iPhone 17 Pro Max wins latest battery drain showdown against Galaxy S25 Ultra and Pixel 10 Pro XL
After the Galaxy S25 Ultra dominated a recent speed test, Apple’s flagship struck back where it counts for everyday users: battery life. In a comprehensive battery drain test conducted by PhoneBuff, the iPhone 17 Pro Max lasted the longest, edging out Samsung’s premium model and leaving Google’s largest Pixel behind despite its bigger battery.
How the test was run
PhoneBuff’s methodology simulates real-world use across a mix of tasks:
– Web browsing to stress each chipset’s efficiency (A19 Pro vs Snapdragon 8 Elite vs Tensor G5)
– Social media use with Instagram to tax displays and power management
– A long standby segment to measure idle drain
– A demanding Snapchat session that activates the display, Wi‑Fi, GPS, and front camera simultaneously
Segment-by-segment highlights
– Web browsing: Surprisingly, the Galaxy S25 Ultra showed better efficiency than expected in this CPU/GPU-light but sustained workload test. Still, the race was far from over.
– Instagram and display efficiency: All three phones use LTPO OLED panels capable of scaling between 1 Hz and 120 Hz. Here, the iPhone 17 Pro Max pulled ahead, showcasing strong display and system-level power optimization.
– Standby: Over a 16-hour idle period, the Galaxy S25 Ultra clawed back some ground, mirroring recent wins by other Samsung models in similar categories.
– Snapchat stress: This is where efficiency gaps widen. The Pixel 10 Pro XL dipped into single digits first and shut down earliest, despite having the largest battery of the trio. The Galaxy S25 Ultra followed, leaving the iPhone 17 Pro Max as the last phone standing.
Final runtimes
– iPhone 17 Pro Max
– Active time: 13 hours 5 minutes
– Standby time: 16 hours
– Total time: 29 hours 5 minutes
– Galaxy S25 Ultra
– Active time: 11 hours 50 minutes
– Standby time: 16 hours
– Total time: 27 hours 50 minutes
– Pixel 10 Pro XL
– Active time: 10 hours 45 minutes
– Standby time: 16 hours
– Total time: 26 hours 45 minutes
Battery life differences
– iPhone 17 Pro Max outlasted Galaxy S25 Ultra by 1 hour 15 minutes
– iPhone 17 Pro Max outlasted Pixel 10 Pro XL by 2 hours 20 minutes
– Galaxy S25 Ultra outlasted Pixel 10 Pro XL by 1 hour 5 minutes
What it means
If you want the most straightforward, long-lasting battery experience right now, the iPhone 17 Pro Max takes the crown in this test. The Galaxy S25 Ultra remains close and has already proven its speed credentials, while the Pixel 10 Pro XL continues to lag in efficiency under heavy, mixed workloads.
It’s also worth noting that PhoneBuff’s broader battery leaderboard still shows another smartphone ahead of the iPhone 17 Pro Max, so Apple’s latest isn’t the absolute endurance champion overall. With more time for software tuning, both iOS 26 and Samsung’s firmware could shift standings in future rounds.
Source: PhoneBuff
