Best battery life phones: Go for multiple days on a single charge

• Battery test score: 26:40
• Battery capacity: 7500mAh

It was the Oppo A5 Pro 5G that held this top spot for a good while, but it only makes sense that the phone would eventually be supplanted by another device from Oppo, given how much investment the company has put into improving its battery tech. The Oppo Find X9 Pro isn’t just the company’s best battery phone to date; it’s also the best battery phone you’ll find anywhere right now.

Scoring a near outlandish duration of 26 hours and 40 minutes in the PCMark battery test, the Find X9 Pro eclipses competitors such as the Galaxy S25 Ultra and the OnePlus 13. Even its immediate predecessor, the Oppo Find X8 Pro, only scored a duration of 14 hours and 36 minutes in the same test, which shows just how much of a leap forward Oppo has managed to achieve here.

It’s all thanks to the massive 7500mAh battery inside, which uses a silicon-carbon build to prevent the phone from feeling too chunky in the hand. With that longevity at play, however, you can make full use of the phone’s three rear-facing cameras without ever having to worry about how much juice is left in the tank.

If you are in a bind, you can claim back 50% from just half an hour’s charge, thanks to 80W speeds over a wired connection (50W if you go for a wireless charger). With all this in mind, it’s a massive shame that the phone will not be making its way to the US, so if you are based in the States, then you’ll want to look elsewhere on this list for a phone that truly lasts all day.

Who should buy the Oppo Find X9 Pro?

Anyone who values battery life above all, and having great cameras to boot.

Oppo Find X9 Pro: Further considerations

The phone is, unfortunately, not available to buy in the US.

• Battery test score: 25:36
• Battery capacity: 7050mAh

Although a long-lasting battery is a great feature to have, if a phone drops the ball elsewhere with other features, then longevity isn’t going to make it any more fun to use. Thankfully, the Oppo Find X9 Ultra isn’t one such device, as it so brilliantly fires on all cylinders that the battery, despite being one of the best in the business, will almost feel like an afterthought as you’ll be too dazzled by everything else on offer, most notably the cameras.

The X9 Ultra scored a whopping 25 hours and 36 minutes in our PCMark Battery test, outdoing similar uber flagships like the Xiaomi 17 Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra by quite a wide margin. You’ll be glad of all that extra juice (the same capacity as the Chinese version for a change) as you’ll be using the four rear-facing cameras non-stop. These are the cream of the crop right now, putting out the type of shots that were only once possible with a DSLR camera in tow.

Whether it’s low-light photography of a cityscape or grabbing a portrait shot during the daytime, the X9 Ultra simply doesn’t miss. Even if you’re not particularly skilled with a camera, the onboard computational processing can do so much of the heavy lifting that you’ll start to consider yourself a competent photographer. Just bear in mind that the phone can get a bit hot through extended use, but making sure to take regular breaks can help to mitigate this.

On the charging front, the X9 Ultra also leads the pack with 100W speeds over a wired connection, alongside 50W wireless charging. Given that there are some flagship phones (we’re looking at you, Samsung) that barely match that 50W rate on wired charging, it’s hard not to feel spoiled by Oppo here, and you can claim about 42% in just 30 minutes. There’s reverse charging too for any extra devices you might have, although we would have liked to see Qi2 magnetic charging to help justify the phone’s pretty high price tag.

Who should buy the Oppo Find X9 Ultra?

Users who want the best of everything in the Android space.

Oppo Find X9 Ultra: Further considerations

At £1,449, there are far cheaper phones out there, including the Find X9 Pro.

• Battery test score: 26:26
• Battery capacity: 7300mAh

Although the Oppo Find X9 Pro is the beast to beat when it comes to battery life right now, the similarly brilliant OnePlus 15 isn’t that far off. Coming in with a PCMark battery score that’s just 14 minutes behind the X9 Pro, it’s hard to imagine anyone feeling hard done by if they do opt for OnePlus’ flagship phone instead.

The headline here is that the phone’s 7300mAh silicon-carbon cell is capable of lasting for 26 hours and 26 minutes under PCMark’s battery stress test. That kind of longevity is almost unheard of, even amongst flagship phones, with the latest Samsung Galaxy and Pixel devices coming in significantly short of that.

Of course, with the Oppo going for slightly longer, rest assured that there are other aspects of the OnePlus 15 to draw you in, including a ridiculously tough design that’s IP66, IP68, IP69 and IP69K rated. If you’ve ever worried about your keys accidentally scratching up the back of your phone, then that’s something you don’t have to worry about with the OnePlus 15.

The phone also boasts best-in-class performance courtesy of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. At no point in our testing did the CPU buckle, and that’s great news for gamers as you can also make use of the 165Hz refresh rate included. It’s a top-tier flagship from OnePlus – we only wish that it had magnetic Qi2 charging built in.

Who should buy the OnePlus 15?

