Smartphones are lasting longer than ever, with many recent releases claiming spots on our best phone battery life list. And you're not just finding budget phones with beefy batteries or gaming devices that place a premium on battery life here (though a gaming phone does top our rankings). Flagship phones from Apple and Samsung are including in our rankings, too. In fact, in 2024, we've seen the longest-lasting iPhone and Galaxy S flagship that we've ever tested.
These days, even foldable phones are offering long battery life, which is impressive, given the limits on space for power packs and the fact that there are two displays to keep powered up. Yet, Motorola's premium flip phone breaks into our best phone battery life list of the 15 longest-lasting phones that we've tested in the last 18 months.
This influx of long-lasting phones is making it tougher than ever to land a spot in this best phone battery life guide. A phone would need to hold out for more than 14 hours on the battery test we run on each phone just to have a chance of making the grade.
Still, some devices manage to go above and beyond that 14-hour mark. Take the ROG Phone 8 Pro, which currently heads our list after turning in the best result we've ever seen on our battery test. It's followed by the OnePlus 12R, an impressive midrange device that doesn't require you to pay up for outstanding battery life. It's no wonder that both of those handsets took home honors in our Tom's Guide 2024 awards for phones.
In our custom battery test, we make phones surf the web continuously over 5G until they run out of juice. We set the phone's screen at 150 nits of brightness to ensure comparable results. And if the phone has a display with a fast refresh rate, we test multiple times with that feature enabled and disabled to get a sense of what kind of battery life you can expect.
The average phone lasts just over 10 hours, so anything better than that mark offers solid battery life. But to earn a place on the best phone battery life list, you need to go past 14 hours. Truly, we're talking about phones that offer the kind of endurance where you're less reliant on one of our best portable charger picks.
If our chart looks a bit different than it used to, that's because we made a change to how we rank best phone battery life. The test numbers we use reflect the default setting for a display's refresh rate. Often, that means a phone can adjust that rate during our test. We believe that using the default setting is the best way to get comparable results, but since we also test at different refresh rate settings, we'll note when that has an impact on a phone's battery life in the write-ups below.
We've also adjusted the times of some recently released phones as we've had a chance to run additional battery tests on them. The numbers in our battery life rankings reflect averages calculated from multiple tests.
Best phone battery life at a glance (hours:minutes)
- Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro: 18:48
- OnePlus 12R: 18:08
- iPhone 16 Pro Max: 17:17
- OnePlus 12: 17:05
- Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra: 17:01
- Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: 16:45
- iPhone 16 Plus: 16:29
- Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus: 15:58
- Motorola Edge Plus (2023): 15:47
- Moto G Stylus 5G (2024): 15:01
- Moto G 5G (2024): 14:36
- Nothing Phone 2a: 14:28
- Nothing Phone 2: 1421
- iPhone 15 Plus: 14:14
- Motorola Razr Plus (2024): 14:10
The best phone battery life in 2024
1. Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro (18:48)
Asus actually uses a smaller battery in the ROG Phone 8 Pro than it did in the previous version of its gaming phone. But don't worry about that — the ROG Phone 8 Pro still set a new standard on our battery test by finishing just shy of 19 hours.
The ROG Phone 8 Pro's time was 16 minutes better than the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate — not only the previous gaming phone from Asus but the last phone to set a new record on our battery test. Get an Asus gaming phone, and you'll never have to worry about running out of power mid-game.
A 65W charger that comes with the ROG Phone 8 Pro helped get a drained phone to a 71% charge after 30 minutes of charging. By 50 minutes, the phone was completely charged. So you're never really out of the game with this long-lasting phone from Asus at your side.
Read our full Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro review.
2. OnePlus 12R (18:08)
The midrange OnePlus 12R is the longest-lasting phone we've tested that's not built specifically for gaming, and it's also the only phone in our current rankings that lasted longer than 18 hours on our battery test. If you need to squeeze even more battery life out of the phone, you can adjust its refresh rate, as that produced a result a few minutes shy of the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro's record-setting pace.
