Does the iPhone 18 Pro Max really have 'the largest increase in battery life ever'? Our lab tests results are in here's how it compares

Date:
Wed, 16 Sep 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Description:
Apple is promising "the largest increase in battery life ever" on an iPhone this year, but does that match up with reality?

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter We've put the batteries in Apple's newest iPhones to the test There are upgrades here, but not huge ones Apple has been touting major boosts in battery life on these handsets Sift through the press releases that Apple pushed out while announcing the new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, and you'll see some big battery life increases touted including "the largest increase in battery life ever" on an iPhone with the Pro Max model (compared to the iPhone 17 Pro Max).

We know that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max come with 4,056 mAh and 5,391 mAh capacity batteries respectively ( at least in Europe ), but does that translate into much better battery life? We put both of these new handsets through their paces in the TechRadar labs (as part of our full
iPhone 18 Pro review ) to see if Apple's claims held up under some real-world testing. Our standard test involves having the iPhone automatically cycle through a series of websites over a cellular connection, until the battery dies. Features like location services, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth are all turned
off while the test is being run, and the battery management features in iOS are disabled too. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here:

The iPhone 18 Pro managed 16 hours and 17 minutes in the test, compared to 15 hours and 21 minutes on the iPhone 17 Pro, a boost of around 6% overall . The iPhone 18 Pro Max managed 18 hours and 27 minutes compared to 17 hours and 54 minutes on the iPhone 17 Pro Max, an increase of roughly 3% in total . Those increases are of course welcome, but perhaps aren't quite as impressive as Apple is making out, though there are a lot of different variables (like screen brightness) involved. Apple's own figures usually make use of video playback time as in how long a single battery charge lasts when you've watching a video. You may like iPhone 18 Pro battery upgrades and a Pro Max spec tweak revealed Apple iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max review: better in all the right places iPhone 17 Pro vs iPhone 18 Pro: 5 key differences between Apple's best

For the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, Apple quotes 33 hours and 39 hours respectively, while for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max those numbers go up to 36 hours (a 9% increase) and 45 hours (a 15% increase). That last jump is indeed significant, but may only apply in quite a narrow set of scenarios.

"All battery claims depend on network configuration and many other factors," explains Apple in the small print on its comparison page . "Actual results will vary. Batteries have limited recharge cycles and may eventually need to be replaced. Battery life and charge cycles vary by use and settings." Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

We can safely say that you should see better battery life on the iPhone 18
Pro and Pro Max compared to the models that preceded them, but based on our own testing, don't expect the kind of improvements Apple is promising unless you're doing nothing but watching videos in long stretches between recharges. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Today's best foldable deals Contract Deals Sim Free voucher gift Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 48 months Unlimited mins 30GB data 30 upfront 58.66 /mth View at EE See all prices voucher gift Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold 48 months Unlimited mins 30GB data 30 upfront 47.60 /mth View at EE See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/phones/iphone/does-the-iphone-18-pro-max-really-have -the-largest-increase-in-battery-life-ever-our-lab-tests-results-are-in-heres- how-it-compares


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