Premium users who want a great phone for performance and gaming.

OnePlus 15: Further considerations

Magnetic charging requires a case, unlike iPhones and the latest Pixels.

• Battery test score: 21:53
• Battery capacity: 8500mAh

Xiaomi has shown time and time again that via its Poco sub-brand, the company understand the budget/mid-range market better than most. Previous Poco phones have provided a ton of value in return for not that much at the checkout, and the Poco X8 Pro Max continues that tradition (even if it is a bit of a mouthful).

The big allure, and the reason why it’s on this list, is that the X8 Pro Max packs a whopping 8500mAh battery, which completely dwarves that of most flagship phones. Clocking an unbelievable 21 hours and 53 minutes in our PCMark battery test, it’s very unlikely that you’ll ever encounter any battery anxiety over the course of a single day.

If you do need to top the phone up in a pinch, then there’s blazingly fast 100W wired charging available, although you will need to buy a compatible charging adapter to make use of it. There’s also 27W reverse wired charging if you need to give your earbuds or smartwatch some extra juice.

As with any Poco phone, the usual trade-offs include having to deal with a decent amount of bloatware, alongside the fact that they only come with four years of software updates, which isn’t the best out there for long-term value. Still, for everything else you get here, including the impressive MediaTek Dimensity 9500s chipset, it’s a bargain.

Who should buy the Poco X8 Pro Max?

Pretty much anyone shopping in the mid-range phone sector.

Poco X8 Pro Max: Further considerations

Four years of software updates pale in comparison to the competition.

• Battery test score: 21:27
• Battery capacity: 6000mAh (global model)

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra had a comfortable place on this list for quite some time, but it’s only fitting that when it comes to the perfect mix of battery life and camera prowess, it’s the phone’s immediate successor that steps in to claim the crown. With a 6,000mAh battery under the hood, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra was able to run for a whopping 21 hours and 27 minutes in the PCMark battery test, making it one of the standout phones for longevity in 2026.

In everyday use, we were able to get the 17 Ultra to last for just over two days at a time before needing to be topped up, which is handy as you’ll want that level of juice in the tank given how the cameras practically invite you to explore their versatility at any chance you get. Even though it’s packing on less sensor than its predecessor, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is still one of the best camera phones we’ve ever tested.

There’s a mechanical zoom system on the phone which, through all the technical jargon, allows the user to take high-quality pics of subjects from a distance, so if you’re the type of person who can spot a great shot that just a bit out of reach for the main camera, then you’ll have the ability to capture it in a pinch. 

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset provides flagship-level performance that’s bolstered by the massive 6.9-inch display. It’s a brighter panel too that peaks at 3,500 nits for an easier experience outdoors. It’s a shame that such an expensive phone only carries five years of OS updates alongside six years of security patches, but given just how much the phone has to offer, all of that time will be well spent with the Xiaomi 17 Ultra in tow.

Who should buy the Xiaomi 17 Ultra?

Photographers who need a pro-level camera set-up in their pocket, alongside a multi-day battery to back it up.

Xiaomi 17 Ultra: Further considerations

With just five years of OS updates, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra has limited long-term value compared to what Samsung and Apple can provide.

The PCMark app we use for battery testing isn’t available on iOS, but we don’t need it to recommend an iPhone if you want long battery life.

With the loss of the Plus model to make room for the iPhone Air, the 17 Pro Max is the clear winner within the latest generation.

Apple promises that it will last for 37 hours of video playback which is impressive. While we haven’t gone to those lengths, the 17 Pro Max was a real workhorse in our testing. Long days lasting from 6am to midnight saw the phone always get through with at least 20% left in the tank.

And this is with heavier-than-usual usage due to reviewing the device. Lighter users may well get two days from it.

Apple has also improved charging to 40W, and you can get an impressive 50% in just 20 minutes with the right adapter, though, like with most phones now, you’ll have to buy this separately.

Who should buy the iPhone 17 Pro Max?

You want the latest generation of Apple phone with the best battery life (and other specs).

iPhone 17 Pro Max: Further considerations

It’s big, expensive and possibly overkill in other areas. An iPhone 16 Plus may be a better value option.

If you’re shopping around the mid-range territory, are most concerned with battery life and have about £400 to spend then the Motorola Edge 70 Fusion should be your first port of call. Coming in at £379.99 (although sadly not available in the US) and with a 7,000mAh battery, this phone is meant to go for about two days between charges, so you’ll rarely have to deal with any battery anxiety with the Edge 70 Fusion in tow.

Strangely enough, there is a 5200mAh model of the phone which is available for £10 less, but the added expense is well worth it given that there are so few phones at this more affordable end of the market that can keep up with that degree of longevity. When it does come time to top up the phone, you can lean on fast 68W wired charging to get back to a full battery in no time. There’s no wireless charging to speak of but this isn’t too surprising in this price bracket.

