Phones with best battery life 2026 - buyer’s guide

The Poco F9 Ultra is a very easy phone to like. The 6.9-inch AMOLED is one of the brightest displays we have measured and is an excellent panel in practically every other respect too. It is sharp, fast, HDR-capable and backed by Poco's dedicated display processing hardware for gaming. The 185Hz headline figure relates to a rather niche use, but the actual high-refresh-rate handling is still excellent.

Battery life is even more impressive. The huge 8,050mAh battery translates into chart-topping endurance, and managing to fit that much capacity into a body that is still recognizably a normal flagship smartphone is an achievement in itself.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 remains immensely powerful, even if it is exactly the same chipset found in the F8 Ultra. Performance is certainly not something the F9 Ultra lacks, but thermal behavior is less convincing. The phone gets quite hot under sustained heavy loads and throttles noticeably. Real-world gaming should still be perfectly fine, but this is clearly not the best implementation of Qualcomm's flagship silicon.

The audio experience remains one of the F9 Ultra's more unusual strengths. The symmetrical stereo speakers and dedicated rear subwoofer produce genuinely excellent sound with unusually convincing low-end response for a phone. The whole 2.1 setup may no longer be new to the series, having debuted on the F8 Ultra, but it remains distinctive in the wider smartphone market.

The camera system is similarly capable without being exceptional in any way. The new 200MP main camera is the standout, producing excellent photos at both 1x and 2x, with very good low-light results and some genuine extra resolving potential if you are willing to work with the huge 200MP files. The 5x telephoto is reliable and useful, while selfies are very good too. The ultrawide remains the weak link, particularly because it still lacks autofocus and falls apart somewhat in low light. Video recording is strong overall, especially from the main and telephoto cameras, and the Pro video features are unusually extensive.

The Poco F9 Ultra is fast, beautifully built and has an exceptionally long-lasting battery, superb display, excellent speakers and a capable camera system. It is one of the better all-round flagship packages currently available

The OnePlus 15 runs on the latest and greatest from Qualcomm, handling high loads very well. It has an excellent display, fast charging, chart-topping battery life, and a robust design that's easy to like. Don't forget the smooth and convenient software experience. It's an excellent all-rounder with some camera missteps.

With the new 15, OnePlus is seemingly changing its strategy. By removing the Hasselblad branding and downgrading the cameras from the OnePlus 13, the newer OnePlus is focusing more on the other aspects, leaving the Oppo Find X9 Pro as the absolute best cameraphone in the family. This way, the company is avoiding direct, homegrown competition with Oppo.

But even with the downgraded camera hardware, the OnePlus 15 offers more than a decent camera experience overall. It's not entirely flagship cameraphone-worthy and the ultrawide and selfie cameras leave more to be desired, but the phone easily compensates in other aspects.

The OnePlus 15 is a solid all-round flagship, the one with the best battery lifes, which is exactly the point of this category.

The Poco X8 Pro Max is exactly the kind of phone that helped build Poco's reputation in the first place. It offers a well-rounded package with very few compromises and a handful of standout features, all while keeping the price firmly in the "flagship killer" territory.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the X8 Pro Max is its battery. The massive 8,500mAh unit delivers outstanding endurance in our tests, easily ranking among the longest-lasting phones we've ever reviewed. Combine that with 100W charging, and you end up with a device that is not only hard to drain but also quick to refill when you eventually do.

Performance is another strong point. The Dimensity 9500s might not be the absolute top-tier silicon in MediaTek's lineup, but it delivers excellent real-world performance and plenty of headroom for demanding games and heavy multitasking. HyperOS 3 runs smoothly on top of it.

The display is also easy to like. It's large, sharp, very bright and supports both Dolby Vision and HDR10+. The symmetrical stereo speakers complement it nicely, making the phone well-suited for media consumption.

The camera system is headlined by a very capable 50MP main camera that produces lively photos with plenty of detail both during the day and at night. The ultrawide is less exciting, and the lack of a dedicated telephoto might disappoint some users, but the overall camera experience remains solid for the price class.

Ultimately, the Poco X8 Pro Max manages to deliver a lot of flagship-grade features without straying too far from Poco's value-focused roots. Between the excellent battery life, strong performance, capable cameras and bright AMOLED display, it's a very easy phone to recommend for anyone looking for maximum bang for their buck.

The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max is not your typical Redmi Note, yet it is the one to shape this series and the next. This Pro Max delivers on its promises for battery life and charging; it impressed us with its screen, and it even managed to squeeze the maximum photo and video quality from the otherwise basic cameras.

Even better, the Note 17 Pro Max offers an incredibly durable design, powerful speakers, and feature-rich HyperOS.

The chipset performance, however, is not a strong suit of the Redmi Note 17 Pro Max. In fact, the entire Redmi Note lineup has seen a notable decline in this aspect. It's not that the Max is lacking power, but it doesn't have the punch we are used to seeing.

