Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Which Samsung Galaxy outlasts the rest on battery life? Not the one you expect

By Kailla Coomes and David Cogen June 24, 2018

Ever wonder if newer phones actually boast better battery life than their predecessors? To find out, we to put the Galaxy S9 Plus and several other Samsung phones — specifically the S8, S8 Plus, and Note 8 — to the test. The company’s website claims that the S9 Plus lasts longer than the standard S9, but does it outperform previous Galaxy models?

To ensure no outside variables hindered our experiment, we made sure that each phone was connected to the same Wi-Fi network and the same social media accounts, and receiving notifications in the same way. The display brightness on each device was also identical. To test the overall longevity of each battery, we played a continuous loop of the beloved Nyan Cat video, and waited patiently to see which phone would last the longest.

Battery test results

1st: Galaxy S8 Plus
2nd: Galaxy Note 8
3rd: Galaxy S8
4th: Galaxy S9 Plus

Three hours in, there wasn’t a noticeable difference; the Note 8 still had 74-percent battery life, the S8 and S8 Plus were hovering around 72 percent, and the S9 Plus was in the middle with 73 percent. Fast forward an impressive 12 hours and 7 minutes, and we have our winner, the S8 Plus. The Note 8 came in second at 11 hours and 13 minutes, while third and fourth place went to the S8 and S9 Plus, respectively.

It’s hard to say why the S8 Plus lasted significantly longer than the other models — especially since they all sport similar battery sizes and identical processors — but clearly, it’s the S8 Plus has something going for it. In another recent battery battle, we put a host of flagships, including the Galaxy S9 Plus and S8 Plus, to the same test. The Galaxy S8 Plus was again victorious, with the S9 Plus coming in at a close second.

Keep in mind, however, the battery test is just a simplified overview of how long your phone may last. The S9 Plus is still a fantastic device… even if the battery life could be better.

David Cogen — a regular contributor here at Digital Trends — runs TheUnlockr.com, a popular tech blog that focuses on tech news, tips and tricks, and the latest tech. You can also find him over at Twitter discussing the latest tech trends.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Kailla is a staff writer from Portland, Ore. She studied Journalism at the University of Oregon and graduated in 2014. In her…

Mobile

Early OnePlus 10 Pro renders reveal Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra-inspired camera bump

early oneplus 10 pro renders leak 2

Popular tech leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer, who goes by @Onleaks on Twitter earlier today, posted the first-ever renders of the OnePlus 10 Pro. The renders, which appeared on e-commerce platform Zouton.com, reveal a triple camera array housed within a redesigned camera bump. If that camera bump looks somewhat familiar to you, it is probably because it seems to be heavily inspired by the one we all saw on the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra.

As evident in the image below, the OnePlus 10 Pro's camera bump seems to extend from the phone's metal frame. Unlike the S21 Ultra, however, this bump doesn't extend all the way to the top of the phone's rear panel. Also noticeable is the fact that the OnePlus 10 Pro -- at least in this version -- will feature a triple-camera setup.

Mobile

OnePlus 9 vs. Samsung Galaxy S20 FE: What’s the best value phone?

oneplus 9 vs samsung galaxy s20fe s20 fe

OnePlus is facing more competition than ever. In previous years, the company has offered phones with near-flagship specs for a few hundred dollars cheaper than the competition. Last year, however, Samsung launched the $700 Galaxy S20 FE -- a device that borrowed the best things about the Galaxy S20, but came in at a much lower price. Considering that it now often costs just $600, and that the OnePlus 9 comes at $730, the OnePlus 9 has an uphill battle ahead of it in this war between value phones.

The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE may be aging a little, but Samsung still sells it -- meaning you might be wondering which device you should buy. I've used and reviewed both phones. Here are my thoughts.
Design and display
The Galaxy S21 may have a radical and unique new design, but the Galaxy S20 FE sticks to many of the design elements that you would expect from a 2020 phone. It's not the most exciting-looking device -- and it's definitely not ugly, but it feels like every flagship phone last year came with a rectangular camera bump at the top left and a hole-punch cutout on the display.

Mobile

OnePlus 9 vs. Samsung Galaxy S21: A clear winner

oneplus 9 vs samsung galaxy s21 2

Phone companies have been getting hip to the fact that not everyone wants to spend $1,000 on a phone, but those who spend $800 should still be able to get a flagship experience. After all, $800 is a ton of cash. For instance, while the Galaxy S20 started at $1,000, the Galaxy S21 cuts the cost down to $800.

Of course, OnePlus has been playing in that space for years. While its phones have been getting increasingly expensive, the new OnePlus 9 still costs just $730, which is only a little less than the Galaxy S21 -- in fact, it's around the same price when you factor in the Galaxy S21's routine discounts.