iPhone XR Battery Life: The Results Are In

If you're having a hard time deciding between the iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, there's one thing that could definitely sway your decision.

Credit: Tom's Guide

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Based on the testing for our iPhone XR review, this $749 handset lasts considerably longer on a charge than Apple's pricier flagships.

iPhone XR Battery Life: How It Stacks Up

Swipe to scroll horizontally
PhoneBattery Life (Hours: Minutes)
iPhone XR11:26
iPhone XS Max10:38
iPhone XS9:41
Huawei P20 Pro14:13
Galaxy Note 911:26
OnePlus 610:33
Google Pixel 3 XL 9:30
Smartphone Average9:48
HTC U12+9:13
LG G7 ThinQ8:35

We put the iPhone XR through the Tom's Guide Battery Test, which involves continuous web surfing over 4G LTE on 150 nits of screen brightness. Note that we run all of our battery tests using T-Mobile's network in order to keep consistent across handsets.

The iPhone XR lasted an excellent 11 hours and 26 minutes. That time is comparable to the Galaxy Note 9 and its 4,000 mAh battery (11:26) and ahead of many flagships we've tested this year.

By comparison, the $999 iPhone XS endured for 9:41 and the $1,099 iPhone XS Max lasted 10:38. So if you want the longest-lasting new iPhone, the iPhone XR is it.

MORE: iPhone XS or iPhone XR? Here's Your Cheat Sheet

This result isn't a big surprise, as Apple rates the iPhone XR for a longer runtime than its pricier cousins on the iPhone specs comparison page. For instance, the iPhone XR is rated for 15 hours of Internet use, compared to 12 and 13 hours for the iPhone XS and XS Max, respectively.

There are Android phones that last longer than the iPhone XR. For instance, the Huawei P20 Pro and its 4,000 mAh battery lasted an epic 14 hours and 13 minutes on the same test. (It's definitely a shame that the Mate 20 Pro and it's massive 4,200 mAh battery won't be sold in the U.S.)

The bottom line is that, among iPhones, the iPhone XR is the long-distance champ. And while the XR lacks some features of the iPhone XS and iPhone XS, such as an OLED display and dual-rear cameras, I can easily picture someone picking the iPhone XR for its extra staying power.

If you're still torn, check out our comparison between the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR.

TOPICS
Mark Spoonauer

Mark Spoonauer is the global editor in chief of Tom's Guide and has covered technology for over 20 years. In addition to overseeing the direction of Tom's Guide, Mark specializes in covering all things mobile, having reviewed dozens of smartphones and other gadgets. He has spoken at key industry events and appears regularly on TV to discuss the latest trends, including Cheddar, Fox Business and other outlets. Mark was previously editor in chief of Laptop Mag, and his work has appeared in Wired, Popular Science and Inc. Follow him on Twitter at @mspoonauer.

Latest in iPhones
An image of an iPhone screen showing the Safari app icon in the center
I got tired of Safari revealing my web searches in iOS 18.4 — this setting fixes that
iPhone Flip Concept
Foldable iPhone delays — there’s a bigger problem going on at Apple
iPhone 17 Air render
iPhone 17 Air — new survey could be bad news for Apple's super thin iPhone
Render of the alleged design of the iPhone 17 Pro
New iPhone 17 Pro dummy leak highlights redesigned camera and part glass body
Siri in iOS 18 on iPhone
Users complain that Siri can’t answer even the most basic questions — here’s what we know
iPhone 16 next to samsung galaxy watch 7 and bose wireless earbuds on a composite image
Apple's walled garden is crumbling — EU orders iOS to open up to third-party devices
Latest in News
Galaxy S25 Ultra Now brief
Samsung’s Personal Data Engine is a big addition to the Galaxy S25 — here’s why
Apple Watch Series 10
Future Apple Watch models could get a surprising new feature — what we know
NYTimes Connections
NYT Connections today hints and answers — Monday, March 24 (#652)
NYT Strands on a cellphone
NYT Strands today — hints, spangram and answers for game #386 (Monday, March 24 2025)
iPhone 16 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro Max in hand showing displays
Forget iPhone 17 — iPhone 18 could get this huge upgrade
The new Husqvarna iQ series robot lawn mower.
Husqvarna’s new robot mowers offer GPS for less