The OnePlus 15R with its recent price cuts has begun to look like a proper flagship killer, packing plenty of top-notch features including impressive battery life.

The 15R offers a likable and durable design that can be universally praised. Then there is the bright HDR display with a smooth refresh rate. Our positive impressions were topped off with absolutely incredible battery life. Of course, we cannot but mention the powerful speakers, fast charging, and the more than adequate raw and sustained performance.

Cameras have become a pillar across modern smartphones, and the OnePlus 15R's main camera offers superb photo and video quality across the board, plus incredibly solid video stabilization. The selfies turned out pretty good, and that basic 8MP ultrawide shooter saves above-average daylight photos.

Some of the things we didn't particularly like are the limited use for the 165Hz refresh rate support and the lack of a proper telephoto camera - cheaper phones have better specs right now. And there is no wireless charging support, a feature that is quite popular in the US market.

But that's about it. The OnePlus 15R is a very good smartphone, ticking all the right boxes and delivering on every promise.

The Xiaomi 17 is a solid all-around flagship phone with no critical flaws in any aspect, despite its size and overall portability. It's the perfect choice for users looking to buy into the premium Android experience, without having to deal with today's humongous screens.

The ultrawide camera may not be the phone's strongest suit, and the zoom camera has a modest focal length, but it gets everything else right. The display is flawless, the battery life is chart-topping, charging is more than decently fast, and the simple and elegant build is easy to like. We just wish the telephoto camera had a longer optical zoom like most competitors and a nicer ultrawide camera that's as wide as its name suggests.

Overall, despite the couple of shortcomings, the Xiaomi 17 is one of the best compact flagships you can get right now, especially considering its exceptional battery life.

The vivo V70 FE ends up being a rather interesting entry in the V70 lineup. On paper, it looks like a trimmed-down version of the vanilla model, but in practice, it manages to carve out its own identity with a few standout traits of its own.

For starters, the V70 FE leans heavily into endurance and day-to-day usability. The massive 7,000 mAh battery is easily one of its strongest selling points, delivering excellent longevity that few competitors in the segment can match. Pair that with reasonably quick 90W charging and a well-optimized, fluid OriginOS 6 experience, and you get a device that feels reliable and easy to live with.

The display is another highlight. It's large, sharp, and feature-rich, with HDR10+ support and excellent peak brightness in auto mode. Add to that the surprisingly capable stereo speaker setup, and the V70 FE turns into a solid multimedia companion.

At the same time, there are some compromises that are hard to ignore. Performance is adequate but unremarkable for the price class, with the Dimensity 7360 Turbo trailing behind many direct competitors. The camera experience is also somewhat inconsistent - the 200MP main sensor can produce nice results, especially at night, but its unreliable behavior in daylight and weak zoom performance hold it back from being truly competitive.

Build-wise, while the IP68/IP69 rating is commendable, but the plastic construction does feel like a step down compared to some rivals offering more premium materials.

All things considered, the vivo V70 FE is a well-rounded device with a clear focus on battery life, display quality, and overall user experience rather than raw performance or camera prowess. If those priorities align with your needs, it's an easy phone to like. However, if you're after top-tier performance or a more versatile camera system, there are better options in this price range.

The Oppo Find X9 Ultra is an excellent piece of tech, albeit pricier than other Ultras. It's not just a great cameraphone, it's a great all-rounder, too. It has an extra-long battery life, fast charging, a great display, although the full 144Hz is rarely utilized, and offers a nice, customizable software experience, which will get about five major upgrades in the future..

It's too early to say whether it's the best camera-centric phone in the first half of the year, but it's definitely up there with the best, and honestly, that should be enough. If you are looking for the best, this may as well be the one.

However, if video quality is on top of your priority list, that may not be the Find X9 Ultra's forte. Videos are soft-ish across the board, or at least they are not on an "ultra" level.

But among the big cameraphones, the gaps are so small that it will probably boil down to preferences regarding design, software, your favorite focal lengths and features more than anything else.

In the end, we cannot but recommend the Find X9 Ultra if you're in the market for a high-end cameraphone.

The Oppo Reno16 Pro feels like a premium phone and offers a bunch of premium features, too. It checks almost all boxes, especially for compact smartphone fans. It has an impeccable build, impressive battery endurance for the size, a complete and potent camera hardware and a solid display. The handset also adds a useful remappable hardware key.

The Reno16 Pro delivers a balanced image performance. You can expect generally very good results from all three rear cameras in daylight. Low-light performance is also without dealbreakers, but the detail is also leaving us a bit unimpressed. The selfie camera remains a major selling point thanks to its unusually wide lens and great photo quality. Video quality is very good from all three cameras in daylight, and the main and telephoto carry that into the night as well, where the ultrawide is a bit less convincing.