A chunky 5,500 mAh battery helps this phone last throughout the day and then some on a single charge, but credit should also go to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, which powers many of the other devices on our best phone battery life list.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 may be an older chipset, but that's what allows OnePlus to offer the 12R at such a low price, particularly in the U.S. You can buy a $499 model with 128GB of storage in the U.S., while the OnePlus 12R starts at $599 for 256GB of storage in other parts of the world.
Even with its lower price, the OnePlus 12R doesn't skimp on OnePlus' trademark fast-charging. With 80W wired charging speeds in the U.S., we got the phone to a 96% charge after 30 minutes. Don't expect wireless charging, though.
Read our full OnePlus 12R review.
3. iPhone 16 Pro Max (17:17)
Additional testing dropped the iPhone 16 Pro Max's average time from its high of 18:06 to 17:17, but don't be disappointed by that. This is still the longest-lasting phone Apple has ever offered.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max not only features a larger battery, but the A18 Pro silicon running the show exhibits excellent energy efficiency. The iPhone 16 Pro also runs on an A18 Pro chipset, and it just missed making our list even though it has a much smaller battery than the Pro Max.
Despite reports that 45W charging might be possible the iPhone 16 Pro Max is limited to 30W charging speeds, which helps it get to a respectable if not overwhelming 55% charge after 30 minutes.
Read our full iPhone 16 Pro Max Review.
4. OnePlus 12 (17:05)
The lower-cost OnePlus 12R may be the longer-lasting phone in the OnePlus 12 series, but don't sell the flagship phone short. The OnePlus 12 still lasted a little more than 17 hours on our battery test with the help of a 5,400 mAh battery and the power management features of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 silicon. Curiously, locking the display's refresh rate at 120Hz adds another half-hour or so to the test result, instead of the default adaptive setting.
Unlike the OnePlus 12R, the OnePlus 12 offers wireless charging, which makes its welcome return to OnePlus' flagships. Wired charging supports 80W speeds in the U.S., compared to 50W wireless speeds.
Read our full OnePlus 12 review.
5. Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra (17:01)
At this point, it would be a surprise if Asus didn't produce a long-lasting phone. The Zenfone 11 Ultra joins the last two ROG Phones in dominating our battery life rankings. In the case of the Zenfone 11 Ultra, the phone average just over 17 hours on our battery test with its 6.78-inch display set to an automatic refresh rate. In some test runs, the Zenfone got very close to the 18-hour mark, so count on all-day battery with this device.
Even better, the Zenfone 11 Ultra's appeal goes beyond endurance and gaming, as Asus has equipped the phone with an especially bright and colorful display. We appreciate how a 6-axis gimbal boosts the stability of the phone's 50MP main camera, even if we wish that the photo-processing capabilities were a little more refined. You can enjoy 65W wired charging, too, though you will need to provide your own charger to take full advantage of that feature.
Read our full Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra review.
6. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (16:45)
Meet the longest-lasting Samsung flagship phone we've ever tested. The Galaxy S24 Ultra finished 15 minutes shy of the 17-hour mark, beating out last year's flagship phone from Motorola by nearly an hour. While the Galaxy S24 Ultra finished 2.5 hours ahead of the best performing iPhone 15 model, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has since come along to take the S24 Ultra's long-lasting flagship crown.
Samsung didn't increase the battery size in the Galaxy S24 Ultra — it remains at 5,000 mAh. So we have to credit the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset powering the phone for its excellent efficiency. It's also worth noting we recorded that time with the S24 Ultra's adaptive refresh rate turned on, so the Qualcomm chipset does a great job managing power.
Charging speeds remain at 45W, but we managed to get a 71% charge after 30 minutes using a 45W USB-C charger. Samsung doesn't include such a charger with its phone, so if you want top charging speeds, you'll need to pick up this accessory on your own.
Read our Samsung Galaxy S24 hands-on.
7. iPhone 16 Plus (16:29)
The iPhone 15 Plus wowed us last year by offering 14 hours and 14 minutes of battery life — exceeding the performance of the iPhone 15 Pro Max in the process. While the iPhone 16 Plus finished behind the iPhone 16 Pro Max, it did gain a considerable boost to its longevity over its predecessor.
