TECH NEWS – PhoneBuff’s new test included Google’s flagship device, which performed as expected.

The battery drain test conducted by PhoneBuff started as usual, with the iPhone 17 Pro Max leading the Galaxy S25 Ultra and Pixel 10 Pro XL. The real efficiency challenge came during the web browsing segment, where the A19 Pro, Snapdragon 8 Elite, and Tensor G5 chips were put under load to see which SoC consumed the least power. Surprisingly, the Galaxy S25 Ultra performed better — but that was just the beginning.

Launching Instagram put all the flagships under stress to determine which display was the most efficient. The iPhone 17 Pro Max, Galaxy S25 Ultra, and Pixel 10 Pro XL all feature LTPO OLED displays, allowing refresh rates to scale up to 120Hz when needed and drop to 1Hz to conserve battery life. In this category, Apple’s flagship device outperformed its competitors. In the 16-hour standby test, the Galaxy S25 Ultra took the lead.

Switching to Snapchat — the most demanding part of the test since all components (display, Wi-Fi, GPS, front camera) are active — the Pixel 10 Pro XL dropped into single-digit territory, making it the least efficient of the three despite having the largest battery capacity. It was the first to run out of power, followed by the Galaxy S25 Ultra, leaving the iPhone 17 Pro Max as the winner. If you want the best battery life, go with the iPhone 17 Pro Max. It’s worth noting that Samsung had plenty of time to optimize the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s software, which helped it beat Apple’s flagship in a previous speed test.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max posted an active time of 13 hours and 5 minutes, standby time of 16 hours, and a total runtime of 29 hours and 5 minutes. The Galaxy S25 Ultra managed 11 hours and 50 minutes of active use, 16 hours of standby, and 27 hours and 50 minutes total. The Pixel 10 Pro XL came in last with 10 hours and 45 minutes active, 16 hours standby, and 26 hours and 45 minutes total. That means the iPhone 17 Pro Max lasted 1 hour and 15 minutes longer than the Galaxy S25 Ultra and 2 hours and 20 minutes longer than the Pixel 10 Pro XL. The Galaxy S25 Ultra lasted 1 hour and 5 minutes longer than the Pixel 10 Pro XL.

Future software updates may further improve the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s battery life, as iOS 26 still requires extensive optimization.

Source: WCCFTech