Overall, the Reno16 Pro is a well-built and lightweight premium phone with a commendable camera kit and quality. It does deliver across the board – display, battery life, design, charging. The performance is solid, too, just not on par with other phones in the same price bracket, though.

The Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max is undeniably a top-tier flagship - combining a durable premium build, a sharp display with a smaller cutout, class-leading battery life, outstanding cameras, and fluid iOS performance. And while few people will feel the A20 Pro upgrade in everyday use right now, we do believe its extra performance and memory bandwidth will pay off in the years to come.

Despite the impressive achievement of Apple's redesigned chip, the iPhone 18 Pro Max remains one of the most incremental updates in recent years. This is somewhat understandable, given that the 20th anniversary iPhone 20 arrives next year and the new iPhone Duo took center stage as this year's "one more thing."

Just like previous iPhones, the iPhone 18 Pro Max does amazing videos - no matter the camera, the conditions, the chosen format - the iPhone 18 Pro Max will ace the scene. Once again Apple deserves praise for making a camera app that's suitable both for mainstream and pro users, something no one else in the industry can quite pull off.

So, is the iPhone 18 Pro Max worth buying? Absolutely. It remains an exceptional flagship packed with top-tier features. If it fits your needs - or if you're upgrading from an iPhone 15 Pro Max or earlier - it's an easy recommendation. And it can stand tall against any Android rival, too.

The Motorola Edge 70 Pro is another very solid addition to Motorola's Edge lineup. It builds intelligently on last year's model with a larger silicon-carbon battery, a brighter display, a welcome periscope telephoto upgrade and a more powerful chipset, all while becoming noticeably thinner and lighter. That's an impressive list of improvements for what is otherwise a fairly iterative generation..

The overall user experience is hard to fault. Battery life is among the best in the class; the AMOLED display is excellent; the software remains clean and pleasantly close to stock Android; and the camera system is consistently capable. The new 50MP periscope finally gives the Edge Pro series a telephoto camera worthy of the name and rounds out an already versatile imaging package.

The phone isn't without compromises, however. Motorola continues to lag behind many rivals when it comes to long-term software support, offering just three major Android upgrades. Charging, while still plenty fast, is no longer class-leading, and video recording - particularly in low light - isn't nearly as polished as the otherwise strong still photography.

The Edge 70 Pro price has fallen below €500, which has made the phone an incredible deal. Its combination of premium design, outstanding battery endurance, excellent display and versatile cameras makes it one of the more complete upper-midrange smartphones currently available.

The Poco F9 Pro is a great all-rounder with some small drawbacks in the camera department. Sure, you can easily find better camera phones around the same price, but the Poco offers flagship-level performance, battery life, display quality and charging, the qualities we are looking in a proverbial flagship-killer.

Our main issue is with the dated 8MP ultrawide camera. Perhaps a longer zoom wouldn't have hurt either, considering how close the main 200MP camera's 2x crops get to the telephoto's quality.

The overall greatness of the F9 Pro is quite enticing, making the camera trade-off easily justifiable. The handset has dependable battery life, excellent screen, snappy charging, and there aren't many phones in this price range offering a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset.

Now priced at about €700, the Poco F9 Pro can easily be considered as a flagship killer if you are not that picky about camera quality.

Even though the Razr 70 Ultra has few real competitors, it feels like Motorola is really trying to produce a competitive device. The Razr 70 Ultra offers one of the best battery endurances for a flip phone, has unique design options, charges quite fast, snaps excellent stills with all of its cameras, as far as flip phones go, and offers a fully functional cover screen with some neat features..

The Razr 70 Ultra leaves room for improvement - the main display's HDR brightness is somewhat disappointing, and the 165Hz refresh rate is strictly conditional. Also, just 3 major OS updates no longer cut it for a flagship phone with a premium price tag.

All things considered, as small-size foldables go, the Motorola Razr 70 Ultra is quite the enticing proposition.

There is no foldable that is outright better than the Motorola Razr Fold, but the Razr Fold is also not standing above the current crop. As far as we can tell - the modern book-style foldables are such great devices, versatile and powerful, with equally great hardware and software, that everything boils down to personal feelings and preferences.

The Motorola Razr Fold has it all - a signature design with a unique touch of class, a trait Motorola easily delivers across all its phones. Then there are two absolutely lovely OLED screens with great properties. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chip is one of the most powerful on the market with acceptable sustained performance for a foldable phone.

Then there is the camera kit, which has been lifted straight from the Motorola Signature. And it's one of the best for stills, no matter the camera and its lens. Just don't expect it to be an Ultra bar phone-level camcorder, because while it's very good, it's not that great.

We want to praise the battery life and the charging speed, too. But most of all, we want to applaud Motorola on the clean interface with incredibly rich features including AI, foldable-exclusives, and stylus-rerated.

Overall, we wholeheartedly recommend putting the Motorola Razr Fold on your shortlists as it's one of the best phones out there. It may not be the most powerful, but it's easily one of the most likable and most versatile.