Specifically, the new model posts a 2 hour-plus gain in our battery test, which is pretty impressive for a phone that already held out a long time on a charge. Credit is likely split between the improved power efficiency of the A18 chipset inside the iPhone 16 Plus and the fact that Apple equipped the phone with a bigger battery. (Just how big, Apple hasn't said, but expect that information to come out, once people get a chance to teardown the phone.)
As for charging, you're looking at regaining 55% in 30 minutes, which matches the charging results we recorded with Apple's more expensive Pro models.
Read our full iPhone 16 Plus review.
8. Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus (15:58)
The Galaxy S24 Plus lasts about an hour less than the slightly larger Galaxy S24 Ultra on a charge, though if you turn off the adaptive refresh rate on the Plus, you wind up with Ultra-like longevity. Even finishing just shy of 16 hours with the adaptive refresh rate turned on is an excellentresult for a phone with a 4,900 mAh battery and a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. (At least in North America — S24 Plus models in the rest of the world use Exynos 2400 silicon.)
Charging speeds haven't changed from the Galaxy S23 Plus, as the S24 Plus charges at 45W wired. With a compatible charger, we got a drained Galaxy S24 Plus to a 72% charge in 30 minutes, similar to what we saw with the S24 Ultra.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus review.
9. Motorola Edge Plus 2023 (15:47)
We're never surprised when a Motorola phone does well on our battery test — you'll find a lot of the phone maker's devices on this best phone battery life list. Still, the Motorola Edge Plus 2023 raised a few eyebrows with its time of 15 hours and 47 minutes. We got that result with the phone's 6.7-inch display set to an automatic refresh rate, meaning that it can scale up to 120Hz as on-screen activity dictates.
But the Edge Plus supports an even higher refresh rate of 165Hz — appealing to gamers who long for immersive graphics. When we locked the phone's refresh rate at 165Hz, the Motorola Edge Plus still lasted more than 13 hours on our test, so it still would have ranked among the longest-lasting phones we've reviewed. The Motorola Edge Plus also sports 68W wired charging to top off its massive 5,100 mAh battery. We weren't blown away by the charging speed in practice, but that's one of the few disappointments we experienced when testing this excellent flagship phone.
Read our full Motorola Edge Plus (2023) review.
10. Moto G Stylus 5G 2024 (15:01)
Motorola's G series phones have a strong reputation for lasting a long-time on a charge. The best of the bunch from this year's batch of G series updates is the Moto G Stylus. It lasted a little more than 15 hours on our test, and that was with the 6.7-inch display's refresh rate alternating between 60Hz and 120Hz. Turn off that default feature, and you can push that average time to 15 hours and 55 minutes.
The Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) gives you more than just a massive battery and fast 30W charging speeds. It comes with a built-in stylus that's useful for scribbling notes or sketching on the phone's display. The Moto G Stylus may lack some processing muscle and its cameras are passable at best, but for less than $400, you get a bright display, a stylish design and all the battery life you could ask for.
Read our full Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) review.
14. Moto G 5G 2024 (14:36)
One of the least expensive entries on our best phone battery life list, the Moto G 5G (2024) proves once again that Motorola's G series of budget phones can be counted on to last a while on a charge. In this case, the latest edition of the Moto G 5G lasted more than 14.5 hours — and that time was recorded with the phone's 6.6-inch display set to its automatic refresh rate that can scale up to 120Hz.
A fast-refreshing display and long battery life underscore the value of the Moto G 5G, which costs just $199. You'll make some trade-offs for that price — mostly in processor speed and photo quality — but longevity isn't something you need to worry about sacrificing.
Read our full Moto G 5G 2024 review.
12. Nothing Phone 2a (14:28)
The less expensive of Nothing's latest phones benefits from a 5,000 mAh battery and a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro chipset to turn in an impressive time on our battery test, lasting 14 hours and 28 minutes. Turning of the default adaptive refresh rate, and going with the High setting improves the time to 15 hours.
