on, it is 'doing something' and sucking the battery? It was my impression when on Wifi, 3g is essentially overridden and 'off'.

No?
 
meagain said:
Rablat - are you very sure that when on Wifi, if 3g is on, it is 'doing something' and sucking the battery? It was my impression when on Wifi, 3g is essentially overridden and 'off'.

No?
Click to expand...

When your phone goes to sleep it shuts off Wi-Fi. You can watch it flip back when you wake the phone back up.
 
Thanks all, so it looks like wifi is better which is great - well for me anyway!
 
Both data and voice go through the 3G network (IIRC). WiFi only does data. Hence turning WiFi on will not disable 3G, even transparently, because you'd lose voice support.
 
Saladinos said:
Both data and voice go through the 3G network (IIRC). WiFi only does data. Hence turning WiFi on will not disable 3G, even transparently, because you'd lose voice support.
Click to expand...

How does turning off 3g disable voice support. It doesn't. Course I probably mistook your post :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back