Last week CNET published an extensive battery test and the iPhone came out on top. But it wasn’t just one iPhone model that performed well, as several iPhones topped CNET’s list.
iPhone 18 Pro Max has best battery performance per CNET test, with iPhone 17 and iPhone 18 Pro winners too
CNET pitted 32 modern smartphones against each other to see how battery life compared.
The winner? iPhone 18 Pro Max, which was followed closely by two other iPhone models.
Here’s the top 10 list, which contains several ties:
| Rank | Phone | Battery Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max | 5,567 mAh |
| 2 | Apple iPhone 17 | 3,692 mAh |
| 2 | Apple iPhone 18 Pro | 4,288 mAh |
| 2 | Motorola Razr (2026) | 4,800 mAh |
| 2 | OnePlus 15 | 7,300 mAh |
| 3 | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 | 4,800 mAh |
| 4 | Apple iPhone 17E | 4,005 mAh |
| 4 | Apple iPhone Duo | 4,883 mAh |
| 4 | Motorola Razr Ultra (2026) | 5,000 mAh |
| 5 | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | 5,000 mAh |
As you can see, iPhone 17 and iPhone 18 Pro both tied for second place alongside a pair of Android models. iPhone 18 Pro Max was the sole model that beat every other.
Each battery test is going to be a bit different, so results may vary depending on how you stress-test a phone. That said, here’s the method behind CNET’s test:
CNET says that in the 45-minute stress test they “stream videos, make a video call, play games and scroll social media.” So it’s an attempt at replicating normal use.
What’s your takeaway from the battery test results? Let us know in the comments.
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