Apple's keynote claim that the new iPhone 18 Pro battery life can match last years iPhone 17 Pro Max is not that far from the truth, according to a battery test completed by popular YouTuber mrwhosetheboss, also known as Arun Maini.
In his iPhone 18 Pro unboxing video, Arun tested the battery of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max against last years iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone 17 and the Samsung S26 Ultra, which released earlier this year.
Surprisingly, Apple's claim of major battery life improvements this generation has made a real difference, with iPhone 18 Pro Max taking first place by almost two hours.
The smaller model, iPhone 18 Pro, took third place, just nine minutes behind the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Here's the full results:
- iPhone 18 Pro Max, 12h, 32m
- iPhone 17 Pro Max, 10h, 36m
- iPhone 18 Pro, 10h, 27m
- Samsung S26 Ultra, 10h
- iPhone 17 Pro, 8h, 48m
- iPhone 17, 8h, 26m
Just the jump from the iPhone 17 Pro to the iPhone 18 Pro is impressive, with an additional 1 hour 39 minutes of battery life. Of course, this year's model is £100 more expensive and weights a bit more.
The smaller iPhone 18 Pro battery was extremely close to overtaking the iPhone 17 Pro Max, with just minutes between them.
Most unsurprisingly, the iPhone 17 came last place at 8 hours 26 minutes. This puts 4 hours and 6 minutes between first and last place, a pretty significant gap.
Real usage will vary, as it depends on how you use your device. On-device AI and gaming will inevitably drain your battery faster, as opposed to watching content or taking notes.
This test shows that even upgrading from last year’s models could bring significant benefits, especially if you struggle to get through a full day without having to recharge.
And, compared to previous tests by Arun, an upgrade from the iPhone 16 Pro and older could be major for battery life.
In 2024, his iPhone 16 battery test video showed the iPhone 16 Pro lasting 8 hours 19 minutes, which puts Apple's 2024 flagship under the iPhone 17. The tests were conducted at different times and may not be directly comparable, but the result offers some perspective on Apple’s recent battery-life gains.t