East-charging is something you typically don't find on cheaper phones, and yet the Nothing Phone 2a can charge at 45W with a wired connection. For less than $350, that's an impressive set of power management features — provided you're able to get your hands on the Nothing Phone 2a, as U.S. availability is limited.
Read our full Nothing Phone 2a review.
13. Nothing Phone 2 (14:21)
The Nothing Phone 2 is much easier to get your hands on than the Nothing Phone 2a, and you're not losing much in terms of longevity. Equipped with a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset and a 4,385 mAh battery, the Nothing Phone 2 lasted 14 hours and 21 minutes on our battery test, topping devices powered by more recent Qualcomm silicon.
Like the Nothing Phone 2a, the Nothing Phone 2 offers 45W wired charging while also throwing 15W wireless charging into the mix. So it's easy to quickly top off the phone when you need a little extra battery life before heading out the door.
Read our full Nothing Phone 2 review.
14. iPhone 15 Plus (14:14)
The iPhone 16 phones may offer Apple's latest and greatest hardware, but don't overlook the iPhone 15 Plus from a year ago if you're in the market for an Apple phone but don't want to pay top dollar. The iPhone 15 Plus lasted longer than both the newer iPhone 16 Pro (just barely) and the iPhone 16 on our battery test, and it's available for the same $799 that Apple charges for the iPhone 16. Not bad if you want a bigger screen and don't mind missing out on Apple Intelligence features.
Charging speeds are less impressive, though you could say that about most iPhones. A half-hour of charging refilled the phones battery to just 39%.
Read our full iPhone 15 Plus review.
Motorola Razr Plus 2024 (14:10)
Foldable phones aren't supposed to last a long time on a charge, but try telling that to the Motorola Razr Plus (2024). Despite limited space for a battery and both an external and internal display to keep powered up, the latest foldable Razr averaged better than 14 hours on our battery test. When we were testing the phone, we ended the day with the battery indicator at around 30% most of the time, which means you don't have to worry about looking for a place to charge up.
When it is time to charge, you can take advantage of 40W TurboPower charging, though that disappointed in our test. The Razr Plus also supports wireless charging.
If you'd like to spend even less money on your foldable, the regular Motorola Razr (2024) costs $300 less and just missed breaking the 14-hour mark in our battery testing.
Read our full Motorola Razr Plus (2024) review.
How we test for the best phone battery life
Every phone we review goes through extensive testing in addition to being put through everyday use. The test most relevant to determining the best phone battery life is our proprietary Tom's Guide Battery Life test. (You can get a full rundown of the testing we conduct in our guide to how Tom's Guide tests and reviews smartphones.)
In this test, we set the display of a phone to 150 nits, so that we can get consistent results. We then run a script on the phone that makes it surf the web via its default browser app until the phone runs out of power and we time the results. Phones with longest endurance land on the best phone battery life list, though we cycle out devices older than 18 months to keep our list of longest-lasting phones current.
Many smartphones — particularly premium models — now offer displays with faster refresh rate settings. Because a high refresh rate can drain the battery of a phone faster, we'll test phones multiple times, first at the phone's default settings and then at different refresh rates. The times in our best phone battery life rankings reflect tests run with the default settings in place, but we'll note when adjusting the settings produces a dramatically better result.
We run one other test on smartphone batteries, timing how long it takes for a drained phone to charge. We'll note the percentage charge after 15 and 30 minutes of charging a phone that's run out of power. We'll use the charger that comes with the phone for this test; in cases where a phone ships without a charger — increasingly coming among premium handsets — we'll use a charger that's capable of delivering the fastest charging speed supported by the phone as listed in the device specs.
Battery testing is one part of the tests we run to review phones. We also run benchmarks to evaluate a phone's performance, measure screen brightness and color reproduction to rate its display and take multiple pictures to evaluate cameras. All those help us assign ratings to devices in our smartphone reviews, though for the purposes of the best phone battery life list, our battery test is the only result affecting rankings.