All of this battery tech is handy to have, as you’ll probably want to use the gorgeous 6.78-inch pOLED display for all of your streaming needs once you lay your eyes on it. Colours pop in such a wonderful way, and the cascading effect on the sides of the display creates a very cinematic feeling with whatever it is you’re watching. There’s a high resolution of 2772 x 1272 which pairs with a super fast 144Hz refresh rate (although that only kicks in for certain games).

In typical Motorola fashion, the phone itself also comes in a variety of Pantone-infused colourways, which makes other handsets seem boring by comparison. It’s such a great eye for design, which unfortunately doesn’t quite carry over to the phone’s AI capabilities. The Moto AI suite still feels half-baked, and we’d rather see Motorola put more effort into expanding the long-term update cycle of its phones (you only get three years of OS updates here). You do get five years of security patches, though, so you can safely use the phone for quite some time to come.

Who should buy the Motorola Edge 70 Fusion?

Battery-obsessive buyers with a mid-range budget and a desire for a great screen.

Motorola Edge 70 Fusion: Further considerations

The bloatware/AI situation isn’t fun, and there are only three years of OS upgrades.

• Battery test score: 17:41
• Battery capacity: 4000mAh

We’ll be the first to admit that the standard Galaxy S phones haven’t changed all too much over the last few years, but whilst Samsung’s updates have been iterative, it has managed to build a far more power-efficient ecosystem in that time, culminating in the excellent Samsung Galaxy S25. In fact, we’ve kept the S25 on this list because it still outperforms the newer Galaxy S26 when it comes to battery life.

Even though the phone can easily be used one-handed, with a 6.2-inch AMOLED display, it still manages to deliver a solid battery life that can get most users safely to the end of a long day without worry.

The 4000mAh cell is able to work in tandem with the high-end Snapdragon 8 Elite to deliver high performance at all times and still have tons of power left over. For example, in spite of its size, the Galaxy S25 still managed to reach 17 hours and 41 minutes of use when put through the reliable PCMark battery test. There are phones with larger batteries that aren’t able to reach that level of longevity.

The charging speeds could be better with 25W wired charging and 15W wireless charging, but at least you do have the flexibility there to top up regardless of the type of charger you have to hand. When you factor in all of the other features like a triple-camera array and Galaxy AI, it’s hard to argue with what the Galaxy S25 brings to the table.

Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy S25?

Anyone who wants a compact yet powerful phone to get them through each day.

Samsung Galaxy S25: Further considerations

The Galaxy S24+ is now cheaper, comes with a better battery life and a larger screen.

• Battery test score: 18:47
• Battery capacity: 5000mAh

Unfortunately, the HMD Fusion is a case of unfulfilled potential. Its modular design, which allows you to connect a range of different ‘Outfits’ (including a ring light, rugged protection or a more casual look) is genuinely exciting, even if most of these are sold separately.

Battery life from the 5000mAh is excellent – you can expect two days of moderate usage, or even longer if you only use the device occasionally. The main 108Mp camera lens is impressive, and it’s great that most parts are easily repairable.

Sadly, the combination of a dull, low-resolution display and disappointing performance during demanding workloads will put many people off. And just two years of OS updates and three years of security patches rather undermines the focus on repairability to an extent.

Still, if you’re looking for a bold budget phone with superb battery life, it’s still worth considering the HMD Fusion.

Who should buy the HMD Fusion?

Folks who want modularity so that they can customise their phone when they please.

HMD Fusion: Further considerations

The CMF Phone 2 Pro also offers modular accessories and is a better phone overall.

• Battery test score: 18:02
• Battery capacity: 5000mAh

If the rest of the phones on this list are looking a bit mundane for your tastes, then the Nothing Phone (4a) might be the thing you’re looking for. Just like the other Nothing phones before it, the (4a) is designed to turn heads with its space-age design, and although it’s definitely a stylish device, it is certainly not without substance.

In terms of battery life, there’s a sizeable 5,080mAh cell onboard (5,400mAh if you’re buying in India), and while that might not sound like too much against the other battery champs on this list, it did lead to an impressive 17-hour and 23-minute run with the PCMark battery test. For a £349 phone, that’s not bad at all.

Also working against your expectations of a lower mid-range phone is the excellent Nothing OS. Unlike a lot of other devices around the same price point, the (4a) isn’t bogged down by bloatware, but rather the user experience is emboldened by Nothing’s iOS-like approach to system-wide colour and exclusive widgets.

There are also great rear-facing cameras, and the 6.78-inch AMOLED display is gorgeous to look at. The phone does lose a few points by not being a major overhaul on the Nothing Phone (3a) where performance and long-term software support are concerned, but this is still a brilliant handset nonetheless.

Who should buy the Nothing Phone (4a)?

Fashion-first buyers who appreciate a design that stands out.

Nothing Phone (4a): Further considerations

Not a massive difference in performance over the Nothing Phone (3a).